Good...but wasn't worth it

Sometimes the small things in life are the sweetest.

Amanza was not the case for me.

This is a completely personal perspective, so others are subject to disagreement, but I think there was a little bit too much positive feedback for this one. I would like to first state that I have so much respect for those who suffer through cancer and terminal illness among other illnesses. I also respect the creators and the work they all did in putting this together. And, of course, I respect those who appreciate this piece of art because it certainly should be appreciated. Opinions are bound to differ, however, so if anyone is like me, I hope this review comes in handy.

This show has some wonderful actors which was a real treat. Beautiful animation of course, and some fun music, but with something as small as Amanza was, it wasn't enough.

Does that make sense? Maybe not, but let me explain.

Without getting too detailed into the story, we have a pretty typical one of terminal cancer. It is depicted uniquely through animation, but to me it felt as though we were always going on a journey without ever really getting anywhere. Even the characters themselves seemed to be looking towards something--some destination--but it doesn't quite seem to be found or fulfilled by the end in a satisfying way.

I am the type of person who does not like watching suffering and sadness, so this show was not for me. I hoped for something more, and this show tries to offer that by diving into the characters' individual lives which is beautifully done, but the failure of the journey really hurts the ending of the show and left it to be a forgettable one for me.

Though mini-series should be character focused as this one is, they still need to remember that abstractness can lead to empty results. Once again, I truly do respect the creators of this series as well as those to whom it means something as all films and media should. However if anyone does relate to me, then I hope this is helpful!

Read More

The Main Romance Could Have Been Better--Mini Analysis

Note: If you would rather skip the essay—my overall summary and conclusion is at the end. :D

This drama is wonderful and beautiful. There are so many great things this production team did in creating this show that I wish I could go into all of it; however when something this good graces us with its presence, the problems are impossible to ignore. Anyone can and should be talking about how well done this show is, but there was one main problem that I want to review because it affected my view of the show so much.

The romance.

Now, I just want to give a slow clap for the second couple's performance and story as being the first time I enjoyed theirs more than the main. Their chemistry and development was fire and ice and tears and respect. I loved every moment of them.

But the main couple.

I loved how their connection was approached with the way the FL has always tended to run away from things and how the ML likes to face things head on (which is done subtly and well). They have a cute story of learning about each other's interests, but we don't really get to go deep into it where they really learn about each other as much. Instead, they learn about themselves which is also commendable but still kind of confusing when they have a romantic relationship...?

Many people have already voiced their opinions about the ML's stiff acting/character which is certainly validated. He is the type of character whom I really struggled to connect with for the first several episodes. It wasn't until around episode 7, maybe, that he began to grow on me more. How I took this was that the ML actor seems to fall into his character's head space more as the show progresses. By the end, he doesn't feel as stiff and socially awkward as everyone was confused about in the beginning. Except with the FL.

This really affects the chemistry and overall romance between him and the FL. Both characters are rather closed off which is not only a writing problem but also a directing and acting problem. No need to blame anyone--it's just how it happened. The characters never really communicate well throughout which makes all of their scenes feel like a first, awkward date. This makes them seem innocent and sweet which I can see being appealing (and I think that ends up being the intended perspective the director went for), but something about the FL rubbed me wrong the entirety of the show.

She seems to be the type of person who is interested in him more as one might be interested in a pretty vase (@MyLoveFromTheStar). We as the audience are also interested in him because he is a unique character, but to me this never really feels like love as she doesn't support him the way he is literally supporting everyone else on the show.

Mostly the problem I had with her was the same one I had when I first watched her performance on "Rookie Historian." I felt Shin Se Kyung and Cha Eun Woo had more of a sibling relationship which I summed up to them being about 10 years apart and didn't think much of it until now. Even at around the same age, Se Kyung as the FL felt somewhat condescending towards Syeon Gyeom as she treats him like a child. Which I suppose I can see, but she does it so much that it is rather off putting.

CONCLUSION

I have more in my analysis of this relationship that I could go into (I'm ridiculous), but basically I felt as though the main romance suffered in awkwardness and slow pacing; for the first several episodes, there is little progression in the show. I think it could easily have even been cut down to 12 episodes. The way sexuality and real life jobs, and just real life in general is dealt with is done beautifully. As a film major, I certainly got excited with the references and little things that are just a part of my world.

However, it's missing some of that spark to make it more entertaining which I've put a lot of weight on the main romance as it's a foundational piece of the show. Aside from the difficulty to engage with the show, it is certainly worth the watch. Not a binge watch for me, but still worth seeing.

My music rating always includes overall sound as well, and then my rewatch rating is always my entertainment rating instead. As always, so much work clearly went into this project, and I am so grateful that I got to see it! Cheers!

Read More

"Vincenzo" and Moral Deception: Violence and Murder are Okay if it’s for a Good Cause

They're not.

While I wholly support those who fight for freedom and defend themselves, murder and such violent acts are different. It is about intention. I also recognize that the argument of this show is that Vincenzo is a lesser evil than the main villain and is fighting against evil. However, (and the show notes this) it is still evil against evil which ultimately ruins all the good it builds up at the beginning.

These crucial elements of morality come into play more seriously at the end of the show. Rather than just being simple “Ocean's Eleven” fun and games, the series still puts the anti hero in the spotlight, his actions fully supported by the other "good" players in the show.

In terms of the comedic and often lighter tone of the show, this is comparable to Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.” The difference, however, is satire. The audience in “Parasite” is meant to recognize the evil we face in reality and the wrongness of the situation while still depicting it in humorous ways. By the end of “Vincenzo," on the other hand, it is clear that the show is genuine in its attitude on moral grayness.

As a side note, one of the reasons I enjoyed last year's “The Good Detective” so much is because it emphasizes the importance of the law and morality despite the challenges of each.

What is good? What is evil? Where is the line?

"Vincenzo" only scratches the surface of these broad questions. In my opinion, it is because there is no real line drawn here. Perhaps I speak for myself, but I never felt as though Vincenzo was the villain even as he claims to be one. His very being the protagonist affects the viewer’s perspective on the protagonist’s actions, confusing the morality of the show further. The better question then is, “What wouldn’t Vincenzo do for his perceived justice and revenge?”

By the end, it becomes a show where the “good guys” find pleasure in their enemies’ pain. Their enemies certainly needed to pay, but it feels as though the show glorifies such vengeance, turning it into good when, at the end of the day, it is still evil.

The charm the show begins with does not persevere as the later episodes and ending reveal the seriousness of our “good characters’” actions. What could have been used as a shock ploy to persuade viewers and other characters in the show of such seriousness and evil is only accepted and continued to the end of the show. And I will just tell you, many of our main characters have some shocking acts.

This is an interesting point to note because we see do, in fact, see this moral struggle in Vincenzo's character through his nightmares and in Cha Young through her physical aversion to such violence (as opposed to her verbal consent). Had the show then gone the route of exploring these insecurities and drawing a moral line, a powerful lesson could have been found in the story. And, as with the way Vincenzo works, it would have come with a splendid snap and boom.

CONCLUSION

Despite the supposed morally grey characters (whom I argue are still making evil decisions with regards to murder and such cruelty), there is a great deal of meaning to still be found in the show. It is full of strong and richly created characters with believable weaknesses. Plot twists don’t appear out of nowhere and come seamlessly as the show progresses. Comedy and tragedy work in harmony to build this incredible series.

The last couple episodes are outliers for my final grade on the show because I disliked them so much as all my hopes for a meaningful conclusion were wasted. However, with such an enjoyable beginning and middle of the drama, I decided to rest on a well-deserved 8/10.

I would say that it was worth watching because of its clever fun, but if such moral deceptiveness bothers you in a show, I would not recommend it to you. As always, my rewatch value is based on my entertainment value and my music also includes sound. Rarely is it that I give out 10s for sound—the sound and music here was stupendous. I appreciate all the hard work that went into the making of this show and hope this was helpful to someone! Cheers!

Read More

I'll Even Say It in Spanish: NO

"The Red Sleeve" starts out as a sweet romance between a prince and a court lady. This isn't an untold story, but the execution kept me watching as its very first episode cuts through the heart with powerful acting and compelling narrative.

This drama gives awareness of the situation court ladies were in during the Joseon period and their little rights. Where much of the show was not as engaging to me in the latter half, the social situations continue to be most compelling and evocative.

What You Need to Know:
The romance here is toxic. So so toxic. I should only have to say this once: No? It means NO. The drama continues to push this, but then there is also some faltering in the end that made my skin crawl for the sake of either history and/or romance. If you are sensitive to sexual abuse or relationship abuse, this could be triggering for you. I myself had to skip many parts as I felt very uncomfortable.

Overall:
I think the things this drama deals with are very important, and it was worth watching for me. I wish I had known beforehand about the toxic relationships—I would have chosen not to watch it. Still, for educational purposes I can see why many have been amazed by this show and how it speaks out for women. I am disappointed that the moral themes did not stand true to the end or were at least not quite fully fleshed out to their potential. This is not a show I would recommend to people for the most part because so much of it was emotionally harmful, but it is certainly worth discussing. The music was beautiful! As always, my rewatch value is actually my entertainment value as well. I am grateful for those who put their hard work into telling this story.

Cheers,

Kenzie

Read More

Wholesome and Healing

Who doesn't love a hard worker? "Nice View" not only tells the story of the hard working genius Jing Hao, but it also shows the rewards of such work. I feel as though movies such as these end up with a protagonist who gets beaten to the ground (though there is plenty of that) with no hope left until the plot demands it, but this story constantly blossoms with love and hope. Some of my favorite moments in this story are Tong's tears for Jing Hao every time he isn't taking care of himself in order to take care of her. They treat each other so gently with utmost care and love. So much so that when troubles arise, giving up isn't even a question. For anyone.

Where it falls short would be giving more growth to the story. I was fascinated by many characters and the business, but there wasn't enough time to expand on everything. The movie felt cut short in some ways, but the emotion stayed strong. In the end, however, there is so much wholesomeness in this story that I instantly fell for it. It hurts just right and heals you even more. It's fast pace and raw emotion are reason enough to recommend it. 8/10.

As always, my rating for music is also my rating for sound production, and the rewatch value represents that of entertainment instead.

Cheers,

Kenzie

Read More

Exciting Concepts, Messy Ending

Because of its widespread popularity, "W" has attracted lots of criticism. I quickly heard about the drama when I first got into them, but because of such negative criticism, I stayed away from it. I finally decided it was time, though, so here we are.

I don't want to sit on its problems for so long, so I'll just overview some of it. First of all, there are a great deal of plot holes and points of confusion that aren’t really explained (despite the somewhat prolonged ending). Despite this, I would still argue that the pacing of the show keeps you so invested that the plot holes aren’t so cumbersome, merely occurring because “the plot demands it.” The concepts and points the writers are making with the plot points are so interesting as well that it makes it easier to suspend your disbelief.

The second problem for me is the ending. It is very messy and much darker than the more intriguing first half. In fact, it is shockingly dark, in my perspective, which contrasts with some of the themes and purposes of the show. Juxtaposed with the even more confusing story line, the second half and its ending dropped my rating from an 8 to a 7.

As opposed to the popular opinion, I do not find Jong Suk Lee to be the best actor. Despite having an entire character laid out for him, his fake smiles and flat deliveries struck again. Even if you don’t love him as I don’t, this won’t deter your entertainment from the show. But as a side note, shout out to Eui Sung Kim who did a great job.

Because the show is absolutely entertaining. Every episode brings sometimes several new plot twists that you never see coming (mostly because they are never explained, but still). There is a more philosophical take on life that I haven’t seen much in K-dramas which was fresh and enjoyable.

So even though it isn’t perfect and is full of choppiness and “wait, what?” moments along the way, I would say this show is worth watching for its interesting take on writing and life.

Side note: my rewatch value is always my entertainment value because I hardly rewatch dramas. As always, I am so appreciative of the work and efforts of the cast and production team into making this show. It is a lot of work to put together any type of work of art; and we get to enjoy it! So big shout out to them and those making it available to us.

Read More

A Disturbing Thriller That Feels a Little too Real

What started off as exciting and thrilling has escalated into relentless violence and disturbing elements. I am the type of person who is interested in psychology, so I found this show to be fascinating in many ways. However, I’ve decided to drop it because of the negative effect it had on my life.

As a Christian and a film major, I have to take extra care in the many films and shows I watch to check how they fit into my standards and mental well-being. If you are anything like me, I found the good in this show to not outweigh the overall evil feeling portrayed. The more I watched and thought about it, the less at ease I felt and less enthused I was to continue. I low-key have had several nightmares because of it.

“Mouse” is truly an intriguing show with psychological and sociological concepts spread throughout with the wonderful production. However, there is no breathing room. The struggle with morality and depiction of such disturbing violence towards adults, children, and animals pushes gratuity.

I made it pretty far, but it’s not worth it to finish; and that’s okay.

As always, my "rewatch value" is simply my entertainment value instead. I also rate not only music but sound. The production team has done a great job so far with this one, so I applaud them and the actors' hard work!

Read More

Toxic Masculinity, Toxic Relationship...Toxic Show?

Before I begin, I just want to say that I did enjoy this show. I laughed out loud at some parts and let my jaw hang open in shock at others.

Now, to the important stuff.

I am a Media Arts major and therefore study things like toxic masculinity in film. The traditional hand grabbing and passionate kissing without consent are unfortunately common themes in film and Kdramas. Still, if you are used to watching some of the more modern stuff that's turned away from some of these things, this one will churn your feminist blood.

During the time this show was produced, bad boys were all the rage and it was a norm to see a man shove a girl up against a wall on screen in a dominant way. Toxic masculinity is all about presenting men in such an aggressive or powerful way that we unfortunately expect—resulting in harm to men themselves as well as women.

I'll try not to bore you. Basically what I am describing to you is the harm that's presented in Secret Garden. Once again, things are changing as we become more aware of this toxicity, but it is true nonetheless that this show is full of tropes that should make you uncomfortable. You should not agree with the things the main male character does in his relationships with not only the girl he likes, but also with some others.

There is a part in the show (without spoiling anything) where a man kisses a woman suddenly and she smacks him, saying, "I didn't give you permission!" I laughed out loud because consent is so important and completely forgotten throughout the entire show.

If you have ever been in such a toxic relationship, this show could be harmful to you as the relationship is hardly uplifting aside from small moments and the last few episodes. It takes a "hate to love" relationship to a ridiculous level, despite the growth the characters still go through. At the end of the day, it is still presenting a toxic relationship as a positive and happy one.

But okay, yes. I did enjoy this show to some extent. It was fun and even sweet at times, but I wish someone had told me beforehand how toxic it was. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to most people—despite its wide cinematic influence in Korea. The show itself is not toxic I don't believe, but when there are such things presented, it can be toxic to somebody.

I hope this is helpful! My rewatch value is my entertainment value. I am also grateful to all the work that was put into the making of this drama so we could watch and learn from it. Because I definitely learned some things!

Cheers!

Read More

If this show were a persuasive essay on literally any of its themes, it would fail.

*Not really specific spoilers, but I do describe general concepts of the story which may influence how someone who hasn't seen the drama may understand the show. If anyone sees this as spoilery, just let me know, and I'll put an official warning label on it. Although I'm not so sure enough happens in this drama that one could spoil anyway.*

Come and Hug Me is a great example of a story that introduces exciting ideas but never follows through with them in a way that actually make sense. Let's dive in.

Story/Themes:
If this drama were an essay, its argument wouldn't make any sense. We see this through the themes and concepts introduced through the story such as, "Are parents their children?" and "Some people are become monsters." There is even this idea that Na Moo's father has ruined all their lives, but the only way we see this is through sad remembrance and mean people (who don't really seem to bother Na Moo that much anyway?) The argument of this is all very confusing and made little sense to me as I felt like what I was seeing was different from what was said without giving too much away. While there are several problems this storyline, my goal isn't to tear this drama down and rip it apart. Rather, I simply want to review on some overall things that were done wrong or not as well as they could have been.

These ideas I just relayed are examples of ones that were the most developed in the show, but failed to do much more than give the audience surface understandings about them. The writing of the show also confusingly contrasted against its own arguments at times which didn't make any sense.

We get these illogical moves in the story that only seem to happen because the "plot demands it." Not to mention (as many have already mentioned) there are so many flash backs and flash forwards that feel not only out of place but unnecessarily dragged out and sometimes nonsensical.

Cast/Characters:
Oh, the cast. Oh, the characters. I give it a C.

One of the most brilliant parts of the show, to me, was how well done the casting was for the younger roles. They were absolutely perfect and convinced me that they really were their younger counterparts. Unfortunately, the characters were less compelling and hurt what was built at the beginning of the show.

We have Na Moo and Nak Won who are absolutely perfect. The writer seemed to want to show imperfection merely through weakness in being a victim as if the title of "victim" defined who our main characters were.

I mostly had problems with Na Moo as a character. He felt incredibly bland and far too perfect, despite the issues the writer seemed to force on him (it literally felt forced. Again, another one of those things that didn't quite make sense). I haven't seen his actor in anything else before, so I can't judge him too harshly since I have already concluded that the writing was not well done, but I also can't deny that any bland characters can seem interesting enough if their actor is a beast. All that to say, there were problems on all sides.

Going along with the challenges the storyline faced, the writer seemed to have characters do a lot of things and come to so many conclusions that astounded me. The actions of the reporters were absolutely ridiculous (especially after recently watching Pinocchio which slayed it all).

The most interesting character was Na Moo's brother for me. Had he been the main character, I wonder how things would have been different....

Music:
One of the songs sounded like Happy Birthday or something to me every time. Not important...but nothing stood out to me. It did a fairly decent job of raising suspense without going overboard which I love. Somewhat above average with a score of 7.5/10.

Entertainment:
I never rate the rewatch value section and instead adjust it to "Entertainment." Otherwise I would give most dramas a 1 or 2 which just wouldn't be fair. So! Entertainment!

This is a decently entertaining show. As I have said before, the story is interesting with interesting ideas and some pretty good pacing. However, I give it a 4 because all of these other things with the story, the characters/acting, as well as the production problems (which isn't on here but there are quite a few production and editing problems which got in the way). As I am a film major, these things affect how entertained I was. Even though the elements in the story are exciting, they are not executed well through the writing of it that made it less and less entertaining as the plot holes became more and more distracting.

Overall:
I really do appreciate all the efforts that went in to making this drama. It is not easy to put a film let alone an entire show together, so there was a lot of people involved and a lot of work! Everyone really did a great job--it's more than I have ever done for sure.

Despite this, there are certainly things that could have been improved and hopefully will be better done in the future. We see from this show that it really is important to show the logical moves from one plot to another in the story. There are many inconsistencies with children being the same as their parents or not, and very little explanations are given to help further the arguments as to what the show is trying to say.

One theme that did work for this show is the idea of your real family not having to be related by blood. It was still a little choppy getting to this conclusion, but there are a lot of beautiful discussions on it. The relationship between Na Moo's brother (Hyun Moo) and their adoptive mother was one of the most moving parts of the story to me. There is value in this show which many people have noticed of course because of the high ratings for it which is great. However, as successful as it has been, let's still recognize that some of the most important aspects of making a meaningful story are missed.

Read More

The Incredible Cast Could Not Save This Train Wreck.

I will start with the cons first, because I like to end on a happy note.

Story:
What an interesting story! The idea of hypermnesia was very intriguing to me, although I will admit I came because of YSH who does a wonderful job here. Despite this, however, the things which draw us in (like the hypermnesia) get pushed to the side over and over again until they are suddenly brought back as a necessary plot device. Once more, the plot demands a ridiculous price from such a production, leaving the audience with little satisfaction throughout the journey.

Sub plots get recycled continuously at an exhausting rate. The writer does just enough to keep things interesting by, like I said, bringing back in the things that we are actually interested in like human relationships and Jin Woo’s memory. These are the things which kept me watching (even though I knew I was being conned) as well as the phenomenal performances by the rest of the main cast.

Cast/Acting:
After seeing Nam in Chief Kim, I was stunned to see him here as an opposite roll. He once again takes the job and completely immerses in it. He was perfect in every way.

I don’t have much to say about the chemistry between the actors. I saw them more as separate than playing off of each other as well because they all had such separate character arcs.

Park Min Young worked very well with the other actors. Though normally seen as a rom com actress, she shows some range here as more of a supporting character. As a character with less of a story than the others, she did a beautiful job of being there for other actors to play off of and reacting as a real person. Her expressions and body language were really wonderful.

Honestly, the wonderful acting of the main cast was the best part of this show and most worth watching for me. However, it was still not enough to make it a worthwhile story in the end.

Production:
The camera work and storytelling was uninteresting and disenchanting. I recognize that more care has since been taken into these things in recent years, but the lack of innovation has little to do with time and money.

The main example of this which I have seen others complain about is likely the drama being too long with the first four episodes being setup episodes. Just as easily we could have seen the back story with flash backs (not Come and Hug Me’s too many flashbacks, I mean) or set up more of the story before having a flashback episode to tell their story which could just as easily of been told in one episode as opposed to four.

Killing your darlings is a real thing, but I strongly believe that there was no reason we needed to spend so much time setting up the story. More time does not mean more effective as we see with “Tunnel” and its first setup episode (while it’s not a flashback, I think they can be reasonably compared).

Overall, this was an interesting drama that struggled with its pacing and plot. However, the characters and cast do a wonderful job to pull the audience in and keep us watching.

As always, I appreciate all the work that went into the making of this drama. So many hours went into this, and I am grateful that it was made so that I could see it and get to enjoy it!

Read More

The Main Problems I had with "Signal" (Even though I Loved It)

I've never done this before, but here is a review/discussion on "Signal" for those who HAVE seen the drama.

WARNING: ESSAY AHEAD

As one of the highest rated shows here, it is impossible to miss “Signal.” If you haven’t watched it, you will at least try it out one day because the world won’t stop telling you how good it is. Nor will the reviewers stop reviewing. For some reason. Ahem. (But seriously, this review is addressed to those who have seen it).

However, after recently finishing the series, I went through reviews to try and find the words which described how I feel about it other than the extremes of “IT’S THE BEST” or “IT’S THE WORST.” Which, honestly, it isn’t either of those things.

Let’s be honest, though, it’s great. It’s a really well done show. Even if you haven’t seen it you KNOW that. So, as I seem to be doing to the popular things, I’m just going to discuss what is not so great. This time, with spoilers. All the spoilers ahead.

THE PLOT HOLE

Getting right into it, we have a bit of plot holes here which I’ve seen people mention exist, but no one seems to be really discussing what they actually are. And it is what the main one is which really impacts the ending of the season.

The radio transmissions. Obviously. The first transmission received is from Jaehan’s future—a future only made possible because of Haeyeong’s future transmissions. This becomes a whole “chicken and the egg” ordeal as it is supposedly Haeyeong which leads Jaehan to the latter’s death, when the show itself is constantly reminding us that the future only changes when the past is changed.

While their relationship’s beginning with Jaehan’s death adds to the suspense and weight at the end of the season, I did spend the entire time wondering when we would find out how the transmissions started in the first place. This curiosity was never satisfied—unless I missed something in which I would ask someone to explain (completely plausible).

CONSISTENCY

This show actually does a great job in keeping things pretty simple (though it certainly gets too simple as many have noted), but the second half also will make question the consistency of changing the past.

When the serial killer with ties to Soohyun gets arrested in the past, this results in several women surviving in the future. Haeyeong comments on this, but no solution is arrived at by the end of the season. When the previous case held drastic results for changing the past, this case ends up having no fallback. Rather, all the experiences the audience endured with the characters are lost, thus destroying the growth of the characters.

TIME

Where Jaehan goes through years of his life in the show, the present only seems progress in a few weeks—a month, maybe, based on the cases and conversations had between characters. Still, there seems to be a lot of room for character growth in this short period because so much heartache ensues in the current tragedies…until they are wiped away.

One of the “wait, what?” moments in the show for me was when Soohyun is able to address her trauma and finally catch the killer who tormented her…only for it to be erased from history completely. This growing period for her and other moments in the show are lost, leaving the audience to wonder about the cost of changing the past only to lose the strength gained from pain.

I do think that the last episode somewhat addresses this when *stuff happens* and the present changes in a nearly unrecognizable way. We see that all of these relationships Haeyeong built over the last several weeks are gone, and I wondered what he must have been feeling then—if he regretted it.

Part of the reason I believe audiences loved Jaehan so much is because he has all these years to grow and continuously show his devotion to people and his beliefs. His past never changes. On the other side, however, the present characters experience little change aside from Haeyeong. Even then, he is always in the middle of things and dealing with the new changes in the present.

Though I will say that even though I read how people felt the radio transmissions should have been utilized more, I would argue instead that the ethics of the transmissions should have been considered more. I am hoping that this will be addressed in the second season (if it ever comes).

ADVERSITY

I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m ripping this show apart, but I do also feel it necessary to talk about the villains. Despite the fresh take on crime, this show suffers from the usual “corruption” trope where we have these top dogs who love making the good guys suffer for seemingly no reason at all.

In fact, I feel like “Signal” didn’t even both coming up with a reason for our antagonists. They were just illogically against solving crime right and just wanted money and power for some reason. Super weird.

Interestingly enough, I don’t think “Signal” even needed some evil, corrupted, villain. Just this fight against time, death, and perps was enough to get my heart racing.

CONCLUSION

All in all, it was a great show. Many repeated flashbacks which were unneeded, but I still enjoyed that I could follow what was going on with the investigations rather than it just being a bunch of nonsensical jargon as sometimes happens.

I know I listed a bunch of problems it has, but I really did enjoy this show which is why I’m taking the time to review it like this. Oddly enough. It made me think and kept me pushing for the next episode because I just had to find out how they were going to finish all of this. I recommend it!

My rewatch value is my entertainment instead. And as always, I am so grateful to those who made this show available to us. The hard work that went into the making is evident if you take a look. Cheers!

Read More

Healing Is not an Event, It's a Process

"Tomorrow" is slick looking drama with slick and cool characters and beautiful cinematography. There were so many scenes which made my lips part because I was in awe at the stunning visuals.

Others and myself were excited about this drama because it is comparable to the beloved "Uncanny Counter" The 2020 drama has less than perfect visuals, but the characters were so charming that we didn't care so much.

Watching "Tomorrow" did reveal some similar concepts, but I personally didn't find it similar at all. It deals heavily with mature topics as the characters work to save people from suicide. I want to be careful about how I word this because this is such a sensitive topic....While the synopsis of the show is considered to be healing and saving others, I did not find the show to be healing at all. We see only the abuse others suffer (which can also be triggering if such things affect you).

The end result of "saving" people hurt me the most. Our main characters will sort of talk them down from the ledge, and then that will be considered the end of their job and the person is saved. I didn't finish the show, so I am not fully aware, but from what I saw we didn't see the ones they helped again (correct me if I'm wrong). At one point in the show, one character complains of this, saying that it only takes a few words to save a person, and the response is that it's because "no one has ever said those words to them before." This is certainly powerful, but words alone are still not enough to change a years of habits and pain a person has endured and believed.

Healing is not an event. It's a process. An ongoing one that I myself continue to work on everyday.

The show does seem to imply that the main characters are healing themselves throughout or are in need of healing, but it was still very disturbing to see half an episode of incredible trauma inflicted on a person (I had to skip most of the time) and then boom they were fine in the end. I also personally don't love it when shows are mostly all about characters of the week anyway when I know I'm never going to see them again haha. So there is that.

If you are like me at all and agree with any of this, I don't recommend this show—especially for the light of heart (or mind). I'm honestly not entirely sure what group I would recommend this drama too....it is challenging because so much of it is disturbing abuse, but we also see the empathy and kindness of others which is happy. Basically this show isn't for everyone—it wasn't for me and that's okay. I actually made it pretty far but I was mostly skipping because of all the violence haha.

On a side note: a show that I love and did find healing and even comparable to "Tomorrow" was "Move to Heaven" if you haven't seen it yet. :D

As always, I appreciate the work that went into this drama! My rewatch value is my enjoyment value.

Cheers,
Kenzie

Read More

Character Development—What More Could You Ask for?

The need to see an uplifting show was certainly fulfilled through “She Was Pretty.”

I honestly enjoyed this show so much in such a surprising way that I felt compelled to write about it. Because of the lower rating and some harsher criticism I’ve seen, I wasn’t sure about the quality of the show, but it absolutely was not a disappointment.

While I understand the criticism of characters, acting, and even some story points, this story is about a journey. Contrasting the beginning of the show with the ending, the characters slowly become new people. The ending is truly one of the best I've seen.

If you enjoy character development and uplifting messages, I highly suggest this series. One of my favorite things about it was how there was little focus on the main character’s appearance, despite the synopsis. Even though she isn’t a runway model, no huge plots develop because of her anxieties with her appearance and the way others treat her (aside from, of course, the first episode to get the ball rolling). The show isn’t overly dramatic but fairly realistic in this way which was a highlight for me.

My rewatch value is actually my entertainment value, and my music also includes sound. Lots of work certainly went into the producing of this show, and I am so grateful for it. I hope you take the opportunity to see this one! It's a delight. :D

Read More