amrita828

I'm in perfect agreement with you when it comes to American dramas messing up things with excessive plot turns and repetitions. Fringe is in this sense no exception, however it has something Lost never had: a cohesive and unchanging set of characters. Lost added so many at each turn, I couldn't care less about them at some point. 5 minutes per character every 10 episodes or so is too little to create a bond with them. Fringe on the other hand has created 4 main characters who are adorable to say the least.
But enough with this: the 5th season is still airing and I won't be able to see the final before next year.

Tumbling is a lovely drama. You make me wish to re-watch it. :D

All right my friend, before we continue this great discussion: have you seen episodes 9 and 10?
Because I can't possibly believe you can stand this thing. I'm on the verge of thowing up.
Sorry. Harsh. But deserved by the writer big time. :S

In conclusion, I think this drama is lacking on many fronts because it totally defeats its purpose of making me empathize with these people, care for them, hope something for them. I just wish for them all to find some peace, I fear at the bottom of the ocean.

While I understand her rancour regarding her mother - whom she herself repudiated calling her weak - all her hate should have gone to that horrid father of hers, not other people. However, because she falls head over heals with MaRu, the viewers all root for her, when in fact she hasn't become a better person, nor does she give sign of wanting to become one.
Again, I don't think her character is well written either, not to me at least because I feel absolutely nothing but mild dislike for her.
Jae Hee is more complex than her, a woman who makes one huge mistake after the next and whose fate is sealed the moment she made that first, fatal choice of calling Maru for help.

In 5 years behind bars, EVERY HUMAN BEING would either plan a true revenge strategy and come out driven by it, or he would try to go back to that woman he supposedly loved so much to win her back. I am not ready to accept his going out and becoming some cynical gigolo. If he hadn't met the 2 women on the plane, he would have gone on like that? It doesn't make sense to me. This plot is contrieved to make those characters meet again and again when we all know they would be better off at 6000 km distance.
What I am trying to say is that Maru is not well characterized by the author: he's well acted by the actor, which are 2 very different things.
The same could be said about Eun Ki. Frankly? I can't stand her. She's spiteful and unfair, this is not my idea of a strong woman (or a strong person).

I have read your first impression and I agree basically on everything you wrote about Maru. The result is, I too have a lot to say about this drama. First, because I marathoned through the first 8 episodes in no time, which means the story did something to me.
However, where we differ is the way we "judge" these characters.
Let's start with MaRu. Yes, he's multi-layered in a way I find fascinating, and he's the true driving force that compelles me to go on with this drama even if I don't really like it. His character though is not believable. You very rightly note how the whole prison time is missing and I agree. A young, clever and INNOCENT guy thrust in prison should have scars that have little to do with what Jae Hee did to him.

Much more cynically, I don't care for the couples. As I see it, this is not a drama about love, as it is about obsession. Eung Gi is strong, but uses her strength for all the wrong reasons, and honestly, she only became human when she started liking MaRu, which in itself is a defeat. She's not truly growing as a woman, trying to analyse what SHE did wrong (because she did); all she does - and I seem to detect more has to happen to her - is giving up her rotten empire to be with him, until he crushes her, of course.
MaRu is indeed consistent, so much so that this drama is becoming more predictable than a 2 hours weather forecast.
While I agree that the thin line between bad and good is at the centre of this, I fail to understand its purpose other than presenting us with a sunny guy digging his hole deeper and deeper into the dark. Fascinating, sexy, yes, but discouraging and excessive.

Thank you for your support Rou, it's truly appreciated. :)
Meanwhile, I've gone on a little with this drama and the looming tragedy is so overly dramatic it's almost funny. I have half an idea of entering the screen, camouflage Maru with Joseon clothes and that lovely wicked grin he had in SSK scandal and make him virtually step into a different drama where he laughs, gets the girl in the end and they live happily ever after.
I need the drama SWAT. ;)

Hi, I just wanted to thank you for your review of Dr.Champ, I have just added it to my plan to watch list. I honestly never even knew about it, so I suppose you're right in defining it very underrated. :)

Hi Michael,
I've been thinking about you lately because I too had an american drama interlude and I don't remember if we ever talked about "Fringe"?
Have you seen it? :)
It's by the same writers of Lost (main one J.J.Abrams),and as a matter of fact it shares with it the same super surreal sci-fi atmosphere, but I dare say this one is a lot better characterized, since it focuses on a few main characters and it has the added bonus of answering more questions (not that it answeres them in an always believable way, but what's believable? lol)

My dearest!
I am watching Nice Guy/Innocent Man, and I have a LOT of things to say about it, not all of them positive, I'm afraid.
But because I'm not going to assault you with critics, let me start by saying that the guy is as hot as a yummy Thai dish swimming in chili. ;)
I suppose he's the reason why I'm still watching.

A pity I have stalked Yamapi before - just like you described - and have seen everything he starred in already: this guide would have been terribly useful then. :D
Therefore, waiting for the next. :)

Gosh, 10 minutes after I'm still laughing.
I have this terrible habit of picturing everything that is being said to me and replay the scene in my mind.

ROFLMAO!
What, you want to tell me the asteroid has NOT hit him YET?
Geez, this is disappointing. And here I thought I had had my good share of dramas surreal misfortunes with Bad Guy, when a child was thrown on the street, smashed into a cabinet, his parents had an accident and died and his dog was killed, all in the space of 15 minutes of a rainy winter night in Seoul. (This is no spoiler, btw, it's in the first ep., second at best).
LOL, I'm not coherent, still laughing out loud picturing that asteroid...

Violetta! ;)
I'm finally watching something you're watching too: Innocent Man.
Please tell me: aside from the hotness of the main guy, do you like it?
On my part, I'm wondering why I'm doing a half marathon of a drama which is going to end in big tragedy - at list imo - and which is disturbing to say the least, LOL.
Who knows... perhaps the kiss on episode 5? XD

Help needed: please someone reassure me about the characters of this show. Please tell me there is at least one - besides Lawyer Park - who becomes likable at some point. Right now I am simply and very superficially drooling over Joong Ki, but if I could kill some of the characters, I'd carry out a mass murder...

Forgive me for replying so late - once again! Lately I spend more time apologizing for my discontinuity than actually writing something meaningful. :P
I have read your review of Reply 1997 and found it very useful: this is a drama I would never have taken into consideration, I was put off by the synopsis which seems to focus on fangirlism - something I frankly can't understand. However, thanks to your review I've now put this one in my ptw list and have a feeling I will like it - for some reason an echo of what I felt while watching Shut Uf Flower Boy Band resonated in your words for me. :)
I don't mind well written melodramas, so I am definitely going to try Innocent Man too.
Let's hope I manage to slowly come out of my drama stagnation.
Have a great weekend! :D

Thank you! :D I must say I have written the MGIAG review in a state of slight anger. For some reason the enthusiasm for it got so much on my nerves I couldn't help but do my... worst. Now that I have had time to think it over, I'd write exactly the same thing. LOL
I should be watching dramas too, instead I'm hopping unhappily from one to the next without resisting more than 15 minutes at a time. Clearly I'm going through a major slump and, despite the fact that this year seems full of wonderful dramas (at least on the Korean side of the strait), I see no clear end to the tunnel.
A couple of trusted people told me about Innocent Man and I might give it a try: the lead guy is a yummy specimen, if everything else fails, the hot factor could help. :P
Yes, as you can see, I too am veeeeryyy profound...;)

Hello my dear,
it's so good to hear from you. :D
You know me well, haha: saeguks are not for me, no matter the plot. And I tried...
But you're the second person who told me about Innocent Man (aka nice guy, isn't it?) and this one intrigues me. The male lead acted in SSK Scandal, didn't he? My favourite character there, and definitely worth drooling for, lol (I mean, if everything else's missing, there's always this added bonus of the pleasure to watch a hottie). ;)
I am not catching up. Although I am a little more relaxed workwise, a lot or other small and less small duties came in between, so that I never really have one whole day to just sit al leisure and watch something with a little continuity. I hate to watch one episode today and the next in a week, I totally lose contact with the characters and their story.
I'm still hoping to find some sort of balance very soon...

Lovely article my friend! Opening and end theme songs are often a little neglected in discussions, which is a pity. I love the Hana Kimi one too! :D
Among my favourites there's Keizoku SPEC, the whole ost actually:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWkFJjHjUzc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=morSxyGJAAg