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Good Actors and Fast Action, All Splattered with Blood

Warning, Gentle Viewers: graphic violence and gore ahead, but the title didn't promise a frothy love story.

The Good:
• I really like Lee Dong Wook, even when he's playing an emotionless killer. He's not a cruel killer. I'm making excuses for him!
• Park Ji Bin gave me chills with that baby face of psychotic sweetness. Fun fact: that cherubic face is 31 years old! Another fun fact: He played Geum Jan Di's little brother in Boys over Flowers 17 years ago.
• Geum Hae Na's action scenes were amazing. I asked AI if she did her own scenes: "Geum Hae-na performed most of her own action scenes in the Disney+ series A Shop for Killers. She underwent intense, lonely high-intensity training to master grappling and other combat techniques, which resulted in her gaining 3kg of muscle mass. Her physically demanding performance, which included scenes where she reportedly vomited from exhaustion, earned her a Best Supporting Actress Award at the 3rd Blue Dragon Series Awards."
• I appreciated seeing some actors who looked like average people: short, old, plain, etc.
• I wasn't sure if this went in The Good or The Bad list, but the action was nonstop and the tension was unrelenting. I had to take breaks in order to handle it. I'll put in The Good, as I wasn't bored.

The Bad:
• Disney+ offers the drama only in dubbed form. It's weird and offputting. The dialogue sounded like it was written by AI without a full charge of electricity.
• The drama didn't end; it just stopped. That's regrettable as my introductory offer on Disney+ runs out before the second season arrives. I prefer binging seasons, because I tend to forget quickly, but I don't mind waiting if there is a viable conclusion at the end of each season. This left so many things hanging. What will happen with Babylon? What happened to Jin Man? With his intelligence and survival skills, I never bought things went down the way we were told. Please, let it be a diversion tactic and not stupid writing. At this point, we don't even know who is left alive. This was not a complete drama—it was a prelude.
• I would have expected Jung Jin Man to have prepared his niece better or that she would have adapted better. I'm thinking season 2 will see her character develop. Buckle up, Buttercup.

Now I'm off to watch something sweet and soothing. I had a mistaken perception that Disney+ would be princesses and unicorns, but it's violence, darkness, and blood, at least where the K-dramas are concerned. Now that I know they don't offer all K-Dramas with subtitles, I don't need to renew my subscription when it runs out.

I reserve the right to add an extra half star if the second season answers my questions.

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Potential that Devolved Rapidly in the Final Episode

I wanted to like this much more than I did.

The Good:
• It was refreshing to see a ML who looked manly. He wasn't the typical romcom pretty boy.
• The female lead was a competent adult at work.
• The leads had good chemistry together when the script allowed.

The Bad:
• The ML was mean for no reason. I tire of the trope that has a man in love with the woman whom he treats the worst.
• The FL was unlikeable. She had no close friends. She spent most of the drama with a sour look on her face. She was either angry or sad.
• Those everlasting love triangles. Give it a rest, please.
• Massive amounts of stupidity. If I had the power to see the future, I'd utilize it. If I knew a serial killer was stalking me, I'd probably not go walking alone in the middle of the night in dark alleys.

I was on board most of the drama, ever hopeful for a good ending. Instead, I was treated to a breakup and a terrible montage of childish argumentative scenes at the end. I should have stopped watching before the last episode to save myself from the toxicity.

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A Warm Reunion with Well-Loved Characters

Such a perfect team of characters at Doldam Hospital.

The Good:
• As always, I loved Kim Sa Bu: the way his fingers nimbly tied sutures, how he mentored his team, and the way he handled life's roadblocks. He went from comforting to chilling depending on the situation: a reliable supporter or a formidable opponent. I resonated with his hard choices: picking adversaries as teammates in order to complete his dream isn't something most of us could do. Although, as I've said to my loved ones, if we agreed all the time, one of us would be redundant and unnecessary.
• Mister Koo! AKA the Moving Mountain (in my mind).
• Kim Min Jae/Park Eun Tak's voice. Give that man more lines!
• O Myeong Sim losing her cool. She became a human megaphone.
• Finally, a villain I could understand. Um Hyeon Jeong's anger was justified. She was manipulative and underhanded, and I couldn't blame her. It was understandable that she wanted to destroy everything and everyone at Doldam.
• When Kang Dong Ju made his appearance he ramped up the viewing excitement. It was a great choice to bring him back in a very unsettled role: was he there to build or destroy? I'd love to have a season 4 to see what he does. The ending hinted at a continuation. Three seasons were golden. Maybe a fourth is asking for too much?

The Bad:
• Nurse Park Eun Tak was hesitant in the first season, but he was nearly standing in sludge for this one. He aggravated me. But Yun A Reum annoyed me, too. Talk to one another, for heaven's sake. They could have been beyond cute (what a missed opportunity), but they were annoying for far too long instead.
• That's all I have for bad, but one bullet point would have looked lonely. I'm not going to critique harshly on something I love. Aunt E's cinnamon rolls that she made each year were dry and not that tasty (not bad, but not good), but she baked them out of love, and the family all oohed and aahed over them in reciprocating appreciation. Some things you just accept and enjoy.

I added a half star because... Jung Byeol was so darned cute or I just felt like it.

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Successful Story Telling, Just Not the Story I Wanted Told

I watched this after Moving because it was set in a shared universe. The connection was not apparent to me until the last minute or so of the drama. Whereas, Moving had warmth amidst violence, Light Shop offered despair amidst darkness. Moving had loving relationships; Light Shop had people afflicted with despair, prejudice, guilt, and loss. Moving had its moments of humor; Light Shop was unremittingly bleak—it was always night, and it was often raining.

The more than half-dozen stories began about a third of the way through, with the background supplied in alternating flashbacks. It was confusing, but viewers and characters alike were bewildered, so it worked in a fashion. The writer trusted his audience to grasp the situation, and he filled in the important issues later. This may have caused some viewers to quit early, but the payoff started in about the fourth episode and built steadily from there.

The drama started as a horror, macabre and eerie. Horror isn't my cup of tea, but as the drama progressed, the pieces came together, and, as it began to make sense and progress, terror turned to understanding.

The Good:
• Park Bo Young's character was the one calm, reassuring touchstone in the drama. I inevitably enjoy her acting.
• The dog was a good boy.
• The drama managed to take all the dark, broken pieces and fit them together in a pleasing way. There was a rhythm and pattern to the stories that was satisfying.

The Bad:
• Moving had buckets of blood; Light Shop was adrift in tears. If there was a character with any screen time who didn't cry, I'm unaware of it.
• There were many unanswered questions which made me wonder if the story was to be continued in a sequel or if it would be shuttled into the second season of Moving.

Not recommended for the depressed. Recommended for those who appreciate seeing bits of a smashed vase being spun into a whirlwind and miraculously made whole, more or less.

My rating reflects my appreciation for a convergence of stories melded together successfully and less on my enjoyment of the drama. The characters were memorable, and the cast did an admirable job. I can recognize the drama is a dark gem without particularly liking it. I will say that, although I rarely rewatch a drama, this easily could be rewatched, because there are so many aspects potentially missed in the first viewing.

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Warm Moments with a High Possibility of a Bloodbath

Gentle viewers, heed my warning. There was blood—not the sanitized blood spitting of Chinese wuxias, but buckets of the stuff from every gaping wound imaginable. There was violence: horrific tortures and murders. The body count was high. I will admit I had to stop watching some brutal fight scenes, and I had to leave the series at times when my favorite characters were in peril or the situation was too intense. But, I was never bored. If you can stomach that, Moving has memorable characters, ride or die loyalty, and a compelling story.

The Good:
• The cast was stellar, the relationships were warm and wonderful, and I loved the heroes and despised the villains.
• The characters were fleshed out (except when their flesh was removed, yikes), their motives were clear, and the actors depicted them wonderfully. No one was cookie cutter, and the series did a competent job of explaining the past in flashbacks to establish the characters, then merging it with the present.
• The tropes were subverted enough that I was never quite sure how things would turn out.
• I treasured the underlying themes of familial love, acceptance of the different, forgiveness to the repentant, and loyalty beyond one's family.
• Unlike so many K-dramas that excuse, overlook, or forgive evil, this one suppled some catharsis to the viewer.
• I appreciated that the writer didn't dumb down his script. He left some things unexplained, and I fully expect to see those integrated into season 2.

The Bad:
• The violence was graphic, and the fight scenes were overly long for me. I understand a fight for survival won't abide by the Marquess of Queensberry rules, and I understand the drama requiring the violence. I'm simply uncomfortable with it.
• I adored Kim Bong Seok, the human equivalent of a Golden Labrador puppy. It's disappointing that the actor, Lee Jung Ha, is in the military and won't be able to continue the role. I will miss his sweet face, and I can't help but think the second season will feel his absence keenly. I suppose this bullet point item technically should be a part of The Good, but I'm so bummed he won't be in season 2. I'd love to see him as a more mature person. The actor gained 66 pounds (!) for the role, and it would be amazing to see him slimmed down and taking after his character's father.

I'm conflicted on the rating, but I have to add a half star for the actors' performances.

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Bai Jing Wants to Resign, but the Day Keeps Replaying

It's another cold CEO and poor, overworked secretary drama done in six-minute increments. It's amazing how many tropes can fit in those few minutes!

The Good:
• I enjoyed the scene of the ML and FL squatting behind a counter to spy on the other employees and nonchalantly replying they were just watching the workers when they were discovered. Not the least bit odd or suspicious!
• The leads were attractive and watchable.
• The title drew me in. Been there, done that!
• The time loop didn't become overly boring and repetitive. Kudos to the writer for that.
• I love it when a drama ends well, and this one had me smiling. Hands down, the best part. Note to self: be careful in a time loop, because you never know when it's going to end.

The Bad:
• Music was underwhelming and, in many scenes, missing.
• The budget was obviously small. FL spent 1/3 of the drama wearing the same pair of pink striped pajamas. Even when she spent the night with her parents, the ML had to borrow clothes from her father, but the FL's pink pjs were magically there, even though she hadn't taken luggage. She must always wear them under her clothes.
• The evil opposing CEO certainly gave up easily. I guess murder was just a whim with him, and he could take it or leave it.
• FL's ring tone drove me crazy. It's a good thing this was a mini series. I wouldn't have survived listening to that for 40 episodes.

I added a half star for the aftermath of the loop ending.

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Likeable Actors Trapped in Tropes

As much as I liked the cast, this drama felt much longer than 12 episodes because the story didn't come together well. It couldn't decide if it was a sweet romcom, a makjang melodrama, or a sinister serial killer mystery.

The Good:
• The ML and FL were cute together, but I found the 2ML and 2FL more interesting.
• The mother of the FL had some nice moments. Amor fati!
• Seo Bum June made me despise his character. I'll attribute that to his acting skills, as I adored his character in The First Night with the Duke.

The Bad:
• I have a burning hatred for infidelity, so that storyline was painful and way too long. I don't understand compassion for a cheater. The FL drove me mad with her inability to shut her ex out of her life. Block his number and stop taking his calls, for heaven's sake.
• The makjang bits with the ex's family were an intrusion.
• The entire show revolved around the house. It was massively important until it suddenly wasn't.

I gave an extra half star for keeping the drama to 12 episodes.

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Professors Fall in Love

I despise lies, manipulation, and playing with people's lives, so it was difficult for me to fully appreciate the drama when BOTH sets of the destined pairs were deep in deception.

The Good: Esther Yu and Vin Zhang had amazing chemistry. The ML was masterful at slowly warming to the FL's tactics. The FL was the right blend of silly and smart to be able to bypass the ML's defenses and win him over. Both actors made the drama watchable. I know many find Esther Yu's baby voice and melodramatics irritating, but she reminds me of my baby sister (only not quite as hyper), and I find her entertaining. I also liked the professions depicted: ornithology and botany. The FL's styling was perfect for a beauty blogger.

The Bad: The secondary couple should have had their story cut in half (at least). Ideally, they wouldn't have had much screen time. The constant captions reminding the viewer that the birds were CGI and no animals were harmed during production were distracting. Flash those notices at the beginning of an episode; viewers are intelligent enough to realize you didn't mass kill a bunch of birds for the story. Also, the bird-stealing gang storyline was cringeworthy.

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A Healing Drama

FL faced pressures with work, her boyfriend, and her brother. When a major event happened, she decided to drop out of the rat race. She gave up niceties for the luxury of time.

This drama resonated with me, as my choices haven't always been culturally normal. It was freeing, as an adult, when I realized I got to choose what I deemed important; I chose to disregard what was important to others, because that would never make me happy. If an out-of-print book at a used bookstore brought more joy than a designer handbag, what was the purpose of trying to fit in with the crowd that thought otherwise?

Lest the viewers are led to believe this is a fluffy drama, let me warn it deals with heavy issues: murder, suicide, violence, and trauma. Even so, the FL and ML remained true to themselves, retaining loving spirits and quiet dignity. Some believe "strong" people rant, rave, and push people around. On the contrary, truly strong people are able to preserve their character through horrible situations. They don't allow circumstances to alter their inner selves.

At only 10 hours long, Summer Strike is short and sweet, but keep the box of tissues handy. Grief is counterbalanced by the warm and wonderful relationships of the townspeople.

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Be Yourself; Outer Appearances Don't Change the Inner Self

My first impression was the drama was too silly, but I grew to enjoy the nonsense. Later, I was uncomfortable with the FL as it was repeatedly said how kind she was, but her actions were particularly cruel and thoughtless to one person. As the story progressed, I began to appreciate the friendships and ensuing humor, especially of the supporting cast.

The message that everyone is uniquely beautiful, though true, was hammered at a bit too hard. Although I appreciated the sentiment, a lighter touch would have been more effective.

The FL had low self-esteem initially, but she sabotaged herself with her attitude, poor grooming, lack of makeup on a face with acne, and wearing a hoodie to a job interview with a company that dealt in fashion. Her "transformation" at the end of the drama was more about confidence and self-love which resulted in proper hygiene and maintenance.

A bouncy OST complemented the drama, and some nice writing delivered well by the actors distinguished this from run of the mill romcoms.

Filter finished well with no long time skips or a loved one leaving the country for a few years to improve themselves. That's a rarity for current romances, it seems! The visuals were a treat. Favorite scenes were the Rainbow Stairway (located in Meijingyuan Town, China: https://www.reddit.com/r/cdramasfans/comments/1j7upwv/behind_the_scenes_the_making_of_the_iconic/), and the ML and FL hiding in a school archive room with thousands of books stacked behind them. I also love when a drama teaches me something new and fantastic. The ML gave the FL a box of Prince Rupert's Drops, a group of tadpole shaped colored glass. PRDs are harder than steel and practically impervious at their bead end, but they are incredibly fragile at the tail-shaped tip. The entire thing can shatter with mere finger pressure. It was a fitting metaphor concerning relationships. For incorporating unique aspects into the drama, my appreciation is given to the creators. As a result, my viewing afterglow reflects a higher rating.

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A Different Kind of Female Lead

This FL wasn't toothpick thin or ravishingly beautiful. Most would deem her average, but I adored her. She was naive but nobody's fool; forgiving but had firm boundaries; timid but brave when situations demanded; smart and talented but humble; and was her own person while conforming to what was expected of her. I loved that although she made the effort to wear a dress when her friend pointed out she wasn't very feminine, she also felt comfortable putting the ML's head on her shoulder and patting his head consolingly or just picking him up and twirling him around when she was happy. She was the epitome of true womanhood in her caring attitude, kindness, protectiveness, and nurturing spirit. Society gets it all wrong in believing femininity is about cute hair, high heels, and jewelry. Those are accessories, not the true attributes of a woman. I so loved this character and her sweet relationship with the ML. Their teasing interactions and true caring for one another were a delight to watch.

The draw of the drama was the loving and mature romance between the leads. However, I'm not sure the couple should remain together, because they were a magnet for life-threatening situations. Seriously! Someone was forever getting kidnapped, stabbed, or blown up with those two around!

I added a half star for a FL who wasn't cut from the same old drama pattern.

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Must Watch One and Only First

To fully appreciate Forever and Ever, it's recommended to watch One and Only first: https://mydramalist.com/63781-love-your-bones-forever-2. The prequel drama contained the tragic love affair of Zhou Shen Chen and Shi Yi; their story was continued as a possible reincarnation of the lovers (or a dream, according to Chinese censors) in Forever and Ever. There are numerous references to the prequel: original Shi Yi lost her voice, present Shi Yi was a voice actress; present Shi Yi is afraid of heights and has an aversion to red (which viewers of OaO will understand!); both wore red sequins for a wedding; and both liked light blue clothing.

One and Only was filled with angst, but Forever and Ever started so sweetly that I thought I'd get to add it to my Fluffy or Low Angst list. Later episodes got darker and became more melodramatic, so it lost its standing as lighter fare.

I find it regrettable when a drama changes its tone midway. The beginning of Forever and Ever was perfect for romance lovers and those who don't like sadness or angst. The latter part changed significantly, and the viewer was forced to sit through numerous sad songs with tears running down people's faces. About the only tragedy that the drama avoided, although I'm sure the writers seriously contemplated it, was the affliction of amnesia. My pleas of, "please, please, please, no amnesia!" were answered. Those who love a sweet slow-burn romance may not like the latter part, and those who enjoy melodrama may find the beginning boring.

In the prequel, Zhou Sheng Chen was noble general, with regal bearing and a quiet, commanding presence. In FaE, Zou Sheng Chen was a nerdy dweeb (or dweeby nerd) as a chemistry professor. Shi Yi's character stayed more true to the original as an elegant, sweet low-key woman with all the talents and attributes of her former self (art, literature, and music).

The relationship of the ML and FL was tender and sweet, although initially extremely awkward. Actually, the awkwardness was cute and endearing. Their daily interactions were some of the most mature and realistic I've seen in a drama. I'd love to see a similar romance that doesn't turn melodramatic, if anyone has suggestions. Give me two people who believe in one another, don't allow outsiders to wedge between them, and work out their issues together like Zhou Sheng Chen and Shi Yi.

I generally don't rate a rewatch high, but there was depth and purpose in much of what happened in FaE. There were so many Easter eggs connected to the prequel, that I'm sure I missed many. A rewatch would help solidify which characters related to the past, too.

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Just When You Start to Love Them, They Change

I was initially annoyed when Season 2 introduced a new character in place of Kang I Na, but as time went on, I warmed to Cho Eun and eventually embraced her with open arms (I'm sorry to see this was the only role the actress Choi A Ra ever played; she was endearing as Cho Eun). Ryu Hwa Young as Kang I Na made some guest appearances which eased the transition and was a treat for the viewer. I was less accepting of the actress change for Yoo Eun Jae. It was jarring to have a new face for an old character, but I placated myself by acknowledging she was my least favorite girl in the house; it would have been far worse if Park Eun Bin had been substituted in her role as Song Ji Won. Still, it would have been a mercy for viewers if the actress had been given a new character to play, and Yoo Eun Jae had been eliminated completely from the show. That would have preserved the sweet nature of Yun Jong Yeol from season one, who was transformed into someone unrecognizable in season two. He deserved better.

I was still in my grumpy "begrudging the actress changes" phase for the initial episode, and I was certain everything I'd enjoyed about season one was being destroyed in season two. The first season had realistic humor, but the second season started slapstick silly with ridiculous driving and a happenstance serial killer. I was sure my rating was going to be significantly lower for the second season, but, as the plots progressed, the drama won me back, somewhat.

Park Eun Bin gave a compelling performance as Song Ji Won. Her interactions with Im Seon Min (played by Son Seung Won) were warm and natural—a delight to view.

Again, the OST was appropriate and fun.

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