A modern fairy-tale that requires industrial grade rose tinted glasses

This Show might have a contemporary setting, but it has all the hallmark of a fairy-tale. The characters do not behave in a realistic way and the settings are more staged than true to life. The female leads are dressed to the nines to go to work and high society balls and cocktail parties are regular as clockworks. Wheeling and dealing are the only game in town but not a lot of real lawyering. It is a make-believe world that our protagonists have their fateful meeting and begin a fake marriage of convenience.

Fake marriage is such a trope nowadays that it is almost an automatic point deduction when a show uses it as the main plot. In this case, the Show is watchable, in part because of the charisma of the FL and the chemistry between the leads. The ML’s character is lying flat and generally taking a low profile. This means the FL is about as flamboyant as you can get as a counterpoint. She also has a collection of frenemies to match her designer handbags.

The raison d'etre for the fake marriage is the premo law firm where the FL works has a glass ceiling for unmarried female lawyers. Of course, the ambitious FL is not taking that lying down. In true drama fashion, lies begot more lies and the house of cards grew bigger and ricketier every day. I could add plot holes begot more plot holes but that would be labouring the point. ;)
The Show is entertaining at times and there are swoon worthy moments as the leads goes from being antagonistic towards each other to being lovers. However, the writer decided to keep their relationship ambiguous all through the Show. To be honest, it is disappointing as we see a lot of PDA but we still gets the “are we, aren’t we” vibe and the de rigueur breakup. This brings about the cliché fallout for several episodes.

The less we talk about the 2nd CP the better. They are a total narrative mess. They seem to exist solely to highlight how rational the OTP’s relationship is. If they were funny, at least we can get an occasional laugh, but they are just cringey to watch. The 3rd CP (FL’s ex) feels more like a one-sided crush. There are PDA but you don’t feel the passion.

While relationships are all over the place, the Show is littered with business subplots that are both ethically and legally questionable. Motivations are overblown and seems to always focus on monetary gains and one-upmanship. It serves to highlight the weakness and illogic of the FL’s chosen path. The longer the Show ran, the more untenable her situation becomes. It begs the question why she doesn't just quit if she is intelligent, professional and focused? Is it greed, stubbornness or blind ambition? It doesn't shine her in a positive light.

Acting wise, it is a mixed bag. There is a fair bit of overacting from the ensemble cast. The FL is the focal point, and she usually does a good job, but it starts to feel samey after a while. As I mentioned before, the ML’s delivery can be a bit flat but he is the yin to the FL’s yang so there is a certain balance there. When it works, their scenes can be quite swoon worthy. There is a decent amount of skinship which doesn't look fake. The OTP’s romance is pretty much the saving grace of the Show.

OST is not bad. Some nice tunes but they do get a bit repetitive by the end of the show. I might watch a highlight reel in the future, but it would be a challenge to rewatch the whole show.

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Jack of all trades, master of none

This Show starts well enough. There is a lot of energy, and it promised some interesting characters and novel mesh-up of genres. Unfortunately, after that initial burst of creativity, it quickly lost the momentum and settled on a plodding meh-ddle ground that felt more cliché than creative.

Let us dive deeper. The leads includes a crime fighting chaebol with a hint of Batman including a secret lair (their words). Of course, that means he is paired with a trusted sidekick who is both a lawyer and a hacker/tech guru. To amp up the odd pairing, the FL has superpower but has a difficult childhood. Yet she is always righteous and hardworking. The 2FL can bake yummy bread (….).

Yes, that is an eclectic mix but the writer-nims thrown in enough chemistry and fast paced action from the get-go to keep your interest for long enough to get over the initial hump. Unfortunately, problems soon start to surface.

For starters, this Show has so many plot holes and inconsistencies. It is almost as if the writer-nims brainstormed ideas and settled on a handful of good ones and then try to tie them together with bits of string.

There is also little character development. It is more like character regression. The detective/crime fighting ML solves almost no cases except for one personal one that has been ongoing for 20 years. Yet all the ducklings begin to line up as soon as the FL joins the team. The lawyer sidekick practices no law, he does the usual techno babble, and everything magically appear on his screen. BTW, he drives a van that Scooby-Doo will be proud of. The FL barely ever uses her superpower, and the impact is marginal and contrived. The 2FL is there purely as comic relief and the love interest of the 2ML. Everyone just seems to settle into cliché roles.

This means the tone and direction of the show is all over the place. One minute it is slapstick comedy, next scene can be sickly sweet romance and then it becomes deadly serious. Some shows can pull this off like the Law Café but this show just feels scatty and manic. Maybe this is because of the writer-nims’ inexperience. Both credited script writers have little writing experience prior to this show and sadly, it shows.

Acting wise, it is a real mixed bag too. With the plot and tone going all over the place, the actors are prone to overact or just look a bit lost without clear directions. Most of them gamely soldiers on but it is a tough gig. There are lots of one-note characters which doesn’t help the the show's cause.

In the end, I was thankful that it is only 12 episodes long as I was wondering where the show is going at the end of ep.9. It is watchable, it has its moments, but it is like looking at a storyboard of hand picked scenes and a matching checklist from Script Writing 101. Could a more experienced writer-nim deliver a better script or would it be better to leave this sleeping dog alone?

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It is all about the feel

This review is going to be vague because there is no point dissecting every scene nor trying to highlight where the writer-nim could have portraited the law/autism/discrimination/etc better or more realistically. In a sense, the Show is about the overall feel and raising awareness of certain social and societal issues. There is no panacea for such ills. The writer-nim did leave some subplot dangling like the lawyer specialises in social justice cases and the ATM company. It means a win is not always rewarding or justice being served. It could end up hurting the "little guy" or setback social progress. They are grey areas that is up to us to explore further and reflect upon.

What the Show is good at is creating the unique world that Woo Young Woo lives in. It is not a "real" world because it is a drama after all. It is more like a modern pastel fairy tale. It is relatable but it takes liberty with certain aspects of reality.

Our FL's acting is superb and is consistent for 95% of the show which is a tough gig when you consider her character's mannerism and her speech pattern. Kudos to Park Eun Bin. The ML is also well played but he is firmly in support of the FL. Their romance is sweet and awkward in equal parts. There are some really swoon worthy moments. Speaking of support, it is a bit disappointing that the support casts are fairly tropey and doesn't "grow" during the show. Some are comic relieves while others are the token bullies. They are there as foils for our FL and to move the plot along where necessary.

Now the elephant in the room. The Jeju episodes are a misstep by the writer-nim in my book. It was a weird change of tone and cadence in an otherwise smoothly flowing show. It just felt off. It is just as well the Show recovers it's bearings and is back on track by episode 15/16.

It is as if the Show is self referencing itself in the end. I am left with a sense of contentment and fulfillment after the final scene. I couldn't help but grin in unison with our leads as the credit rolls. Life is good. Growth in measured steps is fine. I can't fault the ending. It is bright, positive and forward looking. What more can we ask? To paraphrase farmer Hoggett, "That'll do Woo. That'll do." :)

CGI whales and OST are both great. Rewatch is already scheduled.

At the time of writing, the Show has been confirmed for Season 2(!) and I'm thankful that writer-nim didn't leave us with some crazy cliff-hanger. I'm definitely looking forward to the future adventures of our Extraordinary Attorney!

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Fluffy, sweet, cookie cutter rom-com

Oath of Love is a perfectly watchable rom-com that is sweet and angst lite. If you are a fan of the stars or looking for just such a harmless rom-com then this is a must watch.

Otherwise, the plot is back-of-a-napkin stuff. Bubbly college student fell in love with older, handsome surgeon who happens to save her father’s life. The rest are cookie cutter fillers. Don’t get me wrong, the show is well made and enjoyable. The chemistry is decent with a good amount of skinship that looked natural and not staged. The main plot is tropey and the pace is relaxed. There is a bit of love triangles, a bit of angst, a bit of drama but it is all there to take up a bit of time. Nothing really gets in the way of the romance. There is little to allow this to stand out from the pack.

I do appreciate that the ML is devoted to the FL from the start and totally supportive but sometimes he leans too much into the stoic doctor trope. The FL acted well and displayed her usual range of emotions (there is no shortage of tears). It is just very similar to her other modern rom-com roles. I do worry about over exposure of this young star.

There are two other CP’s. They are interesting up to a point but they both got sidelined. They still managed to have a HEA ending. The show is really doing a Oprah Winfrey.

The bulk of the support cast are from central casting. They did their jobs well enough.

There are two things that I really liked and really disliked about this show. The thing I really liked is how the show handled the FL’s father’s situation towards the end of the show. It was sentimental but it was handled with a deft hand. You can feel the love and how they are all trying to create some beautiful memories. The plot devices used are not new, but it was done well. I appreciate it more consider how prickly the father has been.

The thing I disliked the most was the FL’s “attempt” to be a cello player of the highest standard. OMG, it was embarrassing. Just about every aspect of that is off. From her approach to practise, her scenes playing the cello and her “performances”. Anyone with some knowledge of classical string instruments will cringe. I know it is unrealistic to assume every actor will do lots of preparation for a “technical” role but they can do better when faking it. BTW, Park Eun-bin actually learnt the violin for her role in Do You Like Brahms, just saying. ;)

OST was nice but the main theme was a bit overused. I can rewatch this show but it will be a background task because there is not a lot of plot that needs my full attention.

P.S. On a personal note, I start watching this show when it first premiered but by the 2/3 mark, I lost interest and put it on hold. I final binged the rest of the show after a hiatus of many weeks. I’m glad that I finished it. This did present me with a dilemma when it comes to rating it. On one hand, I stopped because the show was a bit draggy, tropey and samey up to that point. However, the show did get better towards the end so I have to give it its due.

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Signor Verdi would be proud of this show

Eve is fundamentally a modern interpretation of a classic tragic grand opera where revenge, lust, love, power and money are fused together into a cascade of inordinate acts that assault the senses until the grand finale where all the evil deeds come home to roost. Usually, the protagonist is so altered by the soul destroying need for revenge that they are consumed by the vengeful act. This might be seen as a prime example of a makjang drama as well.

Eve would have worked so much better as an opera or a film, but 16 episodes allowed us too much time to notice its flaws. That is a real shame because it is a well-made show in many regards.

It is because of these flaws that the show will be polarising. On one hand, we can be swept away by the haunting love story, the all-consuming greed, hatred and thirst for retribution. Scenes that mixed shock and awe, opulent display of wealth and power can be mesmerising. Much the same way that extreme depravity can be spellbinding.

The flip side of such a strong stylistic statement can be a lack of substance. Does style ride shotgun over narrative logic? With such a long runtime and days between episodes, there is a lot of time for us to absorb the narrative and put two and two together. Seek and we shall find some serious plot holes and contrivance. At some point I decided that to enjoy this show, I need to switch off some cognitive functions and rely more on primitive emotions. Bring on the extra strong tinted lens!

With that in mind, I would say that I mostly enjoyed the show but with caveats. I did get distracted by some illogical scenarios and some contrivance gave me pause. In the end, I was swept up by the head long rush to the grand denouement where it reached the all consuming crescendo. It was a fitting final act to a monumental tragedy and there is little room for moral ambiguity. Death cometh to us all. Signor Verdi would be proud.

Was the epilogue necessary? Was it better that we are given a glimmer of hope (was it wistful thinking?) or would it be better to let the dead rest and leave us to our reflections?

Similarly, comments regarding the acting will be polarised as well. There is no shortage of stylistic flairs and film noir moments so some might think that the actors are not showing enough emotions or when there is an outburst, it is over the top. A lot comes down to the direction and I don’t think any of the actors did a bad job, but 16 hours is a long time repeating a small range of pose. There are times when I felt that the leads were wearing a gilded mask but a mask nevertheless.

OST is fine, got to love a good Tango. Rewatch is unlikely in the near future.

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Not all sweet dreams have silver linings

I am impressed with the production quality of this show. The set looked lived in and organic. The story is engaging, and the actors’ visuals are spot on. You can sense the chemistry between the leads even during their meet-cute. The story generally moved along at a good pace with some troubling and hard-hitting plots that really set up the backstories of the three female leads and what drove them to make a new life in the Song Dynasty’s Eastern Capital.

I really appreciate the Show's attention to detail with some very elaborate sets and costumes. Both arts and crafts are well featured and referenced. The tea ceremony and banquet entertainment are most impressive. The one exception is the pipa performances. There is only so much you can alter reality. ;)

Scenes also have a more natural feel by shooting under natural lights and weather conditions. This dedication to authenticity did slip a little towards the end but it is still impressive.

In terms of the main plot, it is very much built upon the strong bonds between the three female leads and their struggles. Ancient China is not built on equality. Gender inequality and a rigid class system is institutionalised (look up 3 obediences/4 virtues). The Show's feminist and class struggle messages are unmistakable. I do appreciate the effort but it can get a bit heavy handed and you start to feel that our FL’s are the divine agents of change.

Running alongside this are the love lines between the OTP and a cute/comedic older 2OTP (there is a junior 3OTP). As I mentioned before, the chemistry of the OTP is strong. While we have the usual push-pull, it was handled with maturity resulting in meaningful conversations and straightforwardness, an uncommon sight in dramas. There is also a decent amount of skinship and it felt natural and playful. I for one am happy that the confession happened sooner rather than later, and we were treated to some nice swoon worthy moments before . . . the tropey plot took over.

I know tropes are inescapable. The first half was so engrossing that you took them in your stride. However, around the 2/3 mark, the show seemed to hit a fork and the writer grafted a big branching plot onto the story and doubled down on the tropes thus creating a lot of angst for all involved. This was further compounded by the ML going MIA and then flashed the Noble Idiot card. Is the Show trying to pad out the length? You can put a fence around this and excise it and there will be minimal impact to the overall story. I would have scored the Show higher if we were spared this “distraction”.

Speaking of distractions, the palace intrigue subplots was all prevailing, but it didn’t do much for me. It just seemed to be there to create agitation. In the end, the “intrigue” was fairly humdrum.

To fault the acting of the main cast is to nit-pick. I’m particularly impressed by Dai Xu. He played a bumbling bully and a loveable rogue with great comedic timing and a deft touch. The pairing of our OTP was perfect. Liu Yifei and Chen Xiao could have stepped out of a history book. The other main cast members pull their weights. The main antagonist is a tragic figure whose downfall was foretold but his retribution did left me with a sour taste.

This is one of the best historical drama I have seen for some time. OST is wonderful. 40 episodes is a tad long for a rewatch but I would definitely enjoy a swoon-y highlight reel, especially the ending.

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Is consistency the new mark of quality?

I shall begin by saying that I enjoyed this show. It is not perfect by any means and both the plot and execution is fairly old school but what it lacks in impact is more than made up by its steady pacing and consistency. A bit like an old friend that you caught up from time to time and retell old stories or share some gossips. When I first started watching dramas, this show would have been deemed mediocre and a bit boring. After watching many shows and suffered through some whose sole purpose seem to be to find the bottom of the barrel, my perspective has certainly changed.
As I mentioned before, the plot and characters are fairly old school. Feisty FL paired up with a honest, decent ML. There is the usual push-pull and fake relationship which turned very real in an nice way. It doesn’t try to shock or confuse us but just stick the well-thumbed playbook. I certainly appreciate the consistency. Plots and romances progress just as you’d expect. Characters are true to their personas. There are no whiplash changes or shock twists. If there is a realignment, they are usually for the better. The love lines are sweet and pure. Almost too pure but there are some skinship but not a lot of passion.
Of course, there are plot holes and minor subplots that seemed to lead nowhere, but the overarching theme is always there and unwavering. Most of the enemies became friends, brain usually wins over brawn. Plots are resolved with satisfaction while rewarding the good and punishing the bad. I have to say that there is a little too much emphasis on making money, but it is balanced by using some of that money to do good, so you have to cut them some slack. This emphasis on doing business did cause the middle part of the show to feel samey and a little draggy but it is bearable.
Acting is mostly solid. A few one-dimensional characters and there is not a lot of dynamic range for some roles but the actors play them earnestly so props to them. OST is serviceable.

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A watchable rom-com that is equal parts swoon-y and trying

To say that this show is tropey is stating the obvious. The countdown watch motif is not new. The contract arrangement between the leads is downright old school. The meet-cute is functional and kind of cute. Of course, with such a short run time, there is not a lot of time to waste but the show still managed to stretch some plots out a bit too far. Such faux pas usually has to do with cliché storylines that was meant to be funny, but it is more like an overnight guest who stayed for a week. It is just as well that the Show never take them to the extreme. Just when you start to groan, it moves on.

Another odd thing about the Show is that most of the romance is actually centred around the 2OTP. They are a CP well before the 1OTP even shows a hint of romance. They did all the swoon-y things that you would rightly expect from the leads. This includes a very elaborate confession scene (which would be fitting as a marriage proposal!) They have good chemistry and a decent amount of skinship. On the other hand, the relationship between the leads is awkward for a long time with all the usual push-pulls and conflicts. They did make up for lost time in the end, but their confession didn’t happen until the second last episode!

Part of the reason for this delay was the SML being parachuted into the show to provide some angst just as the romance between the leads starts to blossom. It was a bit of a rough ride for all concerned but thankfully, the Show did not turn it into a full blown melodrama. Nevertheless, the damage was done, and we wasted more time with pensive scenes and the typical search for their true feelings as the clock ticks on.

The last episode had me baffled. The Show took us down a long, weird garden path only to arrive at the same point again. This heavy handed "explanation" is just outlandish and contrived. I was quite happy with where the Show was heading so why the crazy detour? I can only imagine they have to undo the whole death watch plot without involving the spirit realm. Censorship mayhaps? I'd have prefer the usual sugar coated fan service to round out the show. A wedding or two would have gone down a treat.

Yet it is not that bad. There are genuinely sweet and funny moments scattered throughout the show. In a sense, that is the core issue with this show. While some show starts off good and then goes downhill and vice versa, this show seesaws from moment to moment. Sometimes it works and you start to feel good about the show but then it might introduce a silly plot that make you want to facepalm. Hit and miss is two sides of the same coin for this show.

Acting is decent. The FL has a more demanding role, but the writer did her no favour by muddling her role. One minute she is strong and decisive, next episode she maybe fragile and dithering. The ML is patchy at times but at least he was not wooden like some idol turned actor. Some netizens have commented on his appearance (not being handsome enough) but considering he is supposed to be ordinary and dorky, his visual fitted the role. Their chemistry does improve over time and there are some sweet moments along the way and even a passionate kiss or two by the end of the show. The 2OTP has to pull their weight from the start and they did fine for the most part.

The BGM is patchy. Sometimes it is serviceable but there are times when the soundtrack becomes very loud and start to clip and drown out the dialogue. This show is well suited as a casual watch when you can't spare it your full attention or a filler between bigger shows. I'd be happy to watch a 10 minute cut on YouTube of all the sweet CP moments again.

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A decent and wholesome rom-com that was 20 episodes too long

The premise of the Show was interesting, a mix of “To Sir with Love” and “Schoolhouse Rock!” done Chinese style. It worked in parts, but not as a whole. The Show was hamstringed by a messy script with obvious plot holes, one dimensional characters and too many episodes.

Right from the start, the show is asking us to suspense our disbelieves in a big way as a troubled/aging idol is parachuted into a music teacher’s job at a high school. We are told that the idol has all the formal qualifications, but he was also shown to be a man-child and hopeless with life skills. I can understand if he was from an uber rich family and then transitioned into a pampered idol, but his father was a schoolteacher, and he has teaching qualifications so how can he be totally detached from the mortal realm? Needless to say, the show spends a lot of time in transforming him into a good, responsible and respectable teacher. How much time? Basically the first 10 episodes (and counting). It then used the next 20 episodes to play through all the push-pull shenanigans of the two sets of OTP’s. It wasn’t a total waste of time as there are nice, cute moments but it was a long time to watch the same teasing, misunderstandings and will-they-won’t-they tropes. BTW, the 2OTP was cute but it was a marathon as well.

It was a moment of relief when the 1OTP finally have their first kiss at ep.29 but the good time never last. The Show then proceeded to create all kinds of angst and then a breakup that was, frankly, nonsensical. Up to that point, the CP has the support of all their friends, family and students but the FL didn’t want to go public and she couldn't handle the attention from the media and nasty comments from the netizens. Yes, that’s a very tropey plotline but in this case, it made little sense when she was resolute up to that point and her decision was baffling. What added salt to injury was just before the breakup, the ML proposed to her and she accepted. You’d think that meant something solid but it was all forgotten in a flash. The ring was never seen again and there was no mention of a fiancé. There was only one reference to that scene in a flashback and then a throw away line from the ML near the end of the show. That key plot development just went puff?! I have seen shows that would have ended on such a high note. On top of that, they continued to live under the same roof and taught the same class. It served to generated a lot of awkward moments; both leads are pining for each other (too many flashbacks of their sweet moments) and the ML spent an episode behaving like a lovelorn puppy (with silly, upbeat soundtracks). It really made the breakup look comical rather than sad.

At the end of the day, a HEA ending was never in doubt, so we just ended up spending the last few episodes watching the CP picking up the pieces and start the whole push-pull trope again. Seriously, if they cut that whole plot out, it would have made no difference.

This brings us to 2 important issues with this show. Firstly, it was too long. 20 episodes would be optimal with the material at hand. 25-30 would be acceptable if they deep dive into some of the subplots that were MIA or lightly treated. But 40 episodes were a bridge too far and the show moved ponderously (and in circles at times) and there were many filler scenes/plots.

Secondly, there are 4 credited writers including the director for a fairly simple story. I don’t know if they worked on different parts or were brought in as script doctor(s) but the end result was a hodgepodge of ideas and plots that weaved in and out of the central theme. Sometimes, the subplots add to the storytelling but a lot of the time they were inconsequential. Some even illogical or hit a dead end and forgotten. The collateral damage of this is character development. The ML had a lot of growth to his character and his backstory is the most elaborate but the FL was like a weathervane. Her behaviour and moods swung all over the place. Sometimes she is strong and stubborn, other times she is weak and indecisive. You can’t predict where she is heading. Most of the other characters are one dimensional. The SFL was not a horrible person which is a blessing but the SML was weirdly constructed. He is the only antagonist, but he was a grey character for the bulk of the Show and then he was suddenly IT. Why? Is he bad, sad or mad? Was it jealousy of the ML? Unrequited love of the SFL? There are vague hints about his behaviour but it is not very convincing nor coherent.

One good thing about the show is the setting of the school and the students of class 8. They are a lively bunch and provided many distractions from the otherwise sparse central plot. However, where other school dramas might address some serious societal issues and teenage angsts, this Show kept a fairly low profile. Sure, there are some angsty moments, but everything will always come up roses. There are more than one budding young love but there were no confessions, just feels and wistful looks.

OST started off nice and effective. I especially like the jazzed up classical pieces. However, the later episodes really overworked the love songs as they are almost playing non-stop anytime the leads are pining for each other.

As a show to watch in between big ticket items, it is fine but it is way too long to sit through again as a rewatch.

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An ode to unrequited love

The unrequited love plot is as old as time. Probably five seconds after the love poem was invented. If misused, it can waste a lot of time and energy while creating unproductive angst. Fortunately, with only 4 eps to play with, the Show only have time to fill out the CP's backstory and their present day trajectory and little else. This is a blessing.
While the ML is definitely in love with the FL, the FL is growing more confused about their relationship and has to confront her own feelings towards the ML and decide a course of action that will have a huge impact on their future.
Initially, it can be frustrating to watch because time and time again we hear the age old excuse "I don't want to lose you as a friend. What if we breakup?!" On top of that we get both parties playing the noble idiot card on the pretence that they are doing the right thing by not getting in the way of each others' "happiness" thus compounding their woes.
As I mentioned before, with such a short runtime, we can easily focus on the leads' visuals and their chemistry. There can be no doubt of their close friendship but there is an underlying disturbance. Even when the leads are engaged in playful banter, there is a pensive undertone.
Looking at the story as a whole, it is quite transparent. If you are expecting twists and turns then this is not it. The focus here is on their interactions, reflective scenes and hidden messages. The words that are not spoken. Odes that can't be sung. Pictures that are seen but not see through.
The acting is good from the casts. Other than the leads, there are only a handful of supporting roles. They helped to tell the story and move things along. There is a little bit of skinship but this show is not about that. You will appreciate the swoon worthy moments so much more because you are shipping the CP while wishing and praying that the writer-nim is not going to pull a nasty trick on us.
The OST is wonderful. Moody, pensive and swooning as the mood shifts. Rewatch is there both because it is a nice love story but it is short enough for an easy binge.

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Batten down the hatches! Heavy weather ahead!

I was really looking forward to this show because of the leads and the setting. The first episode was a bit heavy going, but it set the scene and presented us with a tangled web of interconnected relationships as well as set up the meet-cute of our OTP. Speaking of the OTP, they look good together and there was certainly a good deal of chemistry. The show put this relationship on steroid, and it was on a fast track.

The writer-nim was trying to integrate the weather theme into each episode because the KMA is where they work and weather can also affect human emotions and our state of mind. Kudos to them for trying their best and it does work but it is also the show’s Achille’s heel.

The writer-nim picked the more impactful weather events such as storms, heatwaves, flooding rain as subject to make the plot more interesting. Yes, it created drama, but it also meant that the Show is almost a non-stop run of extremes if not outright disasters. When you mirror that with the protagonist’s lives then it is heavy weather all the way.

In essence, all the relationships in this show are in trouble or heading that way. The OTP was a done deal within the first few episodes, but the Show then spend the next 10+ episodes making their lives difficult until they finally broke up. The mid show breakup trope is tried and tested, but this is expending a lot of negative energy to undo something that is supposed to the central pillar of your show. Combined with all the other troubled relationships around a small hub, it becomes oppressive like a monsoon before the storm breaks. It makes you wonder why anyone would want to be in a committed relationship after watching this! May be it is billed as a rom-com but I’m more inclined to call it an anti-rom-com.

Needless to say, the rom-com gods were displeased and smite the writer-nim. Hee hee, just kidding. The show really can’t keep going on this downward trajectory or it will be called Forecasting Angsts and Weather! The show turns around in the final straight and all the broken fences are mended, and the good ship came back on course for the HEA endings. The last episode was sweet and satisfying but it is a long season of bad weather before the sun came out again.

If you were hoping for another Park Min Young rom-com like Secretary Kim or Her Private Life then this is not it. She still has the visuals, but she also spends half the Show looking discombobulated and frazzled. You almost imagine her walking away mumbling “this is a mistake; this is a mistake . . .”. Song Kang has received some negative comments about his acting on the net and you can see why because while he is handsome as always, the script has him looking like a deer in the headlights far too often. It is not a good look, and it certainly will not enhance his acting credentials. Things do improve towards the end, but it is a little late. Most of the support cast were solid, seasoned actors and they pulled their weight. They are probably glad to get more meaty roles and more screen time. The flip side to this “ensemble” approach is that there is less focus on the OTP and some of their scenes felt choppy.

As an ode to all the professionals toiling thanklessly in the service of the general public, the show deserved 10/10. As a rom-com/melodrama it did not reach the same high-water mark.

Production value is excellent. OST is very nice. Rewatch is mostly the beginning and the end of the show for me. Depending what you are looking for, the mileage on this show will differ. Caveat Emptor, my friends.

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Good honest food is the salve for a wounded soul

This show put food back in its place of honour. This is not about Michelin Stars or Insta Moments. It is about the cooking and sharing of a tasty meal with friends and family. Thus, reinforcing the bond that bind us together. That is something that the ML lost when he suffered a life changing tragedy. He became an island where food is just fuel for the body, work is his life. It only changed when he accidentally discovered the cooking talent of the FL. She is the opposite to the ML. She is totally family orientated. She just wants a no fuss 9 to 5 job even though she is capable of much more.

In essence, the central plotline is about as cliché as you can get. Cold, tough, low EQ ML meets warm, smart and lovable FL. The rest is history if you want the TL;DR version but the show is much more than that.

In a relatively short (by c-drama standard) 16 episodes, the show covered a lot of grounds but most importantly, it did not indulge in time wasting tropes excessively. It focused on relationship dynamics and how they impact our protagonists. As you’d expect, it was not a smooth ride. We have unrequited love, love triangles, tragedies and work pressures to deal with.

I certainly appreciate how the Show deals with many issues. A lot of the time, straight talking works. It is refreshing to find people behaving rationally and can accept no-means-no. This is in contrast to other similar dramas where romantic entanglement drags on and amps up the angsts to everyone’s detriment.

The show also knows how to do romance. There are definitely swoon worthy moments. The OTP has great chemistry, and they are a perfect match once they get past the usual push-pull shenanigans. The 2OTP had sparks flying early on but then did a few laps around the garden paths before finding their way forward.

Obviously, it can’t be all sunshine and unicorns. The writer engineered a 3/4 show breakup of our OTP. I can see it coming and it was devastating to watch. I understand why it needs to happen, but it is also where the Show’s narrative start to unravel a bit. While the trigger for the breakup is largely an issue of work life balance, it was brought to a head by the collapse of the FL’s mother. This crisis made the FL realise she is trying to do too much, and all her plates are in the air. She needs to step back and sort out her priorities. That is all well and good, but the show had her walking off a metaphysical cliff and took the ML with her! Even so, there were opportunities to reconcile and patch things up quickly, but the Show separated them for over a year without any contact. This seemed illogical and arbitrary as both shared common friends and they live in the same city, none of their circumstances changed.

Most of this occurred in the last three, four episodes. There are closures on several fronts, but the main plot seemed to be stuck in a quagmire. Seasons came and went, and our OTP just marked time. Both leads change and grow for the better, but the separation doesn’t need to be this long. I hate to say it, but the Show did drag during those parts.

When they finally reconnect, it was awkward. There was a kind of reset as the ML tried to bring the FL back into his life, but their relationship remained ambiguous until the very end. The Show even introduced a mystery woman that sowed confusion, but that subplot went nowhere. Why include that?

The last episode was a bit disappointing. The reconciliation of the ML’s family was a nice touch but it felt overwrought and out of place, it should have happened earlier. We were looking forward to the OTP reconciling and giving us more of that sweet chemistry but we were left hanging until the bitter end. Why waste precious time on inconsequential things like cooking eggplants a dozen ways(?!). We want hugs and kisses, not a culinary guide to eggplants!

This ambiguity of the OTP's relationship went on for too long and ended up hurting the show. If this is the writer’s way of teasing us then it backfired. The Show did end on a high note (surprise!), but it could have been better and more rewarding.

In terms of acting, the ML had done many shows but mostly in support or in SML type of role, so this was a step up and his acting was solid. The FL was wonderful, and one to watch in the future. The support cast earned their pay even if some of them were one dimensional.

Even with the dip in the tail, this Show was a pleasant surprise for me. I went in expecting a bit of cliché romance and some food porn but the show was much better. It was more about family, relationship and the symbolic role of meals and the building and nurturing of the bonds. There is a certain earnestness and warmth to the show that was refreshing.

However, the Show did drop the ball here and there. There are narrative issues, pacing is not consistent, and some subplots were hit-and-miss. It is still a good show but some form of review/rewrite towards the end would have delivered a better show.
OST was nice and soothing. Rewatch value is good.

P.S. there is a bonus epilogue on YouTube (no Eng sub to date). It is cute and sweet. The video starts after a 1 year time skip. It contained a few minutes of new footages, and the rest are curated recaps.

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To die is to heal and live again

This show has been on my watchlist for the longest time. I've watched several time travel tales that discarded any resemblance of logic for the sake of drama. Fortunately, this show gave time traveling a novel spin and is an integral part of the story telling. While the Show did not pay too much attention to the butterfly effect, it did not treat the temporal shift as a gimmick neither.

I'm sure there is no need to bring up the synopsis again. The important point here is that the ML did a great job portraying the fish out of water aspect of a doctor transported from the 1500's to present day Seoul. He was shown to be super resourceful and resilient. The Show made light of his ability to adapt to the present though. While it helped to move the plot along, it did lacked credibility.

Where the Show injected some novelty into the tropey plot is when the FL was taken back to the Joseon era by the ML on several occasions and it was she who had to adapt to the sudden change of her circumstances.

This jinx position allowed the Show to explore problems in both eras and forced the OTP to confront them as a team. The writer-nim also used their time in Joseon as a circuit breaker to take them away from the fast paced and insulating modern world. This gave the OTP breathing space and opened their hearts and minds to each other.

In the end, this is much more than a rom-com even though the early episodes were heavy with comedy. The Show skipped through several genres without pausing for breath. Tragedy, treachery and conflict were heavy in the second half and it was much more melodramatic. One cannot escape the social commentary which is mirrored both in the modern as well as olden times. The rich and powerful are still lording over their "slaves" and are prone to hide their inadequacies. The more things change, the more they stay the same....

Overlaid on top of such weighty subjects was the bittersweet romance of the OTP. Both leads are damaged and flawed. The Show forced them to confront their demons and plot a path through moral dilemmas so that they grew and heal each other. Their chemistry was so natural and their emotions so raw. While they did bask in the glow of their burgeoning love, their days together were numbered. You can sense their despair when they were separated and their longing for each other was palpable.

The acting was superb from the main cast. The range displayed by the M/FL was exceptional. The script is intricate with a solid core as foundation. However, some aspects of time travel were a bit contrived. The odd plot holes were just brushed aside. The oriental medicine aspect also took on an almost mythical quality so you might want to suspend your disbelief.
I do wish the ending was more fan service. We demand hugs and kisses, not a walk down a crowded street! The epilogue was very cute. The SML is in for a fun ride. :)

It is a quality production and it showed both in the set design, costumes as well as the OST.

The final caveat, this show is not for you if you dislike historical drama, cruelty, brutality, graphical medical procedures including acupuncture.

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Space cowboy meets Vincenzo meets WALL-E

It must be really hard for writer-nim to come up with new ideas for a space movie that has mass appeal and yet be as original as possible. In the case of Space Sweepers, they got 1 out of 2 right.

As an adventure movie, it is a blast (figuratively as well as literally). The 2 hours run time flashed by with little drag. Action was the centrepiece of the show and it runs the gauntlet of thrilling space flights, hand-to-hand combat, full scale space battle and zero gravity gun fights. In between, there were rare moments of the crew taking a breather and giving the found family trope a decent airing. It is a bit of a shame that most of what I have described are derivatives of a number of movies that came before. Classics like Star Wars, Blade Runner, WALL-E and others all casted a shadow on this film.

That is not necessary a bad thing. Many successful films have stood on those mighty shoulders. In this case, the script was good enough to allow it to be seen as paying homage rather than outright plagiarism. It was not quite original though but it got the job done.

Being a Korean production, the Korean leads all delivered strong performances. Even the child actor and the CG android have strong personalities. However, the same can't be said for the international casts. The evil antagonist was the strongest showing of that bunch but minor roles can be a real mixed bag. The least said, the better. ;)

The budget for this movie is over US$20millions (cheap by Hollywood standards). The CGI was really well done, the cyber punk inspired settings were expansive with grimy and edgy interior designs. Space structures are impressively huge and intricate. It is rated M but there is little blood nor graphical violence shown. Dead bodies were surprisingly "clean" even after being shot multiple times by an assault rifle.

As to be expected with this type of sci-fi drama, there are inconsistencies with future techs and pseudo sciences. One particular issue I have has to do with the "indestructible" nanobots floating in space. They are used as a kind of deus ex machina but that also contradicted with an overarching plotline so who is correct? There are other causal effects and subplots that were presented to us as fait accompli so it is pretty much 'ask no questions and you will hear no lies'. :)

Finally, the ending was actually not my favourite. I would have preferred the grittier ending as the story suggested but they must have done some market research and decided to go with a fan service version. They rammed it through but you really have to suspend your disbelieve.

OST is generic techno, heroic, eerie tracks which paired well with the scenes but ultimately forgettable.
Finally, please watch this in the original Korean/multilingual soundtrack. The English dub wasn't bad but it is not the same.

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A sandbox movie with a deep and dark rabbit hole in the middle

This "review" is unlike any I have written before because this movie is not about just watching the movie. It is much more than that. A back-of-a-napkin review will read like this; beautifully acted, beautifully shot, artsy, slow, a bit quirky but there doesn't appear to be a lot to it.

Wait, don't tune out yet! :) This is why I called this a sandbox movie. I believe that there are 2 phases to this experience. Phase 1 is just watching the movie. Phase 2 is taking your time to digest the clues, images, metaphors, etc. You have to play in that sandbox with the pieces given to you and look beyond the obvious.

Because of this, I can understand why this movie would get a lower rating. If you stop at Phase 1 then it is an artsy, quirky movie (see short review above). Some may just dismiss it as an indulgence especially if you are not in the mood to dive back into the movie after the end credits rolled.

However, if you get into Phase 2 then it is a Pandora's box! There are multiple layers and POV's. There are clues, messages (such as the hopelessness of their youths vs the Korean Gatsby's) and more. They point to different experiences, intersecting plots and even alternative realities! I have my own theory on what happened to the protagonists but I'm not going to discuss it here because a) spoilers b) I could be utterly wrong and c) you need to go down that dark and twisted rabbit hole yourself. Have fun!

In the end, I would compare this movie to a modern art installation. I appreciated the superb acting, evocative cinematography, multi-layered script and skilful directions but I don't fully understand it. It got me to think about it (and lost sleep). It will leave an indelible mark in my mind.

So while I can't say that I loved the movie because it is not a genre I normally gravitate towards (thanks LM for the recommendation), I can definitely express a deep appreciation tinged with a sense of awe and discombobulation!

Now I need a stiff drink and a good lie down. ;)

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