The bang became a whimper

This show started as promising as you'd expect. Decent actors, interesting plot premises and genre hopping opportunities.

The Show has potential, to be sure. Different ideas worked for a few episodes and then fade away. Just when you thought this is getting interesting, it’d change tack. Case in point, the idea that magic acts were done by ghosts manipulating the props was cute and clever. That soon changed to talking about magic tricks rather than doing the deed. Similarly, several crimes were solved by communicating directly with the recently deceased. That is not new but the potential is there to create some engaging subplots and it did work for a while but that too petered out. The idea that the ghosts have their own set of rules was intriguing but towards the end, the ghost just behave like normal people. Probably the most disappointing aspect is the overarching Big Evil Spirit revenge plot which was so diminished by the end that it was more like little evil.

The Show also suffers from tonal shifts. I get that it is a rom-com at heart but it also tried to include fantasy, sageuk, crime/corruption and other social issues. A lot of the time, the impact of these themes is diminished because the show would suddenly switch to slapstick comedy or a sweet romantic scene just after a poignant moment. It does make you wonder what’s the point of the transition.

Speaking of romantic scenes, the leads do have decent chemistry but the Show swings from heavy push-pull to aegyo overload in record speed. You want it to happen but you also feel that it was not very natural. The 2OTP was a done deal and they are cute together.

The last couple of episodes were largely fan service. Most threads were closed with pink bows. I like the way they provided the ghosts closure and reward them justly. It was as sweet an ending as you could ask for but it got messy towards the end and added more plot holes. Some scenes are shoehorned in with scant logic. While some closures are heartfelt, others are farcical. The final demise of the Big Evil Spirit was a cop out.

To be fair, it is a decent, enjoyable show but it could have been better. IMHO, it felt like the writer has good ideas and they tried some out but whether it was budget constraint or difficulties in tying the various threads together, the show decided to play it safe, watered it down and fall back onto the standard rom-com tropes in the end. Am I being harsh on this Show? In a sense, yes, but not because I hated the Show. Quite to the contrary, I really liked the Show and the beginning hooked me straight away but I can also see where and how it changed over the course of the run and it wasn't for the better. The Show could have ended with a bang but, in the end, it was a sugar coated whimper.

It is not a rewatch for me. I’ll let those ghosts RIP.

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Please don’t Disneyfy this beloved franchise, Mr Netflix

Edit: After watching 10 eps, I've revised this review (probably) for the final time. Enjoy!

I was looking forward to this show with anticipation. The original series was one of my favourites.

I knew it won’t be the same as the original, so I am willing to cut it some slack. The start of the show is certainly different, but the young actress was so cute and earnest I'm willing to jump onboard even though it is questionable if the way she uses her powers is canon, but I’ll give it a hall pass for now.

I wished this is the only issue. There are many more. In fact, the only thing consistent with this show is how inconsistent it is. In the original series, the rule around the use and abuse of their special power is well established. However, not only is the FL using her power without a care. Her mother and grandmother also abuse it without a second thought. How can this be?

On top of that, they should be internet sensations considering how blatant they are, but they ain't. It is as if everything can be hushed up with the click of their manicured fingers. However, the narrative contradicts itself repeatedly.

While the new FL is refreshing in her straightforwardness at the start of the show, after a few episodes, her portrayal is borderline grating. She doesn’t so much deliver her lines but fire them out like a gatling gun. She also moves with an exaggerated gangliness. Why? Her one-note performance is wearing. It is one thing to call her naïve but time and again, the excuse is that she is from Mongolia. Geez, I hope they are not streaming this in Ulaanbaatar.

The other female leads are not much better. The mum swings between playing Batwoman and Crazy Rich Woman. She throws money around like confetti. Come to think of it, the whole plotline involving the grandma is superfluous. It just highlights how pathetic most of the male characters are but she brought nothing new to the table. She is too cringey to be an effective comedic relief.

There are too many plot holes to list but it pretty much comes down to whatever needs to happen, happens. It feels like narrative logic and good sense have both packed up and ran screaming from da hood. The writer-nim doubles down on this from ep.7 onwards. It is now in the "see no evil, hear no evil" territory.

It also feels hollow when the show tries to tackle serious topics. The drug abuse problem is marginalised because most of the victims are faceless canon fodders. Until it hits too close to home then everything pales into insignificance. Ditto, the fat shaming of the brother is gratuitous while ignoring the root cause of his condition.

By the half way mark, it feels like plots are products of brainstorming sessions after one too many soju bombs. There is so much going on. Subplots darts off in every direction, most are inconsequential but distract us from the A-plot. There is actually a very insightful scene when the assistant to Hwang Geum Joo asks if one of the antagonist will see through her deception. Her reply was, "They are stupider than you think." Is she talking about me?

It is telling that the only person I'm interested in after watching 10 eps is the main antagonist. It is never a good look when the viewer starts paying more attention to the bad guy(s). From my point of view, the 3 FL's are unrelatable, and to a varying degree, unlikeable. The young FL leaps out of tall buildings, runs faster than a speeding car and drinks poison for LOL's. Yet she skins her knees by tripping over her own feet. Why? Because the ML is there to fuss over her. This is not dumbing down, this is frontal lobotomy.

This brings me to the most poignant moment of this show. In ep.3, we have the original OTP appearing in a cameo. OMG, I could cry. Every interaction, gestures, banter reminded me how good was the original. It also dismisses any claims that this show is a reboot with a clean slate.

I watch with dismay what Disney is doing to Star Wars and the MCU. I know Netflix has jumped on the k-drama bandwagon in a big way. I can see this show being turned into a gaudy super hero franchise. Everything is loud and cartoon-y yet there is little substance behind the garish facade. We don't need more of this.

I'm not saying the show is totally unwatchable. There are the odd cute or funny moments. The plots will test your credulity though. If you are hoping that this spin-off will recreate the charm and engagement of the original then you will be sorely disappointed.

I hung on with grim determination for as long as I can, but it is getting too tough. Maybe I'll speed watch the last few eps for the sake of completeness later. Peace Out.

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Consumer Warning: Overbearing melodrama ahead!

On paper, this show should be a top-notch production. The stellar cast, the high production value and a nice OST do present a strong case.

In terms of the central plot, it is about as transparent as it can be. It literally gave the key “twist” to us at the end of episode 1. We know with certainty what is the end game. It then spends the bulk of the Show plotting the meandering path towards that exit. It was not necessarily a difficult path, but it was very weighty and melodramatic. It does not hold back on any opportunity to tug at our heartstrings.

While the synopsis of the show hinted at an ensemble drama with a female concentric focus, it is only partly true. Yes, the three main leads are all females about to turn 40 but two are the true leads and they are Son Ye Jin (as Cha Mi Jo) and Jeon Mi Do (as Joeng Chan Young) while the third FL played by Kim Ji Hyun (as Jang Joo Hee) has a lesser role. All the male leads are firmly in support and powered the romantic storylines. Their respective families played in the next tier and move the plot along as required.

It is true that the close friendship/sisterhood of the 3 leads formed the central pillar of the story, the plot around Chan Young is what drives the bulk of plot developments. There is certainly no shortage of subplots but the majority of them were treated superficially. Not that the subject matter is lightweight (abandonment, prejudice, deceptions and more) but they are just shiny fruits hanging off the main trunk. Some were given more attention and used to stir our emotions, but all faded away eventually in the face of the all-consuming main event. To be fair, all these threads were not forgotten, the writer-nim did gave them resolutions even if it is just a quick scene or a snippet of commentary but some felt perfunctory. It allowed the threads to be closed but it doesn’t really give them their dues. IMHO, this is largely because the story is written to appeal and engage with the target audience. It is not about pushing agendas that might distract from the central theme.

There is no doubt the Show is watchable. There are swoon worthy moments and occasional rays of sunshine but I can’t help but cringe at the overly melodramatic scenes and the endless rounds of the female leads drinking, shopping, bickering and basically creating “moments”. Some of those screen time can be better used to explore some subplots that were crying for some love and attention.

Now the elephant in the room, I do pity Joo Hee. Her character is poorly developed and weak by design, suffered a lot, aimed low and achieved little in life. Her love line is contrived. She is supposed to be in a serious relationship (her own words) but there are hardly any outward signs. Just a few hints and no skinship.

You can’t really say the Show dropped the ball. Quite the opposite! The Show has a laser focus on the endgame. Nothing is allowed to get in the way of the melodrama. Every morsel of happiness is bittersweet. Every special moment is handcrafted to heighten its impact. Lingering contemplative shots and close-ups of the protagonists (often in tears) reinforce the despondency.

I have no doubt the Show will be popular but it is also polarising. Its fans will love it and wish for more. The rest of us can only lament the lost opportunities to push back some boundaries or explore relevant issues. If you start watching the show thinking that it is a rom-com then you might felt a bit cheated as the show quickly morphed into its final form. Ultimately, the Show wants to preach to the converted and it did it with consummate skill. Caveat emptor, my friends.

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I won the sucker bet

Based on the past performances of the two leads, I was willing to offer odds that the show will be good. I wish I finish the Show before I mortgage my house.

Still, on paper, I should be on a safe bet. It seems to be a standard BFF to lover trope with good looking leads and nice chemistry. It is a win-win formula for sure.

The problem is that the main plot went nowhere fast. The FL was lost in a sea of self-doubt and the ML is an island with a sign that reads “No Trespassers”. This is after all the flashbacks, almost kiss and daydreams. Even at this point, the plot is still viable, but it needs a firm hand on the tiller. What we got instead is a show within a show, a reality dating show, no less.

Now I’m starting to worry. If the dating show is framed as a satire or spoof, then it could be a lot of fun and there will be opportunities for the leads to interact and break down the barrier. However, for that to work, the new characters in the dating show have to be larger than life to kickstart the plot. What we got was a half-hearted attempt at an exposé which swings between banality and earnest. We are greeted by a mix of new secondary characters that are mostly cliché roles designed to fit right into their designated subplots. This meanders around for too many episodes before the Show finally calls it quits. It is frustrating that most of the introduced subplots lead nowhere and largely faded away as soon as the dating show wraps. The token antagonist stirred up some angst but escaped scot free. The Show doesn’t really need an ensemble cast. It is largely a distraction and suck the oxygen from the main OTP plot.

It is not all bad news though. The 2FL (Kang Chae Ri) is a revelation. Her character is thorny throughout the show and is borderline psychotic, but she is so much more alive than the FL. It is hard to like her character, but she is a scene stealer. This is almost the opposite of the FL. While the FL has great visuals, and her acting is solid as ever, her character is a wet mop. She spends the bulk of the Show running away from her feelings and tries to melt into the background.

Acting is decent on the whole, but the writing is a mess. By the time the leads are a couple, we are hanging on for dear life. The HEA ending and some nice developments of the side couples is small compensation for an overall disappointing show.
OST is serviceable but there is little reason for a rewatch.

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Awkward rom-com saved by a heart transplant mid run

I know some of you will think that I judged this show too harshly but please allow me to explain.

For a rom-com to be good in my book, I have to care for and want to ship the OTP and the story has to be engaging. That might sound like platitude but the more rom-coms I consumed, the more I felt that this is more elusive than we take for granted. For me, Moonlight missed that mark.

On paper the OTP was a decent pairing. A cute, idealistic new grad in her first job meets a prickly but handsome writer. The issue here is that the setting was very contrived. The FL landed an editor job in a publishing house without an interview and no relevant qualifications, in Shanghai, of all places. Does that really happen in RL? We have seen all the tropey meet-cutes with the ML running over the FL on a bike or the FL trip and fell into the ML's lap with a hot drink, etc but this is the backbone of this script so it needs to be believable and plausible. Of course she overcame every challenge placed in her way. Her storyline was not exactly subtle.

The ML's story was the standard handsome, awkward, egotistical man-child. The writer also threw in a "fated" backstory just to seal the deal. I can accept cliché characters and we all know that Chinese rom-coms have more than its fair share but these were not characters endearing to me. Especially the ML who had a crush on the FL but at the same time did his best to deny this (point blank to the FL's face) and pushed her away repeatedly. Not only was it cliché but the way it was done was wearing. The ML would then pulled a face that said "what have I done?!" and I have to ask that same question too.

The pacing for the first half of the show was glacial. Nothing reached any real highs or lows. Stuff happened and sub-plots came and went. We knew where the show was heading but it just took its sweet time. Honestly, it was just as well that the leads were good looking and they could act. At least they made it bearable. Even then, I was seriously considering dropping it by the halfway mark. Then something happened around ep.19/20. At the start of that "turning point", the plot got so bad that I was having WTF moments. Then it felt like someone sat the writer down and had a "good chat" and the tone, pacing and plot just changed overnight. By the end of episode 20, it was as if a new rom-com was born with the same characters but most of what happened before was a dream.

The last few episodes were sugar sweet and tied up all the loose ends. Just about everyone had a happy ending and moved on in life, love and career. It also meant that it was quite tropey but I can accept that as reward for sitting through the first half of the show. IMHO, if they condensed the first 19 episodes, add it to the last 16 and made it a 20 episodes drama, it would be a decent and very watchable rom-com.

Moonlight wasn't bad, it just didn't resonate with me. Rather than being immersed in their budding romantic journey, I was mostly bored and a little annoyed for a good half of the show. I can't, in all honesty, score the first 19 episode a high mark but the last 16 was a solid 8.5 so in balance, it ended up being a 7.5.

On a positive note, I do like the use of the actors' real voices and ambient sounds. Dubbing can be overused in c-dramas especially if the same voice actor is used for many shows. OST was good. The FL also sang the title song. Rewatch value is low for me. 

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Mostly harmless college rom-com

It is actually hard to write a review for this show, not because it is particular good nor bad but it is just uninspired. An apt description would be mostly harmless. ;)
There are cute moments, a bit of skinship, the odd tears but basically, it is a lazy wet weekend type of binge. You can cook lunch while the show goes on in the background and you won't miss much.
The OTP is ok, cute enough to carry the show for the most part. Cold ML, fun FL, tick! There are even a 2OTP and a 3OTP but they are all obvious pairings. Lots of tropes are used to no great effect (nor ill effects for that matter). I don't know if the writer is inexperienced or lazy or under time pressure but there is almost no depth to the story. Everything is telegraphed and/or predictable. If someone sneezes then someone will be taking care of the sick one and that advanced their relationship to the next level, etc. A case in point, they threw in the cliché separation of the OTP towards the end of the show. Normally, if I was fully invested in the OTP/plot, I would be annoyed and rolled my eyes. However, in this case, I just sat through it and didn't really mind. It wasn't badly written and it moved the story along towards the final conclusion but it was meh for me.
In the end, the show was like a nicely packaged, clearly labelled meal with cooking instructions. ;) I finished it and "enjoyed" it in a low key, easy-peasy kind of way. Your mileage will differ.

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Let’s play a game of Whack-A-Trope!

I started watching this show when it was first released. It looks alright. I got past the half way mark before I was blocked by the VVIP pay wall. I ended up watching other shows and shelved it until now. I thought I'd finish it, but to my surprise, it was quite a struggle.

After giving it some thought, this is my conclusion. While the first dozen or so eps were decent if samey to many other contemporary c-dramas at least there was enough energy to push the story along. It is obvious that the show is a grab bag of tropes from the get-go.

However, once the plot is on rail and the OTP are officially, all the momentum are gone. What is left are very tropey plots and cliche gags to try to keep things moving until the bitter end.

This is not helped by poor character development. The ML is obviously the typical cold, low EQ boss and the FL is the damsel in waiting. Rather than allowing both characters to grow (up), the writer paints the ML into a corner.

The ML is now a lovesick puppy who run through all the typical dating fails. For example, he can't cook but tried his best to cook a meal for her. It was cute the first time. Not cute by the 6th time! He is constantly asking for relationship advice but totally misses the point.

This is a man who is supposed to be an intellectual giant, a peerless lawyer. He behaves like a lovesick high schooler EVERYDAY. Yes, he is a noob to love but flogging the same horse for 30 eps, is exhausting and makes him looks like a fool.

On the other hand, the FL is supposed to grow into a lawyer that is a fitting mate for the ML. I'm sure it was written in bold and probably underlined in red by the writer but what the show delivered is largely the same meek character.

The ML is overbearing and too protective. It got so bad that the FL took a break from their relationship. Bravo GF! Finally, a bit of gumption. There was a breakthrough of sort around ep.35. It was so contrived. It went from confrontation to reconciliation in a heartbeat. Then after all the flowery speech about giving her space, respect and undying love, the ML just went back to being a green-eyed monster in the next scene. It is odd how much time he is seen not doing real work. He just seems to be stuck in a loop alternatively trying to please her and annoy her.

This type of repetition is everywhere. A kiss being interrupted by a phone call is a tired tropey nowadays but in this show, I ran out of fingers trying to count the times they were interrupted if there is a mere hint of skinship.

Oh yes, speaking of skinship, there are some, but they are mechanical and lack passion. It pretty much mirrors their chemistry. It is there and they whisper sweet nothing to each other on cue, but it is not very convincing. This is further tested when the show introduces a SFL who scored the worst own goal. Least said, the better. You want to see chemistry, watch the first few eps of Amidst A Snowstorm. You won’t regret it.

It won’t be a party if we just talk about the leads. How about the tone deaf, bootlicking junior lawyer? Someone needs to have a good chat with him. Preferably in a soundproof padded cell and behind locked door.

The grand prize goes to the antagonist, He is given so much prominence. When you consider he is supposed to be the twice winner of the Golden Scale Award yet at every turn he is proven to be a C grade lawyer but an A grade douche bag, it is sending some weird message about the Chinese legal fraternity. His denouement didn’t happen until the dying minutes of ep.36. It was long time coming but it was unrewarding. He is not punished in any tangible way. His parting words are, “this isn’t over!”. Yay . . . I think.

At this point, I must call out the handful of legal cases the drama presented to us. They range from meh to sad. I don’t know the Chinese legal system, but I don’t think the writer is much more knowledgeable. Time and again, the cases are supposed to showcase the ability of the leads, but they are so contrived, it is like reading a murder mystery backwards. Scenes in the courtroom are perfunctory.

Of course, the HEA ending arrived on cue. It is fine. The last ep is total fan service, it is FINE. The 5 minutes long epilogue is the bomb!

I could have just labelled this a fluffy rom-com and move on. But somehow, this show irritates me. Maybe it is the ham-fisted use of tired tropes, the shallow witless plots or cliché moments stuck on repeat. Regardless, I had more fun writing this review than watching the show. That's a win, isn't it?

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A flame that burns twice as bright makes everything else seems dull

Doona is my definition of a Traffic Show. Bae Suzy has the titular role and all the marketing is focused on her. It is to be expected if you need to generate as much traffic as possible. This it succeeded, but it also sabotage itself.

Doona is a difficult person to deal with because she has little life experience. She has questionable interpersonal skills and has no filters. Knowing the idol industry, the bulk of her young life would be consumed by training and “being” an idol. This exerts a heavy toll on her health, both mental and physical. It is no surprise that she feels like she is drowning just before her breakdown.

Instead of giving her help and guidance, her manager dumped her in a share house full of college students. This is particularly heartless because he knew she has a crush on him. Is this tough love or punishment, you be the judge.

The start of the show sees our ML moving into the same share house. The ML is stoic and studious. Dull to be honest but he is just the rock Doona needs to anchor herself at this point in time. The start of their relationship is certainly tremulous. Doona holds all the cards. Teased and played him mercilessly. However, over time, she accepts his presence and let her guards down bit by bit. It took a while, but they sort out their confused feelings eventually.

All is well until the manager re-enters the scene. This is not a total surprise because the show hinted strongly that Doona needs to perform to feel alive. She has been channelling her energy into her love life but it is obvious that she can't be a housewife nor hold down a desk job.

I must admit I was worried about the manager’s role as she still has a crush on him and his influence on her is overwhelming. This was confirmed by the scene at the grandmother’s house. I understand why the writer-nim wrote it that way but I do wonder if it can be done better. I'm glad that Doona soon realised that the manager was only using her and ended her crush. However, more storm clouds are gathering.

For a nine episodes run, you would think that there is no shortage of plot materials but the A-plot is so focused on Doona that everything else seems to pale by comparison.

For instance, the ML has 3 separate romantic entanglements in three different stages of his life. The show managed to get all 3 girls to live in the same share house at the same time. You would think that there will be fireworks, but it is quite the contrary.

Both SFL’s have their backstories but they have very little impact on the A-plot. His high school crush should play a key role but by the time we find out about her troubled upbringing and her eventual confession to the ML, it was all too late. She just can’t compete with Doona. Ditto, the other housemates did little more than move the plot along when needed.

That is a shame because Doona is not as captivating as the show would've liked. Yes, Bae Suzy owns the role but her performance can be a bit stilted at times. She has her moments and some scenes are artsy and beautiful, but I won't call it a breakout role.

The same goes for the ML. He is laser focused on his studies and entering the coveted public service. He loves on cue and cries on cue. He plays the noble idiot card and made both of them suffer for years. He even acknowledged that. It is not a strong role. His delivery can feel flat at times. More than once I was willing him to do more, anything.

Now we arrive at the tricky part, the ending. There has been some chatter about whether the OTP reconciled or are they estranged? The show did not give us a definitive answer. However, the following is my take and I’ll die on that hill. ;)

Before I watch the last few minutes of the finale, I would've said that they are done. Both are in pain, but they are getting on with their lives. HOWEVER, after watching the emotionally charged scene in his room my view changed. He apologized without hesitation. He said everything she wanted to hear and more. They both knew that their love each other hasn’t changed. They hugged it out like desperate people clinging to a life preserver. You can't tell me that they walked away as strangers after that.

Yes, of course, anything is possible, but I would prefer to believe that they have learnt their lesson and reconciled. I'm not sure if it is all hush-hush but they can pursue their own goals and live parallel lives like some celebrities and their SO's. They love each other dearly and they will make it work.

BTW, the last scene is ambiguous but it is literally a chance meeting. She looked back because she knew he will be in Japan (as couples do). It wasn't a wistful look. The nonchalance could signal a deliberate separation of their public and private life. It is a "I see you" moment and that’s enough.

I have no doubt it will be the trending show for a while, the hype around Bae Suzy will guarantee that. It is watchable but not amazing. The swoon worthy moments are worth the price of admission. Peace out.

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This show needs a scripting coach. Not a dating coach

What impressed me about this show is not the plot, which feels tropey and bloated, but the acting of our leads, especially our FL.

Allow me to explain. I knew the FL has great visuals especially her eyes. They are so expressive. She certainly looks glam from her first scenes, but her role soon required her to pull all her carefully curated facade down. We are talking total demolition. So much ugly crying, drunken antics, and serious faux pas. This is not unheard of in k-dramas where excessive drinking seems to be a national sport but most rom-coms would not take things too far and will let the leads down gently before buoying them up with a new lease on life and love. It is rare for a show to drop their FL in a pit of despair like this. So, hats off to Yoo In-na for her dedication to her craft.

Now, the plot was running reasonably well up to the halfway mark and you'd think that we are on course for an easy jog to the finish line. Unfortunately, we are hit by a relationship tsunami;
a) Both leads have had a nasty breakup, and both are hurting. Their growing feelings for each other is helping them to heal but their burgeoning romance begins to founder after their first passionate kiss. Add a couple of clingy ex's and it is a party. Hey, maybe we should start a drinking game. We take a shot after each cliche plot device. (Shot #1/2/3)
b) The marriage of the 2CP (FL's BFF) threatens total meltdown. It is also the usual growing apart/you changed trope (shot #4). I’m not saying that it can’t happen in RL, but it feels scripted and the resolution swings their relationship in the completely opposite direction without much preamble. It does make you wonder if it is sustainable.
c) The 3CP failed to launch when the older boss rejects the young pretty part-timer. It is the classic ahjussi-sonyeo setup (shot #5). The boss was burnt by a messy divorce, so he pushed back hard initially. This is not helped by a lack of chemistry between those two. Does the 3ML loves the 3FL at all or his took the path of least resistance once his male ego was suitably stroked. I see troubles ahead.
d) The 4CP's (FL's sister) romance is a textbook "love at first sight" trope. (shot #6) It is cute and sweet enough but it gets complicated real fast. Which resulted in another tropey situation. (shot #9? I'm too drunk to count)

When you consider there are only 14 eps rather than the usual 16, we have a petri dish of woes. This creates a lot of interference and left little room for our OTP.

This is a serious issue as it is the chemistry and connection of the OTP that captivated us in the first place but then it hits a wall while the ML tries to overcome a speech impediment anytime he needs to confess. All the while, the FL is suffering from terminal frustration. The extra 3 CP's and sundry ex's are fillers and they take the wind out of the OTP’s sails. Who’s show is this anyway?

By now, I'm hanging on with grim determination. There is no reason for the show to go dark on us and commit hara-kiri but there are moments of self-doubt. It is with a collective sigh of relief that the final episode delivered a sugar overdose. It is pretty much pure fan service. Not that I’m complaining but it really highlighted how the show took some serious detours before arriving at the designated spot. Honestly, I can pinpoint scenes where the ML could have said the magic words to the FL and we are home and hosed.

Acting wise, the FL is the star of the show, but the ML is very charismatic. His chemistry with the FL is undeniable. I loved his ability to portrait his inner thoughts, but I hated that aspect as well because his indecision has a major impact on the flow of the plot. However, this is a script problem.

Speaking of acting, the support cast is ok but most of the roles are tropey and one dimensional. For a shortened run, there are too many side plots/characters. It is hard for us to sort the wheat from the chaff. This is where the show lost points with me. Focus! Writer-nim focus!

In hindsight, I can see why the show wants to push the idea of loving someone for their real/imperfect self, rather than someone who is roleplaying the perfect partner. It is particularly true in this age of unrealistic expectations created by overheated social media. However, is that message consistent across all our CP's? I'm not so sure.

The show is entertaining, and I enjoyed watching our leads falling in love and healing each other. There are some skinship and a decent amount of swoon worthy moments. The rest is a bit of a crapshoot, and your mileage will differ. I do think that a better script with more clarity, fewer side plots and a smaller cast can take this show to the next level. Peace out.

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It is better than I expected but missteps kept it from being great

I liked this show. It was entertaining and made me chuckled on occasions. If only the show knew when to stop and finish on a high and it would have been a surprise hit. As it stands, it is good but not great, funny and cringey in equal measure. A celebration of inconsistency that can be good, bad and meh.

The premise of the show is our leads soul swapped and have to live in each other’s bodies for a period of time. This brings about the usual sex change gags and innuendos. More importantly, they now realise challenges faced by each other. This understanding leads to mutual appreciation, and romance ensues. If all that sounds familiar that’s because it is a popular trope for contemporary as well as costume dramas. To top that off, the show has one of the messiest beginnings of any shows. It is quite possible for some confused viewer to drop the show after the first episode.

So I think it is best that we get the backstory straight now. The show is actually based on a graphic novel and the artist behind it is going through a sad divorce with her husband who is the publisher of the said novel. To mess with him, she deliberately introduced the soul swap plot, fully expecting the novel to crash and burn but the readers end up loving the plot twist. It is that novel we are watching as a live action show. To complicate things, we are dumped in the middle of the ongoing story without much preamble. There is little explanation of people’s behaviour nor their motivations upfront. However, the show does provide some background information later on. This means that for a casual viewer, the first couple of episodes can be bewildering and its overuse of zany sound effects and comedic devices only muddy the water even more. Let me assure you that it is not a farce even though it might appear so initially.

Once the dust settles, the show is actually better than expected. From my perspective, that is due to three key factors. Firstly, the script is quite clever. We have the usual tropes and there are plenty of them but the show work the tropes in such a way that it shows how the leads truly complements each other. They both have their shortcomings but by switching roles, they actually helped each other to overcome some sticky problems that have been festering. It also shows how their lives are more complicated than they thought. This allows a lot of character growth and breaking down the barriers between them.

Secondly, the acting of the FL is great. She truly played two roles. Her female role is quite stereotypical. Not bad but largely cliché for a costume drama. It is when she is playing as the king then she truly shines. She extrudes the gravitas and behaves regally.

Thirdly, the OTP's chemistry is good and their romance is swoon worthy. It is lovely to watch them grow closer together over time and find true love in an organic way. The path is not easy but it is a rewarding one both for them and for us.

This brings us to the not-so-good bits. The soul swapping part went on for too long. While I appreciate how well it set up the eventual growth of the leads, there are missteps so the longer it went, the weaker the overall show becomes. The show also relies heavily on tropes which is more obvious in the middle stretch. It doesn’t suffer from mid show drag per se but the pacing is patchy. The plot is mostly on rails.

The palace intrigue subplot runs the full length of the show. It was mostly predictable with standard antagonists filling the cliche roles. It is not particularly engaging. It was just there. Its conclusion is fairly predictable.

Another weakness is the ML’s acting. The ML is handsome in costume, and he does a decent job while playing the king. His behaviour while soul swapped is like a caricature of a girl and can be quite cringey. It makes the “FL” looks dumb and silly. I accept that she is not the sharpest knife in the kitchen but when she is in her own body, she does not behave like an airhead, so his portrayal seems unnatural and a bit off.

The link back to the contemporary storyline is a waste of time. In the span of 30 episodes, I think those scenes added up to around 20minutes. They are just snippets with a foregone conclusion to round things out. Other than making sense of the messy start to the costume drama and act as a postscript, it serves little real purpose.

The ending of the show is as sweet as you can expect but it is also contrived. It was the ending we have to have but you can feel that they took some serious liberties with the plot to get us there.

All in all, I enjoyed this show. The OTP's romance is swoon worthy. It can be funny and insightful. It did breathe some new life into the genre, but it is not consistent enough to be a breakout drama. It still have one foot firmly mired in tropes and it did the show few favours.

OST is not bad, but it does become repetitive.

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Some shows are created great, some achieve greatness, this one needs to try harder

Let’s start with the good bits. This Show is watchable. It is not too long. It has swoon worthy moments and a bit of skinship. The ML is handsome and charismatic. The use of antique restoration is an interesting backdrop. If those statements feel a bit like faint praises that’s because while the Show does nothing drastically wrong, there is little substance to sink your teeth into.

Now let’s move on to the not-so-good bits. While the Show is watchable, the plot is tropey and uninspired. It started well enough and there are some nice plot developments early on but then it got tedious and is not helped by some loose storytelling.

There is an overarching thread about antique fraud, but it is not hard hitting at all. To be honest, it is fairly amateurish in execution. Any twists are telegraphed well in advance. Some side plots and scenes feel like busy-work as if they are drawn randomly from a shoebox of plot ideas. Can a show suffer from FOMO?

While the ML is handsome and charismatic, his role suffers towards the last 1/3 of the show. After his confession, his character becomes a bit capricious. I get that people can behave a bit “funny” when they are in love, but his portrayal is stilted and hammy. I’m inclined to blame the director for some iffy instructions. The personality shift does not sit comfortably with his style.

The FL has the feisty, street-smart girl role down pat. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have the experience nor the range yet to give her role real depth. She can smile and cry on cue, but you can sense that she is being told what to do rather than owning the role. This contributes to my next point.

I don’t ship the OTP wholeheartedly. The script would have us believe that they are madly in love, but I don’t sense a strong chemistry between them. Yes, they went through all the typical rom-com tropes, and they say all the right things, but it is not convincing. I also dislike the script’s propensity of leading the actors to the brink of confession and then pull back hard only to have the leads suffer from some misunderstanding in the next scene. All that can be avoided if their feelings are clear. Once more around that blasted mulberry bush we go. As someone who wanted to ship them, it is frustrating and unrewarding.

Speaking of CP’s. I can see the writer wants to push the opposite attracts trope so 2CP is a mismatch and tiresome to watch. Of course, they will get together in the end, the drama gods have spoken! I get more chemistry while watching dough rise.

Sometimes, a show can be lifted by a good ensemble cast but the secondary characters here are problematic. The 2ML won’t take no for an answer and is delusional. The cousin of the FL is the main troublemaker. He is not evil, but he is stupid, greedy and inept. Yet the Show paints him as a loveable rogue. Even though he does so much damage, he is always forgiven and handled with kid gloves. Most of the secondary characters are one dimensional and farmed out to actors with limited abilities. It is not a happy confluence.

The antique restoration theme is largely used as a plot device. They try to make it educational, but the titbits of information soon feel superfluous. They should put a disclaimer before the show to make sure viewers DO NOT try this at home.

Am I being harsh? Yes. I’m not mincing words because the Show is not trying to do better. You can find B grade shows that is hitting above its weight or really awful shows that should never be made. It is the crowded middle that is a quagmire for mediocre shows to sink out of sight.

I don’t believe in dismissing shows just because it doesn’t have top stars or a big budget. I have been pleasantly surprised by a number of second or even third tier productions. Nevertheless, It is a waste when you pair decent actors with a decent production and you still ended up with an insipid mishmash.

OST is serviceable. Rewatch? You jest. Peace out.

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Great start, nice middle, disappointing tail

This Show’s premise is hardly original. The FL is a sweet, kind country girl who was thrust into the limelight and more or less onto the lap of a hard as nails CEO. Of course, the enemy to lover progression is guaranteed. What set this Show apart is the chemistry of the leads. Their early interactions are a bit slapstick in nature and their comedic timing is good. They are so cute together which makes it easy to ship them. The melting of the ice king is a delight to watch if somewhat predictable. The innocent yet strong FL easily endeared herself to us.

The story is angst light for the most part. The support cast is not bad. The grandpa is all-seeing and sage like. The gaggle of company secretaries is largely used for light comedic relieve but they are surprisingly effective in that role. They are also the primary cheerleaders for our OTP. The 2CP has a rougher romantic journey and their meet-cute is good but it also included a big plot hole that is never explained. The antagonists are one dimensional and more irritating than dangerous. It provides just enough distraction to reduce the sugar content below WHO standard.

To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this show as it tells a simple story well and everything just clicks in the early to mid stages. The romance is the primary focus, and the leads are interesting enough for us to care for them. It will not win any awards but it is definitely better than the typical turn-key productions.

Much to my chagrin, the Show seems to have lost its way towards the end. It is kind of functional but in my eyes, it is shambolic and dubious in its delivery. Trouble started soon after we find out that the younger brother isn’t actually in love with the FL. I'm glad that they didn't throw in the ubiquitous breakup, but we are not out of the woods.

The problem starts to pile up once he decided to really go rogue and try to take over the company by backstabbing all and sundry. We'd have a decent chance to resolve the brothers' problem calmly and logically but the Show just went all in.

Once the escalation starts, the narrative logic starts to unravel. This is not helped by the one-note behaviour of the antagonists. The SFL is single-minded and immature. The business rival is a joke. The uncle is an annoying bit player and so one dimensional. There is no growth in any of the second tier characters.

Awkawrdly, the grandpa just sat back and look on disapprovingly. He should have some reserve power both as the chairman of the corporation as well as the head of the clan. He did the talk but not the walk. It is a very unusual turn of event for a head of a family/business in a c-drama.

Then so much time is wasted on looking for a cure of his condition. Most of those scenes are just paddings. I had to rewatch bits when he said that the FL has cured him. How? I didn't see her doing anything substantial. I watched that scene twice. All he said was that he needed to know that he won't be abandoned again. QED, the FL is the cure. Hmmm, the grandpa didn't abandon him and his brother is his shadow. I am baffled. Not to mention that it is not even psychobabble grade stuff. It is more like a minor lightbulb moment. Is that it? Is it true love or the sex? My PhD is riding on this thesis.

To add salt to the injury, the final boardroom showdown is so contrived and jokingly undramatic. The younger brother then just ran home and sulk. That’s one heck of an evil mastermind.

The whole segment about the visting master is largely filler. It is a bit of fan service and it would have worked better if they ejected the back-stabbing brother subplot and kept the narrative light and breezy. Then it would be some harmless, irrelevant fun. Now it is a bit cringey and awkward to be honest. The brother going with the master as his new student isn't a big surprise because that does round out his surprise visit and starts the brother’s redemption arc. The problem I have is the inconsistency in the narrative. The first scene, after a 3 years’ time skip, is the brother being a dick and won't help a girl in the village. Why? Then the next scene he is now the nicest “barefoot” doctor saving the same girl’s life. My head is spinning. Is he good or bad?
It is as if the writer couldn't put up a decent ending for the show and it got worked on by a committee, resulting in many drafts and more revisions. The last few episodes just feel kooky and shambolic. I was really enjoying the show for the most part but I ended up being disappointed in the end. Why does that sounds like a c-drama curse?

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Bite size rom-com worthy of a binge

There is not a lot to be said about this drama. It is only 4 episodes long but to be fair, it is better than some shows of similar length which tries to jam too much into too short a runtime or too introspective resulting in much ado about nothing. It actually feels like a regular drama that has been parred back to the fundamentals. Obviously, there is not a lot of time to expand on some of the plots, but the core values are there. It managed to cover quite a range of topics that is relevant to the main plot.

Speaking of the main plot, it is all about the love line between the leads. It is sweet and swoon worthy for the most part. There is not a lot of skinship but there is enough towards the end to be counted as fan service.

Acting is good in general. The child actors are cute without being cloying. Their plots are just short of tear-jerking which is a nice balancing act. The FL is very much in her element and she delivered a solid performance. On the other hand, it is nice to see the ML in a lead role. He has been largely type casted in support roles and more often than not, a SML of dubious character. It was interesting that his role here is so loving and caring. It is almost as if his management company deliberately engineered this role so that he can showcase his potentials as a romantic lead without having to first leap into a breakout role like a psycho killer. The clock is ticking when it comes a romantic role even for a male actor. ;)

Overall, it is an easy watch that ticked all the boxes. The short time investment makes binging/re-watching this show perfect for a rainy weekend.

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Mayday! Mayday! Contrary ending approaching

Shows focused on the Chinese armed forces and official emergency services are drama staples. I'm not aware that there are private rescue services in China, so I was intrigued by the promise of this show.

The Show starts well. It is an ensemble cast with many fast-paced plots to keep our interest. Some disaster scenes are gut retching and a challenge to watch but I must commend the production for not sugar coating the tougher storylines.
The usual introductions and meet-cutes showcased a range of interesting and offbeat characters. Even in the midst of all the death and destructions we still managed to find 3 CP's.

The OTP formed by the leads is obviously front and centre. The 2OTP based on the ML's sister is sweet and has a lot of depth. The third pairing focused on DingDing is the weakest of the three.

No surprises that rescues are the backbone of this Show. It provides a lot of the glue between the various subplots. It is also the ready source of action, challenges and angst. This is where I have some issues. I agree that this is a drama first and foremost so we can't expect everything to be 100% realistic, but some of the actions are overly dramatized. I shall give it a hall pass for now, but it does test the limits of credulity at times. I have more to say about this in regard to the ending later.
Another point of contention is the contrived demonising of the ML from the start so that we can watch him grow and change over time. It is nothing new but it can be heavy handed at times.

The Show as a whole is decent. Plot moves along at pace and the romances can be swoon worthy. The writer has this habit of feeding us red herrings to ramp up the angst but show us it is all a misunderstanding soon after and all is well. It works but it gets old after a while. This makes it all the more baffling why the death of the ML’s parents sudden becomes an insurmountable problem.

I put that down to the "breakup we have to have" trope. Even though there are several opportunities for them to talk it through, it was left unspoken. We then have the mandatory time skip. My money was on a grand finale rescue of the FL so that they can patch thing up and hug it out.

Bingo! I was right but what we got was not quite the amazing set piece I was hoping for. The Show obviously had the same idea, but it feels like the writer was locked in a padded room and fed nothing but bananas until he delivers THE script. The setting and outline of the plot was great, but the production didn't have the skill nor the resources to delivery it convincingly. What we got is half baked and it gets worse.

There are many narrative issues with this scenario. For example, how did the 2 doctors climbed UP the mountain without a guide yet a group of young men with a guide can’t walk down the same path? Why did they anchor 3 ropes within inches of each other, what does the textbook say? Why are the Light Chasers the only rescue team onsite? From the B-rolls and costumes of the locals, we gather it is somewhere in/near Tibet. They are located that close by? When they arrived, they just wandered up the mountain with minimal planning and equipment. No hall passes for you this time. :(

What happened after the ML is rescued is worse. You’d think a few moments of heart-to-heart talk after the rescue would be de rigueur. What we got is nothing, zip, nada.

The last few scenes of the show is so ambiguous. We were never told what happened to the OTP afterwards. We got hints that they are back together but could also be our wishful thinking. Then we got the rah-rah scene with the new recruits and the longest staring contest between the two leads as they walked towards each other. They stopped an arm's length away and . . . it fades to credits. What?! Why?! It isn't even artsy. Where is the kiss? A hug?

There is no fan service in the last episode. No clear cut resolution, no kiss, no ring. It is not too much to ask after watching 40 episodes to get a little bit of sugar hit. What is the point of shipping the OTP?

Acting is decent and some of the scenes are challenging and very physical. It is a tough gig for the guys. The ML acted well, but he tends to brood unless he is obviously happy. He was deliberately made unlikeable from the beginning. The FL was a wet mop for the longest time, but she gets better later on. The 2FL has a challenging role and she did well.

I can’t rewatch the whole show, but a highlight reel would be ok. OST is very nice.

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Can a drama be too smart for its own good?

Hats off to writers who pick time travelling as the subject and doubly so if it involves a major romantic plot but it is also a trap for the unwary.

Love in Time (2022) definitely took on this task with gusto. The promise is even more complicated because the time traveling is both ways(!) and it covers a short 4 months span. You can imagine all the timey-wimey shenanigans that ensue.
To be fair, the start of the Show is very well done. It hooks the viewers in with some delicious interactions between the leads and a zany plot. It would have been a very solid base for a movie or a shorter drama. However, with 24 episodes to fill, the time traveling threads begin to look like pretzels by the half-way mark.

The Show does use internal rules and logic to try to avoid the “I’m my own grandfather” type of cliché. They quote buzz words like butterfly effect and dropped names like Hawking to suggest some form of credibility. The problem is that they basically trampled all over the poor butterfly by letting the leads from present/future interact and communicate fairly freely and pass information from the future back to the present on a regular basis.

Rather than trying to minimise their temporal footprint, the leads spend most of their efforts in trying to change the future. I can run with that if it is done cleverly and reasonably. Unfortunately, it got more and more convoluted as the story progressed. It got to the point when it is best to ignore cause and effect and assume they are all inconsequential. In one sense, that is quite true because the show is pushing the time elasticity theory. It boils down to if event Z is meant to happen then if the nominal trigger A is altered then trigger B/C/D/etc will be created to ensure Z happens. That’s all well and good but it also means a lot of mid show plots end up achieving little other than proving this point with one exception.

This brings us to the love line of the OTP. It is intense, swoon worthy and has a decent amount of skinship. However, it is a challenge to work through some of the more convoluted plots as mentioned above. At one stage we have an alive and kicking FL, one in a coma and a dead one depending on which scene is shown. Then we have the present/future ML talking to each other on the phone(!). The date is flash up on the screen from time to time but it feels like nothing is anchored anymore. It is all about pushing the main plot forward and giving our OTP quality CP time during their precious 46mins of shared time. Those short and sweet moments are what held the show together.

Finally, there is much chatter online about the “bad” ending. I think the ending is actually decent. It is unrealistic to assume a simple HEA ending after all the temporal mischiefs. The Show needs to untangle all the twisted threads. Honestly, the whole balancing the entropy thing is gibberish. I believe the Show has a mystical wild card up its sleeve from the start. The paper crane is the key. My take is the “universe” is saying “We stuffed up” when the FL was killed and it is trying to fix it. In a sense, it is like Dr Strange doing his future scanning trick but finds only 1 possible timeline with the right outcome. I also find the present-day ML changing subtly over time to become more like the future ML quite plausible. He is him after all but experienced those 4 months from a different perspective. Once the memories melded over time, he naturally realigned his personality.

Acting wise, it is good. I like the persona shift of the ML as he flip between his two realities. The FL did well but she sounds too young from the dubbing. Would her own voice be better? To be honest, the real antagonist is really underwhelming.

Overall, I enjoyed the Show. It can be entertaining and occasionally, thought provoking but more often than not, I find it easier to go with the flow, switch off the frontal lobe and don't try to analyse it. ;)

OST is fine but a total rewatch is unlikely. A highlight reel would be nice.

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