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It's Deja Vu All Over Again
The romance didn't hit right with me. I didn't understand why the leads were attracted to one another (guilt turned to love?). The only chemistry between them was in the test tubes in the lab. The drama would have been fine without romance, maybe even sharper and crisper. I appreciated the intelligence of the characters, but the loops did start to drag a bit. The ending was jumbled; I wondered if they'd been hoping for a second season, and that's why there were loose ends. Even so, the drama was entertaining, smart, and thought-provoking, and Bai Jing Ting was a joy to watch.Subtract a half star for that undeveloped romance, but add a star for the cast.
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Revenge is a Dish Best Served by Two Attractive, Intelligent People
It's blissful to view a drama with two intelligent, loving leads. It took them awhile to get to that point, but that was understandable considering they seemed to be on opposing sides in the beginning. And they did have a rather violent introduction to one another. Their slow journey toward each another was rewarding to watch. Great chemistry between the leads.During their romance, there was revenge and political court intrigue all about them, which gave many opportunities for individual stories of love and betrayal. Dou Ming's story arc gutted me; Miao An Su's surprised me; and Wang Ge's infuriated, then pleased me.
Fun fact: both leads had twin guards. ML had two males; the actors are twin brothers in real life. FL had two females; the actresses are twin sisters in real life.
Thanks to no 1 dou zhao defender for the recommendation! I truly enjoyed this.
An extra half star is awarded for bright characters, a refreshing change from the insipid FLs I've endured lately.
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The Confusion Starts with the Title—Why is There a Comma?
I watched this mini-drama (about 8 hours long) solely because of Fan Zhi Xin. He can play a charming scoundrel or a psychopath with disarming ease. There's a scene where he was heartbroken with tears in his eyes, but when he turned, his expression changed immediately to one of scorn. Great acting.I was relieved the FL was a mature, intelligent, self-assured woman (I'm tired of 30-year-olds who act like teens). She had great chemistry with the ML.
As for the bad, there were loopholes the size of hippos. The viewers were told the rules of the time phone, but the rules were bent or ignored repeatedly. And, dang, if I have two minutes to call someone to warn them of impending death, I'm not going to natter away about inconsequentials. It's like the perpetual fatally stabbed character in dramas who knows the killer's identity but grandstands to the final moment, saying, "I know who the murderer is! You'll all be surprised. You need to be wary. Watch out! The killer is..." And then the stabbed guy gasps and dies, and no one knows anything. Yes, the phone calls were exactly like that.
As with many time-altering situations, this drama was confusing. More so, because it didn't adhere to the rules. I doubt there are many viewers who can explain clearly what happened when and to whom. Add the dislike of time travel sequences by the Chinese censors, and the drama had its work cut out for it to make everyone happy (which is, of course, an impossibility); so, the entire drama could be construed to have been a bad dream.
I came for Fan Zhi Xin and time travel. I got Fan Zhi Xin and a bewildering romance instead.
I'm awarding an extra half star for Fan Zhi Xin's acting and the surprisingly nice OST that accompanied this short drama.
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Great Cast
Lee Seung Gi and Cha Seung Won are always watchable for me. The rest of the cast did an admirable job, too.I'd expected a police procedural, but there were relatively few cases; the emphasis was on the camaraderie of the detectives and their battle against corruption. Although violent crime and trauma were depicted, there was always comic relief, sweet friendship interactions, and slight romance to brighten the darkness.
One question the drama provoked was: how much evil is permissible if it serves a greater purpose in the end? Can a few innocent be sacrificed for the greater good of many? I stand firmly on the precept that tolerating evil begets evil: "The wicked become even worse when they are tolerated." - Leo Tolstoy
The drama introduced many characters and plotlines, but it didn't tie everything up at the end. I was left with questions, which I won't discuss to remain spoiler-free. For that, I'm subtracting a half star. I loved the chemistry between the detectives, especially the growing relationship between Dae Gu and Seo Pan Seok. That, alone, was worth adding an entire star.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Rebellion was Promised
The good: The actors were wonderful, and their characters were compelling. I find the journey of personal growth of characters intriguing, and this drama was rich with experiences for the leads; they grew from bright, naive young people to mature, resilient ones.The annoying: Operational security was absolutely nonexistent. Wanted ML marched through the marketplace all in black with a mask and no one noticed him, even though he was heavily sought. He showed up everywhere something was going on, and nobody recognized him, even though his friends were continually yelling out his actual name. Princess' husband had a secret document fomenting treason he stuck up his sleeve. Foreshadowing disaster, his friend asked why he didn't burn them, and he said he wanted to show it to his wife. 2S2L! Here's a pro tip: if there is an inept blabbermouth in one's group, it would be wise not to tell them everything that should remain secret. If anyone competent had been after the ML and FL, they would have been captured/eliminated in short time, but it appeared that no one in power had the idea to watch their residences or follow them and their servants.
The bad: From the start, the viewer was told Su Yang was evilly ambitious, and, true to form, he murdered indiscriminately to take the throne. The entire point of the drama was the struggle to defeat Su Yang and remove him from that throne. Kim Seung Yoo's whole purpose in living was to seek revenge on those who killed his father, and that included Su Yang. The drama didn't deliver on that promise. Only one of the evil ministers paid with his life; Su Yang retained the throne. All the noble families whose innocent fathers were murdered remained as servants to the men who had killed them. The ML was left disabled and no longer able to fight against Su Yang. He was thought dead so had no identity. The FL was categorized as a servant. In reality, a runaway slave and a disabled, unidentifiable man would find it hard to survive in ancient China. I have to remind myself that Korean dramas are more about enduring rather than winning, but it's hard for my American sensibilities to accept that as a happy ending. I wanted Su Yang dethroned, Jong's baby made king, and Seung Yoo made regent until the child came of age. I wanted the evil ministers removed from office and all their innocent servants who had been nobility restored to their stations. I especially wanted that weaselly little minister who thought everyone needed to be killed to have a taste of his own medicine, but he got a happy ending as far as I know. The rebellion just fizzled out. So unsatisfying!
And yet, the acting was enjoyable, the characters were memorable, and I don't begrudge the time spent watching. No extra stars awarded, because I'm too annoyed by the ending.
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Visually Appealing Period Piece. With Monsters.
Park Seo Joon and Han So Hee, along with a cast of sterling supporting actors, elevated a monster story set in Japanese-occupied Korea.The pawn shop was gorgeous, the town was visually appealing, and the hospital was appropriately stark and chilling. The drama had charm as a period piece. The underlying camaraderie of the oppressed people knit the community together and made the viewer want them to succeed.
There were issues with writing. It drives me mad to watch stupidity in action. Every time the heroes were in peril and were trying to escape, they'd stop in a hallway and have a meaningful conversation. Have a sense of urgency when you're being chased by evil people!
I have no idea why the bad guys had such a hard time keeping up with our heroes, because they always returned to the pawn shop. For 100 years, they always returned to the pawn shop. Why bother tailing them? After an especially harrowing escape, I thought (silly me!), they had best hightail to a hotel or remote cabin somewhere to elude the bad guys. No, back to the pawn shop, where everyone knew they holed up. They still couldn't find them half the time!
TL:DR: Season 1 had compelling stories: occupation, freedom fighters, separated families, blended families, and the struggle for survival. Also, too many long dialogues during tense moments.
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This review may contain spoilers
Some Stories Can Be Told Well in Six Episodes
Beautifully and tightly told in 6 episodes. The drama can stand alone, although I wanted it to go on, as I wanted to see what happened to Su In later. Was very pleased that Kang Woo's story had an upbeat development (hired on with the Grey team). The story was left open ended: hard-fighting Choi Jun Kyeong was shown shaking hands with a mysterious Japanese man. Reading reviews, it seems Netflix axed Season 2, which is a shame.Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet Without Being Cloying
Our Chocolate Moments was like a small, delicious chocolate presented in a pretty box. There may not be a great quantity of it, but what's there is exquisite. The acting was wonderful, and the camaraderie was warm and meaningful between people whose only initial bond was their love of chocolate. I would gladly watch a sequel to see how the newly bonded friends' lives changed.Was this review helpful to you?
More Like Eternal Suffering!
Ninety-nine percent of the suffering could have been avoided by the tiniest bit of communication, but that's drama life for you. Forget about love triangles—Eternal Love featured love dodecahedrons!Yet, for all the angst, the story was compelling, and the cast was captivating. The costumes and sets were beautiful. The CGI lacked only in the water scenes, where it was apparently fake (I can handle most fake mountain and orchard scenes, but fake moving water is so apparent). The OST enhanced the experience with poignant lyrics.
Kudos to Maggie Huang who played Su Jin, a character I loathed deeply. It was incredibly satisfying to get to the eye scene (you'll know what I mean when you watch). I had envisioned that scene and anticipated it for far too long! How gratifying when it actually happened.
Mark Chao was a new-to-me actor. He lacked the pretty boy image of many K- and C-drama leads; a masculine man was a nice change of pace. He was able to convey emotions well, even within his stoic character. As for pretty boys, they were in abundance: Gao Wei Guang with long white hair, Vin Zhang all dark and dangerous, and Yu Meng Long, Leon Lai, and Zhang He.
The series was long at 58 episodes, but it held my attention and soaked my hanky. "Tearjerker" should be added to the tags. It ended well, and I was left with a happy afterglow. Upon reflection, it's odd I felt pleased, as only about 2% of the characters had a happy ending! But they were the 2% I most cared about, so I'm good with that.
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Short on Angst, Long on Charm
The ML was played masterfully by Wallace Huo. He depicted a man newly turned 40, set in his ways, and encumbered by neurodivergence. ML was brilliant, but he was hampered by his OCD, his lack of filter when he spoke, and his inability to read social signals. He had learned to navigate life by isolation, the protection and intervention of his business partner, and the defensive speech he used to keep people at arm's length.Zhu Zhu depicted an older woman successful in her profession who was unwilling to settle for the sake of marriage, no matter the pressures society and her father placed upon her.
What unfolded was a mature love story. Some might find it slow and lacking in the romance department, but I was fascinated with ML's journey and evolution. Wallace Huo fleshed out a character I will long remember, and he did it in a stylish and heartwarming manner. Unlike so many dramas that have disappointed me, it managed to have a sweet and satisfying ending.
I quibbled with myself over the rating, but my enjoyment of Huo's character made me come back to rate the drama higher.
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Abuse is Never Right, No Matter the Victim
I've watched Bai Jing Ting and Tian Xi Wei in other dramas and enjoyed them. I liked them in this drama, too (their relationship was sweet), but my pleasure was tempered by two unfortunate premises.I understand the desire to rewrite history in an heroic manner, but the sort of feminist retrofitting of rigid history undermines the actual hardships women had to endure in those times. That a handful of concubines would be allowed to undermine a society without dire consequences to themselves and their families is unreasonable.
I could accept the wish-fulfillment fantasy of sisterhood easily changing society; this isn't a documentary, after all. However, I couldn't stomach the spousal abuse. Third Prince was despised, and rightly so, for his womanizing and treating his wife and concubines as property. Yet, when he realized the error of his ways and tried to make amends, he was still treated with disrespect. It was understandable that Shang Guan Jing was resentful at her forced marriage to the 5th Prince. He was dim-witted and his mouth said things his brain didn't always mean, but that was no excuse for Shang Guan's physical and mental abuse of him. Why is it acceptable to beat a man and leave huge, horrific bruises on him? He'd grown up abused, and he accepted it gratefully from his wife. I found that extremely sad and distasteful. As much as I liked the character of the tough, feisty Shang Guan, there is never an excuse for a stronger person to beat on a weaker one, no matter the sex.
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Funnier than I Hoped; More Endearing than I Imagined
I've been in a bit of a drama slump; I've been too critical of everything I see, and I'm not enjoying it much. I don't believe it's totally the fault of the dramas—I'm just in a challenging headspace and life is punching me in the gut, as it is wont to do. I thought a change of pace with a comedy might help (which is an odd choice for me, as slapstick is definitely not a favorite genre). I watched Seoul Busters, half expecting I would drop it in an episode or two.I did finish it, and I had several chuckles along the way. The story was about a misfit crime unit that got demoted into a former daycare center (complete with child-sized urinals and toilet stalls!). Their unlikely group consisted of a handsome, witless rookie; a tough, though kind, woman; a brown-nosing father of four; and an ex-boxer whose fists were more active than his brain. They were teamed up with a new captain who was quirky and aloof.
As they worked together, the captain brought out the individual good qualities of his dysfunctional team. As he said, and I agree, they had their charms. The cast felt cohesive, played off one another beautifully, and made me feel as though they had as good a time filming the drama as I did in watching it.
The thing K-dramas do wonderfully is interweave universal truths and touch upon painful subjects in between comedic skits. This was no exception. There were serious topics addressed and heavy situations, but they were delivered between touching moments and warm, human experiences. Often comedies like this start light and bright and get progressively darker and uglier. This one managed to maintain a consistent tone to the end. Add that every main character was completely fleshed out and given a story arc, and this drama did things right.
What can I say about Kim Dong Wook? I kept thinking he looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place him. I finally realized the grinning goofball was the lead in My Perfect Stranger and Find Me in Your Memory. Both roles were of a quiet, repressed, and dignified man. Color me surprised to see how funny Kim Dong Wook could be! He had excellent comedic timing, as did the rest of the cast.
Side note: I was really, really hungry for good chocolate while watching this. I even looked up Dongbang Yu Bin's favorite brand, but it's not available to me. Wah!
Detective: Americans even have gun cabinets in their living rooms!
(Me: This can be true, especially with the older generation or rural folks.)
Detective: Even their dogs have guns!
(Me: LOL, no. Just no. Dogs don't have opposable thumbs!)
I'm giving an extra half star because I'm going to miss the gang.
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Twenty Episodes of Enjoyment; Sixteen Episodes of Drivel
I needed something sweet after watching a horror drama, and this proclaimed "sweet" in the title. I was impressed by Luo Yunxi’s performance in Till the End of the Moon. It was healing to see him in a happier, romantic role. I’ve enjoyed Bai Lu in a number of roles (she was also in Till the End of the Moon), and it was wonderful to see her paired with Luo Yunxi in a drama with a happy ending. Honestly, this drama feels like therapy after being traumatized by Till the End of the Moon.The Good:
• The leads shared a natural, playful chemistry.
• The Welsh Corgi. She wasn’t the most polished actor, but she was cute.
• Gao Han Yu delivered a nuanced performance as the most complex and compelling character.
• The male lead’s attire was exquisite. Kudos to the stylist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic3lJAn8Cek
The Bad:
• The secondary couple dragged the drama down. The female character was insufferable: a bubble-brained, overly emotional, stalker girl child. Why is this portrayed as cute for women but a glaring red flag for men? I know five-year-olds who act more mature. The male counterpart was a tech nerd who never learned to use his words. I cringed every time they appeared on screen. No shade thrown at the actors—they were playing the parts given to them.
• Noble idiocy, where great pain was inflicted in order to spare the loved one great pain. How does this make sense? And this was done even when it was life-threatening! I wish this trope would die a fiery death.
• The writer shortchanged the 2ML. He was sacrificial and underwent significant transformation, only for his arc to be discarded. His motivations remained unclear, making his choices feel like a manipulative ploy to make the ML more likable. He deserved better; all that character development was trashed.
• Once again, the FL was warned to stay away from a dangerous person, yet she ignored the man who loved her most and wanted to protect her. If you’re in a committed relationship and your partner warns you that someone has ulterior motives and is dangerous, you should listen. FL shouldn't have been wining and dining alone with another man when she'd promised to be home with the man who loved her.
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A Disappointing Waste of Jang-Jang
I was ready for something light and humorous, and the poster promised that. The MDL rating was low, but I often enjoy what others don't. It featured the two Jangs together—they're so natural with one another—and I couldn't understand why the rating wasn't higher. Having completed the drama, I wonder why it isn't lower!The Good:
• Jang Hyuk and Jang Na Ra are always fun to watch.
• I loved the character of Cho Tae Gu. He had put up many walls emotionally, but Min Seo kept crashing through them. Their interactions were fresh and engaging.
The Bad:
• Talk about an inconsistent tone. First, it was slapstick, then it was unremitting brutality. Kang Yu Ra was the sweet, supportive family member who always mediated and cleared up misunderstandings until they were her own. Then, she was dark, sullen, and non-communicative. The drama couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a silly comedy or a dark action thriller.
• Nothing had to make sense. No brain cells were required. In a top secret facility, someone could waltz in, kill off an important witness, and there was nary a guard, security camera, or even a lock on the door.
• I don't believe even one set-up was ever brought to completion. Even Grandpa's love life wasn't resolved. Obviously, they were planning on a second season that never materialized. The viewer was left hanging with absolutely nothing resolved.
I added a half star for the character of Cho Tae Gu. Kim Nam Hee made an unlikable character sympathetic.
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Should be Watched by ELFs and ELF Wannabes
I can't claim to be a Super Junior fan, as I'd never heard of them before I became enthralled with K-dramas. I'm sure this documentary means much more to their fans, but I found it interesting, also. I initially watched it to learn more about the lives of trainees, how they work, and why they're chosen to debut. Little of that occurred, but I still found it fascinating how Super Junior came to be and how ground-breaking they were at the time.I recognized Choi Si Won (Jackson!) from his acting roles, and it was fun to see how cute he was back when he was a pup. They were all adorable as younglings.
I thought the documentary would focus more on how the members got together and bonded, but it mostly hit the highlights of the group's career. It was a puff piece meant for their fans' enjoyment, so many things were glossed over. I had to use a search engine to discover why Lee Teuk's father and grandparents all died at the same time (murder-suicide). And the members that left the group weren't mentioned by name or their reasons for departure. That's okay. A love letter to their fans doesn't need to address the painful stuff.
I did learn that Super Juniors' fans are called ELFs: Ever Lasting Friends. I'll add a half star for all the sweet vibes I felt between fans and Super Junior.
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