Inspiring paired with remarkable friendships & bromance

This drama was quite a spontaneous watch and grabbed my attention due to Bae In Hyuk starring in this series. It took me a while to grasp something compelling and unique about the series that stood out from other coming of age and youth dramas I have watched in the past. In the end, I flipped to the other side of the coin and found myself enjoying most aspects of the show as it was inspiring and admiring to watch. Arguably, there are minor problems that the drama brings, which will be discussed below. This review is based upon the fact that I have not read the webtoon, thus my judgments will only be about the drama alone.


As mentioned in the plot. the drama revolves around two male protagonists that have two very contrasting personalities and lives, but both have their struggles that they individually deal with. It is an atypical story about the hardships of today's youth whilst they are at university. If you are a heavy-watcher of youth dramas or web dramas - like myself - then this kind of story would be very familiar to you. Unlike web dramas based around this theme, however, this drama did bring some surprising depth and storyline contrasting to what you would normally see from a university-based drama. It touches upon serious issues that include poverty, anxiety, trauma, and physical/emotional abuse. One thing I enjoyed about this series is the feelings and vulnerabilities that are expressed with the male characters in this society. The series is centered around two male protagonists was a splendid choice. I found it admiring that the show made it distinctly clear that one can suffer from their own worries, besides having financial problems which means that each problem should be validated. The life lessons that derive from the struggles that the characters faced were remarkable and endearing.
I found the romance story to be satisfactory and lacking development a little. I think the drama could have benefited from developing the friendship more than the romance. It is quite a cliche with how they miraculously meet. Albeit on the plus side, the friendship developed between the couple was cute and the relationship itself was nurturing in some way. The writers decided to include a love triangle, a reoccurring theme amongst K-dramas. I felt like it would have been better to have not included it in the show as it does not add any value to what was already a compelling storyline
The series builds on a stereotypical image of toxic rich families which is an ongoing theme that takes place within many K-dramas; I have grown tired of seeing them, but I liked the slight twist to it.
Overall, the story was surprisingly intriguing to watch as each episode progresses. It can be predictable in some instances, but in others, the drama will bring you a few surprises as well. The pace of the drama was great , but I wish for the drama to find a good balance with developing the friendship between the two male leads and having a great romance story across the cast involved.


The writers of the drama did a fabulous job in showing two contrasting characters who are dealing with immense sufferings in their life, but from two different sides of the spectrum: one that is in need of money to make ends meet and one that is in need of affection due to the loneliness that derives from an unloved family. Soo Hyun has a very reserved and cold temperament, whilst Yeo Jun tries to portray a cheerful and bubbly exterior. As both make their way through this ambiguous and strenuous life, they happen to grow fond of each other and find healing in one another as their friendship develops. But this was not smooth sailing at first. The character development between Soo Hyun and Yeo Jun is notably incredible and phenomenal. The chemistry that the two friends have along with So Bin is touching as well. Both Bae In Hyuk and Park Ji Hoon displayed their character's emotions terrifically and I am thoroughly impressed with Park Ji Hoon’s acting seeing him for the first time in a role.
So Bin is an innocent, socially anxious, and assiduous character. At times I do feel as if she lacks depth compared to Soo Hyun and Yeo Jun and was merely serving as one's partner once her little story was over. Nevertheless, I enjoyed her character development. As always, I am impressed with Kang Min Ah's acting, and seeing her act in diverse roles in her previous projects, she did well in portraying So-Bin.
Young Ran was the tough, sociable, and strong one out of the bunch. It was lovely to see Eunbi as well for the first time in a role.
Mi Joo as a character was anti-climatic and poorly written. Her lack of backstory and development, plus the obnoxious writing of her unrequited love was unbearable to watch.
Chan-Kin. The child-like and playful character was notoriously known as So-Bin’s best friend. Again, even though there was not a lot going on with the character, I did like his willingness to develop and the backstory behind his friendship with So-Bin.
And lastly, Professor Song and Professor Park. I enjoyed their talks and interactions with the students, paired with their perspectives on youth for them when they were in their 20’s. It was quite fascinating. At first, I did not like Professor Song, but after getting to know her character more, I grew fond of her.


There is not a lot of songs that accompany this drama, but I do like all of them and fit well with the series. The one I will highlight is Rothy & Hang Seung Yan's collaboration. This song is beautiful and melancholic that includes amazing harmonisation. A true masterpiece. Another favourite would have to be Park Ji Hoon's 'Talk To Me'.


To my surprise, I could see myself watching a few episodes of this drama again. Despite the sensitive issues that are tackled in this series, I do find this a comfortable watch for a rainy day.


To conclude, this is not an all-time favourite of mine, but I would have to say that it is one of my favourite youth dramas, setting aside the negatives that it brought. If you are a casual listener to Park Ji Hoon - like I am - this drama will for sure get you to know him more beyond just an idol. If you are a massive fan of youth dramas and the cast that are lined up for the series, then it is worth adding this one to the list. On the downside, if you are looking for a great romance, then maybe this is not the drama for you.
Overall, I would highly recommend you watch it for the incredible friendship that encompasses a beautiful message about friendships, bromance, and inspiring life lessons that accompany this. I happen to find myself missing this series as it is coming to an end.

Read More

Not Worth It

Frankly speaking, I was excited upon the announcement of season 3, but after watching the teaser, I was left with utter discouragement and was therefore not expecting anything highly from this series; my excitement diminished. With that being said, as someone who wants closure and hates to leave things unfinished, I caved through this season despite the flaws and cringey moments that this series brang.

We see a timelapse of the characters moving onto university life and a series of mysteries that carry the entire plot of the show; the most prominent ones are Yeondu X Hyunho and Seol X Junho. To my dismay, the concepts of this season seem to be about a dejavu of season 2: stupidly throwing in additional and unnecessary love-triangles rivalry, stalking, fake friends, and old toxic romances. The writers should focus on the characters and their development into a new environment, but I can not help but think this is just yet another immature high-school story.

Yeondu - I enjoyed her slight development as she is now able to speak her mind (for the most part) and is able to stand up for herself, but she is still as naive as she were in the previous seasons

Ahra - Many people were bothered by her character due to the fact that she was easily forgiven. Whilst I can understand a bit from the writer's perspective and the timeframe of where this season is set (2 years later, I believe), it is kind of far-fetched for her to now be part of Yeondu's friend group and act as nothing has ever happened.

Yuna - Other than the main protagonist, she was the character that bothered me the most with her stalkerish behaviour and inconsideration of how others may feel. Whilst this drama is light and for entertainment, I cannot help but feel more agitated about her character than the actual protagonist.

Seunghyeon - I have nothing against his character, but the way the writers had to force his character to be with someone and all of a sudden change how he feels towards someone in a span of an episode are beyond my amazement.
I was interested in how his character moves around the idea of rejecting a persistent and somewhat creepy girl and to prove a point that not all romances blossom and work out. But this drama seems to reject this idea.

Overall, it just seemed like the rest of the cast were there to act as fillers and none of their narratives developed in the slightest.

If you are coming from the previous seasons, it is just best to leave this drama at season 2 as everything, including the ending, seems to be just a repetition of that. For 16 episodes, it was really unnecessary to drag the whole series out for that long.
Season 1 is the best as it lives up to its title, but the others were utter disappointments.

Read More

On the journey to discover who I am admist all the chaos

Twenty-Twenty entails the story of 3 main university students. We first have Da Hee, who lives with her single mother. Her mother tries her best to lead Da Hee into a better life, but Da Hee has other intentions of finding her own identity and independence amidst it all. Hyun Jin is a composer and musician. He lives by himself and does not have a good relationship with his parents either, but after one abrupt visit from his mother after three years out of contact, she wants to make things right with him again. And lastly, Ha Jun. He comes from a wealthy background and is known as the 'perfect' student at his university. However, things start crashing down for him when he suddenly crosses paths with someone from high school, making him grabbing onto whatever control he has in order for him to not re-live his traumatic past. This drama focuses on the bad relationships that Da Hee and Hyun Jin have with their parents and the journey of self-discovery of the cast as well. It touches on topics, such as bullying, friendships, suicide, uptight parental relationships, and romance as well as the importance of honesty, freedom, and independence.

What enticed me into this drama is the resonation between myself and Da Hee's situation to some extent, which makes this drama somewhat more special to me. This drama tells the story of normal, everyday lives of 20 year-olds which is always refreshing to watch as it's something closer to our lives and also, since I am also 20, I thought it would be interesting to watch to learn something from this, just like their A-teen series.

The relationship that goes on between the two characters is a bit bland, but at the same time slightly cute as well. Maybe it's just how the two characters are as individuals being new into a relationship, but I wouldn't be too critical of it.

I think the selection of the cast was a great fit for a drama like this. The acting was satisfactory in my opinion, but focussing on Wooseok, he did well for his first lead role in a popular drama. Everyone from this drama really has the potential to do future roles and I'm glad they got this opportunity to do so with this drama.

The OST's are out of this world and fit the vibe of the drama

Overall, this story is a bit slow and there are a few things that have been left unsolved; I hope that when it comes to making a second season if there is going to be one, that they will touch upon those parts. It isn't the most original nor creative story ever, more so on the realistic side, but I enjoyed it anyway as a current 20-year-old.
If you're a K-Pop fan and would like to get to know more about Chan and Wooseok, this is a good place to start

Read More

Good, but nothing extraordinary

When I first saw that Best Mistake was getting a spin-off, I was ecstatic about what it had installed for us, but also saddened this wasn't going to be a Season 3 of the infamous series. Despite this, it was an enjoyable watch for a web drama. Though it is not my favourite. This is a typical story about contractual relationships, high-school romance, crazy ex-boyfriends, idol trainee hardships, and jealousy within friendships.

The story starts off - like Best Mistake - with the female lead being in a sticky situation with a guy and having then to choose a random guy out of their school to pretend to be her boyfriend. It is just so that guy has a massive crush on her for a long time. If you have watched the original series, then the plot will come as no surprise to you. There have been added elements to the story that made it overall quite compelling. I particularly liked the exploration of the feelings behind a trainee being up against many others to make it to their debut. The relationship between the main characters was cute, though satisfactory overall as I did not feel the chemistry in the lead couple. The love triangle (or shall I say love square) was what intrigued me the most out of the whole drama due to the twist in the plot.
The drama itself is quite predictable, with a few hints of twists in the plot which took me by surprise. If I am comparing this to Best Mistake, I believe that this was more captivating than the original series with better execution than the second installment, as there is a lot more to explore in this series, such as the plots. On the other hand, with the cast, the feelings that are left with the viewers, and the overall story itself, Best Mistake is deemed as an irreplaceable series that no spin-off can ever do justice for like they did with the original series. This drama did not deliver much of the character's personal lives, unlike Best Mistake did, thus it made the whole story feel less personal, to me, and I could not connect with the characters as much.
Overall, the story was satisfactory. It is a typical drama about the lives of high schoolers painted in a somewhat unrealistic light. I would have loved if some of the outcomes in the characters differed from other dramas and for their to be a more personal feel to the characters individually, but with that being said, I found myself anticipate something good as each episode comes.

We see two idol-actor debuts, Kim Byeongkwan from A.C.E and Yuju from Cherry Bullet. I was thoroughly impressed with Yuju's acting as the character Han Na for her demonising and twisted feelings she has towards certain characters. Her role was quite fitting to her reality as an idol and ex-trainee, thus I felt like her portrayal as a trainee who is in desperate measures to make her debut was exceptional and realistic.
At first, I was not a big fan of Ba Ul due to his somewhat unnatural, over-exaggerated hyper and bubbly personality which made it difficult for me to watch him (seriously, I thought Byeongkwan's eyes were going to fall out by the end of the drama). But as the drama progressed, that toned down a little bit and we can see how much of a down-to-earth and soft character he is, especially to the ones he cares about. Kim Byeingkwan did an amazing job of his portrayal and I will surely be looking forward to future acting projects from him and Yuju in the future.
I believe there is a lead swap between Be My Boyfriend and Best Mistake. In B.M, Hyun Ho was the infamous, rebellious, and tenacious character he was known for, but here, it was Jina that took on the strong, yet soft female lead. I found her to have been quite admirable as the drama progressed
Seung Min, I found to be the indigenous and mature one which made this drama to be easy-flowing to watch. I loved the cast and the given opportunities for Byeongkwan and Yuju to make it in the acting scene

To conclude, if you are a fan of high school dramas and the Best Mistake series, then it is worth investing your time into this drama. If you also want to see Byeongkwan and Yuju's acting debut, then this is a good place to start. It is a nice drama to watch to breach the gap between the end of season 2 and theoretically speaking, the potential start of season 3.
I hope there will be a season 3 of Best Mistake happening soon

Read More

Anti-climatic

The first few episodes were quite gripping with an interesting storyline, but as the drama progressed, things started to not make any sense and it was rushed. Here are a few reasons I think this way:

The drama did not offer an explanation as to why certain things happened, for example, the stalker. We don't know much about him and his motive into why he started stalking Hye Ji. The last scene where the stalker was being confronted by Kyunwoo could have added more clarity for the scene to be more engaging and gripping.

Both characters of Kyunwoo and Woojin did well in their roles, but again, the drama did not offer much to the story about Hye Ji and Woojin's friendship in high school in the aired episodes, which leads to how Woojin developed feelings for her. With Kyunwoo, it just felt a bit sudden that he started having feelings for her after that incident.

There was a lack of character development for Hye Ji which, to my dismay, made it difficult to watch. I don't like how the writers make the two guys baby her. I understand they were being nice and show their sincerity, but at times, it just became too much to the point it made it seel like Hye Ji was incapable of looking after herself.

And lastly, the TikTok hidden clips. It's a bit of a hassle to watch hidden clips and for those who don't use it, nor have access to it, it's just going to leave them with so many unanswered questions.

Other than those pointers, the drama did definitely live up to its name. Making us suspect everyone who was involved.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe just a quick watch if you're bored. If this has a season 2, then great, but if things just end here, then the drama was quite anti-climatic

Read More

I heard this show through Instagram and thought it was quite an intriguing drama. the concept was really unique and I loved how the developer of this supposed app ''Joalarm'' wasn't an individual high up in the hierarchy, but rather an ordinary high schooler that developed the app from the comforts of their own home. As I am a sucker for high school romance dramas, I might as well have given this one a watch.

The storyline wasn't something I was very fond of. The falsehood of how the characters acted in certain situations within the series made me frustrated with the drama. I'll start with Kim Jojo. Although I did moderately empathise with her feelings through the series that led her to break up with Sun-Oh on top of her family circumstances, I thought it was an idiotic and quick-witted decision to make before considering other factors like how her partner would feel and the position it would put him in. Jojo didn't outright give a clear explanation as to why she did it and she could have easily spoken to Sun Oh about her situation. He clearly told her to speak to him when she is worried, but she didn't take that chance and now things ended up for Sun-Oh's misinterpretation. I understand maybe it could have been difficult because they haven't dated for that long, but then again we can see she regrets it later on; why doesn't she bother to even fix it or at least talk to him about it within the 4 years time-lapse?
Next, I'll speak about Sun-Oh. When he was first introduced to the drama I knew instantly what kind of a character he would be. And I was not wrong. the drama portrayed him as romantic and cool. But he's immature and selfish, not once did he think about his childhood best friend, he just thought of him and Jojo. Sun-Oh is aware that Hye Young had a crush on Jojo from the very beginning; Hye Young didn't openly admit it, but he did make it clear and semi-obvious, but no, he decides to chase her instead and pulls her into an alleyway to kiss her, show each other's love on Joalarm and boom they're a couple. Another thing that ticked me off about him is that he had the decency to claim that Hye Young was using him and is even saying Hye Young is moving out because of Jojo. like I kinda get he feels betrayed in some way because someone who has been by his side and entrusts his life with is leaving, but seriously, that's what happens in life and to question his decision really shows who is actually the true friend
Hye Young is a sweetheart and is the most loving character from this drama, however, I don't quite understand why he didn't tell his viewpoint on the real reason why he is leaving and actually stand up for himself because like with Jojo, he could have been understood by Sun-Oh if he told the truth. The drama didn't do much justice on his character as he was quite silent in the beginning, but only really got the spotlight when it came to the end. It bugged me throughout the drama that there was barely any interaction between him and Jojo, maybe that was the whole point.
DESPITE my long-winded rant about the storyline as well as the characters, I quite enjoyed this frustratingly good drama. The cute romantic scenes of SuhJo were definitely a highlight, but I also treasure the adorable moments that we got with HyeJo . I loved how they touched upon society perspective and made us viewers aware of the fact that

I thought the cast was amazing, everyone played their roles well and I wouldn't imagine this drama without them. The acting was immaculate for a high-school drama.

The music was really nice and suited the drama amazingly.

Although the story did bug me and there were plot holes throughout the series, I would rewatch the drama again for the moments we had with both male leads and Jojo.

Overall, in my opinion, I think it's an okay drama, definitely a cute one, but a frustrating watch and if you are that type of person that likes to watch a frustrating romance, then I would recommend it. I hope that there is going to be a season 2 soon

Read More

In an ordinary world, our lives are valuable and beautiful

Extraordinary Attorney Woo was a drama that drew me in for the romance but had me infatuated with the case stories and curious about the journey of Woo Young Woo as she navigates herself around society. It is safe to say that this show brought me a lot of warmth and comfort and will continue to do so. I thoroughly enjoyed this show, thus I am looking forward to what season 2 has installed for us

The story centers around Woo Young Woo, a newly appointed rookie attorney at Hanbada who is on the autistic spectrum. It shows her journey as an attorney and how she navigates the varying new social challenges that come her way in the outside world, such as prejudice/discrimination and romance. Her explanations and expression of feelings that are slipped into conversations every now and then were valuable and meaningful as they enabled me to learn more about autism and how they view the world. There were some stereotypical elements that were shown about autism, thus accuracy of representation can be negotiable. Young Woo's quick-witted and creative thinking definitely was a highlight of the show and I loved her development in the series.

Young Woo's story also delves into the relationship between her and her Father. I enjoyed the fact that the drama explored the hardships, but also the highlights of being a single Father. I admire the writers for breaking down the stereotype regarding men and accepting the responsibilities of raising a child

Each episode entails a new case with some minor continuations into the next episode here and there. As each episode progresses, this is where Young Woo's past begins to unravel in the epilogues. The case stories were profoundly moving and impactful and they make your mind boggle as to which party is right or wrong. I loved the diversity in the cases that were explored in the show. The drama showcased a lot of political, moral, lawful, and ethical elements which made the show an all-rounded insightful watch and the discussions between Young Woo's team about the cases in between trials were very useful too. They delivered each episode in a way that does not over-dramatise everything whilst finding the balance between the comedic and serious scenes.

My only downside was that with some cases shown, it seemed as if they rushed the endings for some cases. Whilst they narrate the results in the attorneys' discussions, it would have been nice to squeeze in a few more minutes to see the true endings for the parties involved.

I loved the blossoming family-like relationship between them. Their bond brought out a lot of hysterical moments that are truly unforgettable to the show. Talking about a few characters specifically:

Whilst there was not a lot of background information about Lee Junho that was shown nor delved into the show compared to many other male leads in other dramas, his significance to the show and to Young Woo's life is just as endearing as it should be. He is what you would call "a walking green flag": patient, warmhearted, caring, calm-natured, but also direct and honest. He is the definition of perfection, but he also is an individual with flaws. As he raised many of our standards in ideal partners, it just shows that you do not necessarily need an extensive story for a character to win the hearts of many.

Kwon Min Woo is portrayed as the obnoxious jerk in this series. His tactful and politically conformed ways of doing things can stir up tension, but I can understand why the writer decided to include this type of character. His character displays realism in a lot of people out there in this world who are striving to do their best and receive credit for their efforts. Whilst his actions in the show are not condemned, the revealing of his family background served as a moment where we could feel the character and his struggles of yearning for freedom as a young attorney. A circumstance that a lot of people can relate to.

Jung Myeong Seok is an idealistic senior attorney that every employee strives to have. He is strict but also offers a gentle and open-minded approach when he is with the attorneys. His remarkable tiny segment towards the ending made me love his character even more.

To conclude, this has been a satisfying watch. It is a law drama that is less heavy on intensity and brings a light-hearted feel, but I must say, it is a comfortable watch.

Read More

Brilliant, but far too short

The is your typical story about one's journey for vengeance that derives from the death of their loved one. There were some highlights, but also elements that downplayed the drama. Although this is a relatively short K-drama than the norm, it did serve some really cool fight scenes and top-notch acting.

Knowingly, the biggest factor that downplayed this drama was the fact that it was too short. The overall flow of the drama story and how it progressed was excellent, considering there were only 8 episodes and each lasting around 50 minutes. However, that left with a very anti-climatic ending that felt rushed. I also felt that it did not give a conclusive ending to the main character which I am guessing was up for open interpretation. Thus, whilst I enjoyed seeing the story unravel, the ending diminished the fact that this drama would have made it into my top favourites list.
Unlike a normal 16 episode drama, this show had a very minuscule time to build the backstory to the characters and enable other things to develop like the tiny fraction of romance that took place which added no value to the story at all, but I suppose gave meaning to the parties involved. Particularly speaking, Jiwoo and her Dad's story, together and apart, lacked depth in terms of the events that took place with the Dad and the breakdown of his relationship with his family.
This drama is predictable for the most part, but there were some elements that took the viewers by surprise.

Besides this, I would have to give credit to the acting. Jang Yool as Do Gangjae was pulled off impeccably with his intimidating and villainy demeanor. Han So Hee as Jiwoo/Hye-Jin was remarkable and immaculate. Her display of various emotions throughout the drama was truly amazing.
I liked how the writers gave us an open interpretation between certain characters and their questioning relationship which makes it for a rather juicy debate and discussion; delving into the hidden emotions behind them

This would be a good drama to binge on if you are looking for something short and do not have too much time to invest in a normal K-drama, but be mindful, if you are looking for a conclusive ending, then this may not be for you. Do be mindful that there is a lot of violence and disturbing scenes.
Generally speaking, I do not usually watch action K-dramas, I am not sure why, but this drama now propels me to hop onto the bandwagon of action dramas and move away from my usual watch preferences.

Read More

You Are My Superstar

The announcement of season 2 was what got everyone off of their feet with how things have been left off in season 1. This season was highly anticipated. If I were to compare this to season 1, I find that, personally, I prefer this season due to how I could resonate with the characters more intensely compared to the previous season.

In the latter of the series, there are a new set of challenges that arise amongst the hospital for patients and doctors. It never fails to amaze me how the writers created such remarkable stories that have endearing and inspiring lessons that we can take from for our lives. The five friends wound up in their own personal challenges as well, but how they mitigate and overcome these challenges was what made me resonate with them even further. One example of a memorable moment is as they move through this bustling and hectic life at the hospital, they also happen to become sentimental and look back in their early days as interns that bring imperative life/professional lessons that include mistake making and masked emotions. This season will bring you additional comfort, reflection, and self-growth.

Slow-burning romance is what you would define as the romance portion of the show. The conclusion that you can make from the romance is that every couple was portrayed to have a hardship/barrier that hindered their relationship development, whether that is miscommunication, bad timings, countless rejections, personal issues, and the giving of time and space to sort things out. The harsh reality is that there are always going to be external factors that can prohibit one's ability to carry the relationship well/or being able to initiate that first move, but through the power of reflecting, timing, honesty, and understanding, they overcome these factors and seek a new light and grow in their relationship.
The slow-burning romance was well-written, giving enough reasoning behind the characters' thoughts and feelings that led up to their endings and I loved how there is a switch in gender roles in who admits their feelings first across all of the couples - something that you do not see often.

Hospital Playlist displays the highs and the lows in life that derive from patient stories and the medical team’s personal insights. There were some instances where there were a number of filler stories at the hospital that felt like the drama was being dragged a bit, but that can be recuperated for the band performances and light-hearted moments between the professors and the residents/fellows.


CHARACTERS
One of the highlights of 'Hospital Playlist' in general is that every character gets their own mini-story and screentime. Hospital Playlist is not just about the five friends, but also the people around them in their community. Each character had their own personal stories and hardships which were heartwarming and inspiring to see, paired with their astounding relationship with the professors. Je Hak was one of my favourite side characters who had a very remarkable and cute work relationship with Jung Wan, sprinkled with his overall cute and bright personality. I loved how the drama gave us more insight into his family life, which in turn, made me realise the level of his caring and loving personality towards his loved ones are.

Song Hwa - In the previous season, she was displayed as the character that 'had it all together and was competent in most aspects of her life. Whilst this statement remains consistent halfway through the second season with her juggling projects from the hospital to her social life, I enjoyed her development. Sometimes the competent ones need a helping hand and a shoulder to lean on; this was exactly the case for Seong Hwa. She was the type to shy away from her own feelings, but seeing her reflecting upon them and slowly admit them was like taking a breath of fresh air. There will be things that happen in our lives that will put us at breaking point, but showing your vulnerable side is okay and stepping away from life for a bit is necessary to heal. Seong Hwa is a true epitome of all of that and I feel proud to watch her grow to someone that is far beyond her trademark.

Seok-Hyung - He has a work-orientated persona and lives a simplistic life. It is evident in the previous season that he immensely enjoys his alone time and eating dinner with his mother and the four friends. But in this season, we see him unravel into a person that is able to talk and enjoy activities that are outside of work and family life. It was refreshing to see him step outside of his comfort zone and open up about his feelings after deep thought.

Jung-Wan - His cold, but inner loving nature was prominent throughout the drama, but the true realisation of how caring he is towards his patients and soft of a personality he has surfaced throughout season 2.


MUSIC
One song I would highlight is 'Superstar'. This song brings an incredible amount of warmth and reassurance that encompasses the theme of the song - you are a superstar and that you will be okay.
I loved all of their band performances with some special stages where they dressed up. The songs that they performed were catchy and very fitting to the drama.

Hospital Playlist is not your conventional medical drama. Besides the medical aspects of the show, you will also witness some lighthearted fun that is shared amongst the cohort of medical professionals and the five friends, paired with entertaining band performances. This drama would get you to empathise with the patients and encourages you to think deeply beyond what the drama shows you. If you are looking for closure from season 1, this is definitely worth the watch.
Even if you are not a fan of medical dramas, but love romance and slice-of-life, then the hue is a drama worth investing your time into.

Read More

Enticing storyline, but foul execution

Imitation is that drama that would get a vast number of K-Pop fans ecstatic upon watching with one of the phenomenal cast line-ups from notorious groups like ATEEZ, SF9, U-KISS, T-Ara, and Pristin. This series showcases the darker side to the idol scene that we may not see the extremities of, but are aware of it happening. To my surprise, the plot carries hidden mysteries and a brewing romance that shall be unraveled as the story goes on. As a K-Pop fan, there were a number of things that fascinated me about the show, but there are other things that can be critcised on which I will try to delve into. In general, this was an insightful and fascinating watch, but also a frustrating and anti-climactic one.

STORY
The focal point of 'Imitation' is showing the rawness behind the K-Pop idol scene that explores the themes of the media, corporate ideals, corruption, strict dieting, pressures for debut, secret relationships, suicide, toxic fanbases, and saesang behaviours. What I found impressive is that the writers do not shy away from this and deliver the idol/trainee experiences as authentic as they can be. As the story develops, the drama tries to portray what an ideal K-Pop industry should be like. Whilst that is far from what we see in reality as of today - and will take a long time to turn that into a reality - it does leave profound feelings on K-Pop fans to reflect upon.

As much as I found the epilogues that accompanied the drama to be quite an interesting and alternate approach in connecting the past with the events of the present, it did not do justice for Eun-Jo and Annie's story. To base the whole drama relying on minute-long epilogues to tell us the past are not reliable in explaining the actions behind both of the character's intentions. The writers essentially overshadowed the romance that left minuscule time for their case to be solved and justified, leaving us with a very ambiguous ending for both of them. This was shameful as this was one of the main reasons I was anticipating from 'Imitation'.

Onto the romance portion of the show. Undeniably, I did enjoy some aspects of the romance and the accompanying iconic scenes that bring comedic value towards the couple; serving some cute moments between the two as well, however, Ryok and Ma-ha's story lacked a lot of depth. Firstly, the bringing of the two together was an entire cliche where there were moments that were forced upon them to make them have to see one another. A strong memorable example is when they were on the tour bus together and their gift bags ended up on the floor and being switched when there were not even sitting near one another, thus how can a mistake like that happen? Whilst I did enjoy their development and somewhat maturation in the relationship in the latter of the series, the question is, was their story a bit rushed? Most certainly. They had a great start in developing their fondness towards one another again after a long time, but their story could have benefitted more if they showed their recuperating friendship, rather than rushing them to get together in the most unrealistic ways. Again, with the very short epilogues, it is difficult to understand the depths of their friendship that led to the events of where they are in the present moment to gravitate towards one another and can only be left for the viewer's imagination and interpretation. Furthermore, their relationship lacked a lot of dialogue and narrative from both of the characters in the latter that led to the outcomes of the ending, leaving them with a bland and very disatisying ending.

The love-triangle story went well at first, casting a true debate on who Ma-ha should be with, but as the story went on, it became evidently clear on who she will be with, therefore, Yu-Jin being portrayed as the loyal friend that 'protects' Ma-ha from Ryok was a misleading and unnecessary addition to the plot, with the unexplained reason of why he had something against Ryok that Ma-ha needed protection for. To put it shortly, the love triangle story is nothing new and served no purpose.

Overall, both Eun-Jo/Annie and Ryok/Ma-Ha’s stories were satisfactory. If their storylines balanced out and were unveiled from the beginning to the end of the show, then this would be a satisfying ending for all. Nevertheless, both of the couples serve a fundamental purpose in displaying the hardships of being together as celebrities and the pressures that behold them individually. It was refreshing to see this topic being portrayed as this is shunned upon in the industry.


CHARACTERS
Having a predominant idol cast was very fitting to make the story resonate with the cast more and build hype surrounding the series towards the audience. At first, SHAX was a group that I could not find myself growing attached to, but as the show develops and the members' personalities are explored, as well as seeing their growth as a group, I ended up growing fond of them and see what six years of being together can do to nurture them. In particular, I enjoyed watching the chemistry of Ryok with Do-Jin and Hyuk.

Kwon Ryok - He has a very work-orientated personality and has clear visions of his future as an idol and actor. At times he appears cold and frazzled, but I like his slight change in demeanour. Jun is a remarkable actor for carrying the emotions and weight of his character.

Lee Ma-ha - I found her character to be admirable in general. Her amazing positive outlook towards life was endearing and inspiring. I was particularly invested in how she will develop and find her own sparkle amidst her being infamously known as the 'copycat' to her senior, La Ri Ma. Despite that, that was never delved into. and her character merely was dependent on her spiraling relationship with Ryok. As the main FL who is meant to carry her group, her development is non-existent.

La Li Ma - Her character surprised me the most. She was portrayed as the unlikeable one with a malevolent trademark, but her depth in character was heartwarming. I love her hidden caring nature towards her juniors, her striking power towards people who abuse the system, and her confidence as a solo artist.

Hyun-Ji- I loved her caring and empathetic nature towards others in the beginning and it seemed like she had a lot that could be unraveled like her confidence on stage and her passion for fashion. But I feel like her unrequited love at first sight pairing with Yun-Jin was very much enforced and overpowered her to the point she would let it ruin a sister-like bond with her fellow members. As much as I strongly agree that SML's should get a happy ending, I felt like her original character personality really diminished because of this sudden sprout in romantic interests.

Other than that, what is worth noting is the shift in opinions on social conforms in the industry. Ji Hak is a notable character with his idealistic ways of running and managing a K-Pop company in contrast to NOG Entertainment. I love how Ji Hak's story as a former manager of SHAX and current CEO/manager of Tea Party tied in together to create a mysterious, yet tragic story that helped him to shift in his opinions on social conforms and stand against what is wrong in the industry. A truly remarkable and admirable character.


MUSIC
The soundtrack for the drama is good, there are some catchy tracks that include 'Show Me' by Tea Party - a song that I cannot get out of my head - and SHAX's tracks 'Malo' and 'Amen'. Both with very catchy and memorable choruses. A song that is worth highlighting is 'Constellation', or rather 'Your SIgn'. The lyrics to the song are very comforting and hold a very special meaning to those who are struggling out there. On top of the soundtrack, I really loved the delivery of dance performances that accompanied the drama to bring a genuine feel to the K-Pop-themed show.


CONCLUSION
Albeit with everything said, I believe the fault of the outcomes that were displayed in the drama was due to only having 12 episodes. If only the writers could have done better to fit everything in with that they had, then I would rate it a 8/8.5. This is just the beginning for more dramas of this genre to appear in the K-Drama scene that I will pray for to be normalised one day, If you are a KPop fan and is curious about the idol scene, then this is worth giving a go. But if you are looking for anything more than that, then this is not the drama for you.

Read More

Insightful and gripping

I invested in this drama to gain more knowledge and understanding about business, finance and economics, as these industries are what I am particularly interested in pursuing. With that being said, I found this drama to be incredibly insightful and gripping to watch and I found myself growing an attachment towards this series more so than I ever anticipated. Everything from the plots, characters, acting, and the broad range of things to learn about within those areas and outside as well. It is definitely worth watching and can be a watched by anyone.

 The story revolves around the conflicting views of the government on how the economy operates. It tells a tragic and yet so cruel tale on putting the government at the centre of how our economy is operated and how our public and personal finances are managed. And it also tales the adversities of the rich and poor, power and greed, and intense human emotion. The story was well-paced, giving time for things to unravel. There were many plot twists that took me by immense surprise which made it even more compelling. At times, the story did become a little confusing due to the financial literacy, but for the most part, you would be able to eventually get a grasp of what it is they are talking about. I very much enjoyed gaining insight to the concepts of economics and getting familiar with the terminology that is of the financial markets - an area that I wish to explore more. Besides it being a business drama, what I found really engaging about this series is the authentic feelings that are experienced by the characters that made it a realistic and somewhat more relatable of a watch.  

The acting is phenominal and every character did an incredible job in delivering the intensity in every scene that came about, as well as delivering the adverse of human emotions. On the other hands, the acting that took place in english did not deliver the intensity that was with the rest of the korean acting, which I found to be a slight disappointment. But neverless, I enjoyed every aspect of the acting. Lee Hye Joon I found to be quite admirable and I respect her for her level-headed and competence-ness in this series. Eugene Han, despite notoriously being known for his mischevious and tactical personality, I think what drawn me to him the most is his vulnerability and soft heart. Most of all, I am deeply impressed with Heo Jae due to his dynamics in emotions. And lastly, Chae Yi Hyun was the most authentic character with the emotions he portrayed in this series.

The OST'S were all fitting, especially the opening theme. I think they really added to the suspense and intensity that the drama brought 

To conclude, this was a brilliant drama that portrayed a sense of reality on what goes on in this world and the perspectives that others have of life. I enjoyed learning the different terminologies within finance and economics, as well as grasping new concepts. I would highly recommend this drama to anyone and if you want to gain knowledge within these subject areas, this a good place to start. 

Read More

Following from the first installment, In Seoul Season 2 is about Kang Dami and Lee Harim's friendship as they decide to cohabitate whilst studying at a University in Seoul. Along the way, they experience hardships that can take a massive toll on their friendship. Season 2 focuses on the friendship between two best friends and how one mistake can have a serious impact on their lives.
This drama touches on honesty and the importance of communication with one another in friendships, as well as fake friends and relationships. For the first season, we got to see the struggles of Dami as a student and a BTS superfan who has an uptight relationship with her Mother so in this season, we see the struggles of Dami as a student representative at University and living together with her best friend, Harim

We get introduced to a new main character in this season, which is Cheoltto. He is my favourite character out of them all. He perfectly portrays a tsundere - who's cold at first, but eventually starts to show his friendlier and warmer side. I love the way he gets introduced into this drama and I love the development between him and Harim.
As for Harim, she is also my favourite. For someone who was adamant on not committing herself into a relationship again (which is evident in 4 Reasons Why I Hate Christmas and in her previous relationship), I'm glad to see her open herself up again to seeing someone.

Overall, if you're interested in the journey of Dami and Harim throughout Uni life, heart fluttering crushes, toxic ex's, fake friends, and the struggles of cohabitation, I would highly recommend watching this. But I would also recommend you watch season 1 first.

Read More

Better than expected, but...

Rom-com was a genre that I tried to sway from for the longest time, but after seeing the two main leads and their history, I was quite curious about what the drama had installed for them. Whilst I am impressed with how the drama turned out and I enjoyed the majority of it - minus the cringey slow-mo's in some moments - this drama does remind me why rom-coms are not for me anymore.

The story was beautifully crafted and structured in a way that enables the plot to be developed without the romance overshadowing it. It starts off with a general insight into what entertainment agencies do in their day-to-day job of managing celebrities and how they mitigate problems that arise, such as: how they deal with rumoured dating scandals, affairs - literally anything that we, as KDrama/Kpop fans, see in the media on a daily basis. Sticking to that theme, the drama then delves deep into Gong Tae Young as a top actor, specifically tailing his past and personal background. His story slowly develops and it was interesting to see it unravel. Whilst quite insightful and fascinating as it is, the drama projects these incidences in a more light-hearted way that maintains its ability to be entertaining for the viewers. Thus the authenticity of these events can be questionable.

At first, the brewing romance was its typical frenemies to lovers concept with a cheesy young love going on, but midway through the show, it settled and was eventually replaced by a cute, affectionate, and non-problematic/mature romance. But there were still some cringey, yet cute moments that this show offered. The ending left a really strong impression and felt like I was watching two different dramas. I truly believe that if the writers could write the cringey moments towards the end differently, it would have been perfect
On the other hand, It is not a rom-com drama with a few love triangles thrown into the mix. I found the love triangle in this drama to be quite pointless, though I did find it bearably entertaining to watch out of all love triangles I have seen in the past; it also added an adequate amount of comedic value to the show with their humorous twist with the two guys involved. And lastly, I loved how natural the outcome was for the second-male lead .
Besides the main leads, the romance that was blossoming between the other characters was well developed and timed nicely.

Stars do not shine at the top of the sky but have their own feet on the ground. Maybe I did not accurately quote the drama, but this saying plays a fundamental role in the message that the drama depicts. Celebrities are normal living beings at the end of the day who feel and react the same way as us. The drama is thought-provoking and enables us to think from their experience of that moment or a time when someone wrongly misjudged us.

Gong Tae Sung was your average male protagonist who was audacious towards those around him but settles once he got what he wanted, i.e the girl. Besides that, he is humble and thoughtful to those around him which is surprising to see for a change
His phenomenal chemistry with his managers and CEO were remarkable and endearing.
Also, mentioning his relationship with Oh Han Byeol. It was quite heartwarming to see their long-term friendship, but the flashbacks we see are confusing and provide little to no context. This makes things questionable as to how they were frenemies at uni, to best friends at work, to then playfully despising one another.

With Oh Han Byeol's competency and her quick-witted thinking, the charms of Gong Tae Sung, and the family-like bond with his managers like Kang Yu Sung, Jung Yeol, and his CEO Ji Hoon, this drama encapsulates the modern age of Korean entertainment and the everyday obstacles they face that push them into overdrive. This drama is another typical playful one. Whilst I enjoy how the story was structured and insightful, there are still a few things it lacks. For something to cheer you up, this drama gives you that, but for now, I am going on a rom-com hiatus again.

Read More

Incredible story

Psychological and criminal dramas are usually not my foreplay, despite having a fond interest in these topics, but Mouse has definitely been the drama that challenges that. It has a mixture of suspense, tension, thrill, and mystery that will get you hooked and for you to binge on. I thoroughly enjoyed joining in on solving the mysteries with the cast.

Mouse is not that average mystery drama where the plot's focal point is to find the "who" is the mastermind behind the criminal acts, but rather the events and revealed mysteries that lead up to the capture of the mastermind. It is a drama that is based around psychopaths that pose a lot of moral questions: can psychopaths really be healed? Can one turn out to be a good human being despite psychopathic genes? Can they be detected before birth through mutated genes? And finally, can psychopaths be revealed in advance? These questions are what embodies this whole series, which makes for an all-around captivating show. It also enables you to question a lot in your life and what type of people are out there (though as the drama states, nothing is to be taken seriously). I can tell the writing has been well thought out and planned strategically through the marvelous crime stories and the connection between one case to another. The main plot of Jung Ba Reum, was very intensifying as his story develops, with a number of phenomenal plot twists and heart-racing scenes that bring the viewer immense angst. Everything to the progression of the story was marvelous and outstanding.
I loved the connections with the main characters and how they were indirectly involved in this whole case.

Despite the fact that I enjoyed the many subplots and how they connected to the other stories, it felt overwhelming in the sense that there is a lot to remember, leaving me bamboozled at times about the events that happened in the previous episodes. At some point during the show, I just stopped thinking about the who what when, and why in the criminal acts and just went with the flow of the show.
On the other hand, whilst the ending made a massive reveal in connection with the purpose of the show, the sudden twist in the ending really downplayed the acts of the main villain throughout the progression of the show, leaving me feeling bewildered on whether the main should actually be the one wholly to blame, which should not feel that way.

Generally speaking, I enjoyed this drama very much and it was lovely to have connected with the characters and see how this crazy and twisted story unravel. The mind is really amazing.
If you have the time to invest in this, this can surely be recommended to anyone. If you love psychological concepts, then this is the one for you.
Do be warned, this drama will toy with your emotions and leave you feeling somewhat traumatised. i would say do not binge on this and take your time with this show, haha

Read More

Inspiring and engaging

After reading an enticing plot about the lives of the main characters, I knew I had to give this a go as a friendship-development story had to be brewing somewhere. With that being said, I found myself giving this drama a meaningful place in my heart due to its immense impact on me. I enjoyed everything from the personal insight to the characters, the plot, and sub-plots, to the never-ending life lessons that this drama provided.

The story centers around the foundation and development of The Windchasers Club, an athletics club whose main goal is to develop a team of resilient and persistent runners who can overcome challenges and face obstacles together. It also tells the lives of young adults/adults and shares their ups and downs as they move through this ambiguous world. Most of the plots offered a realistic perspective on things which I particularly enjoyed as I do not watch these kinds of dramas often. There were a vast amount of sub-plots that kept the viewer engaged. I never grasped the concept of how athletics training can build one's character, but this show proved to me that running and sports bring many nurturing concepts. As hinted earlier, this drama does bring a lot of life lessons that fitted in with the story quite well and were natural when being said. it can be a bit too much where there is a sudden stream of life advice coming at you from around the corner, but I can understand how it is there to complement the show's purpose.
Romance is not the strongest point of this series. The romance, for some, took a whole series to develop. Whilst I do believe that relationships take time to develop, it should not take a whole series to get it going. This would be my only downside to the show.

Every character in this show deserves notable praise for their character development, especially Ho Ka Yan, Nik Sir, and Franco. Each character delivers a personal hardship but gives us insight into how they overcome it, which is very empowering and inspiring to watch. I believe that the drama did well in enabling the viewer to feel connected to the characters as they deliver real-life issues and feelings that resonate with the audience.

Although there is only one song that accompanies the drama, the opening and closing theme song was very fitting for the drama.

To conclude, if you are feeling down and need something that can inspire and uplift you, or you are a casual watcher of dramas and is looking for something to watch, this is the drama that is worth investing your time in. I do not usually review HK dramas, but this is an exception as I could not miss the opportunity to write a review on this.

Read More