Soula
You've got to be in the right mood to appreciate Hospital Playlist
Hospital Playlist is an objectively good watch, but it's got some heavy topics and every episode can leave you feeling a bit down because it portrays the ugly, natural parts of life that we deal with on a day-to-day basis.I tried watching Hospital Playlist a couple of times, but I never stuck with it - I just wasn't in the right mood to appreciate it. This last time I was finally in the right state of mind - I had to watch it casually and NOT binge watch it. Over the course of about 2 weeks I finished it.
The acting is good and the chemistry between the friends helps bring the mood back to less sad, but there's still a lot of real life dragging down the genre to a true melodrama.
At this time, I'm not committed to Season 2, but mostly because I don't want to feel sad while watching TV, not because I think the season won't be good.
***As a warning, some of the characters and the dilemma's they face can be very triggering for some people, based on context. For example, if you are someone who has experienced difficulties with pregnancy/labor, the Ob/Gyn scenes could hit a bit too close to home.
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If you enjoy X-Men, you'll probably enjoy this, even though it's definitely NOT X-Men
Off the bat: Moorim School has similar feels to X-men sometimes, but without *everyone* having special powers (instead, everyone is trained in martial arts).Moorim School started pretty well, but as the drama continued, is suffered from pacing issues, which made it hard for me to stay engaged with the drama. There were some really cool action sequences, but then there would be really boring, draggy bits where the plot progressed really slowly. >.<
While I enjoyed the overall plot of the story, I have some critiques. I personally feel that the actors look too old for their roles as young college students. I also found the rehabilitation for Chae Yoon was unrealistic and too fast. I really didn't like the new villain trainer actress towards the very end of the drama, played by Kil Hae Yeon; I like the actress in other dramas (such as My Fellow Citizens), but I did not like how she portrayed her villainess character in this role.
Personally the biggest downfall to this drama is how Chi Ang was portrayed in the end - I don't like how Chi Ang turned into such a pathetic guy. While his growth could be argued as logical and realistic, I just didn't like the progression of his character and his dynamics with the other characters as a result of his "growth". On that note, it is not well portrayed as to how and why Si Woo has such a close relationship with Chi Ang when they didn't really have a long or in-depth friendship. The story spent so much time with them fighting and being "enemies" that I just don't see why Si Woo is so attached to Chi Ang as a "best" friend (and no, the general, "Si Woo is a good person and cares about Chi Ang" is not a sufficient explanation).
While I have a lot of criticisms, I did overall generally enjoy the drama. It has a great epilogue and it's a happy ending. Would I rewatch it? No. Would I recommend it? No, probably not. But I might listen to some OSTs from this drama since they were very enjoyable.
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I liked all the actors a lot. I've seen Lee Yoo Young in some other stuff, but something about her always made me a bit put off (especially after her creepy factor in Tunnel), but she was really great here! I'd watch something else with her now! Choi Si Won is handsome and a good actor here, though I haven't seen him in much of anything, but I'd happily watch another drama with him again too. It was my first time seeing Kim Min Jung and let me just say that she does an amazing job playing the super bad guy! I've got to 100% applaud her performance! Tae In Ho has played a large variety of characters - he played a rather upright character all the way through, but had a couple goofy scenes that made me giggle. Park Kyung Hye was perfect here - quirky, but loving (in an aggressive way) sister LOL.
What I liked most about this drama was how unique the setting was - the main characters are essentially married and together starting ~episode 3 (the prior episodes are just set up). By the characters being married, it offered a nice dynamic to witness with a married couple rekindling their relationship with lots and lots of laughs between.
I likely won't rewatch, but if you enjoy a bit of politics, a bit of con artistry, a bunch of comedy, rekindled romance, and redemption, I'd recommend this to you!
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Unexpectedly enjoyable crime scene investigation drama (with romance and comedy!)
I don't understand why Catch the Ghost isn't a more talked about drama! It was something that I came across and caught my eye in passing on complete accident. Overall, the plot and atmosphere are very similar to Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, but done like 1000% better! I wasn't a fan personally of SWDBS (I know, heathen, aren't I? :D) because the silly, slap-stick comedy and the Criminal Minds-like creepy, thriller, mystery moods clashed, giving me whiplash (and the creeps!). Catch the Ghost, while similar in plot, did a much better job in balancing the less silly, but still very entertaining, comedy with the creepier villainess scenes, which I was so grateful for.STORY:
I really loved the story, which took me by COMPLETE surprise. I expected to just be "meh" about Catch the Ghost, but left and right, I felt surprised by how fresh the plot was. For example, Go Ji Suk's mother has dementia and he has been working his ass off to make sure she has everything she needs, with top notch care. He is such a good son and his decisions, while they might appear despicable if you don't know what's going on, are so endearing if you realize what fuels them. Yoo Ryung's story is also so incredibly unique - her twin sister, who has a cognitive disability, has been missing for 2+ years, with NO IDEA what has happened to her (fearing the worst case scenario); how often do you see this? Usually it's a parent or child. And because of these unique backgrounds, these 2 MCs mesh so well together! They understand each other and there's no pity, which literally makes all the difference for them both.
I also found the constant twists and turns in the plot to be well thought out on the writer's end. Right when you think you've figured out the "obvious" plot, you find out more details that change everything! I loved that! I was on the edge of my seat for every episode (especially since there was a sprinkle of creepy, with the ominous music, in every episode to remind us of the danger!). The real Subway Ghost and their story really isn't predictable (at least not for me!) and it's awful and tragic and unexpected!
I adored the supporting Subway Police detectives - their father-son relationship (literally, but not for real! XD) was HILARIOUS! They provided a great deal of comic relief outside of the MCs.
What I didn't like so much: Ha Ma Ri got on my nerves near the end of Catch the Ghost. She was so jealous. OF EVERYONE! And due to her inferiority complex, she was NASTY to everyone. She's the type of person who if she is reprimanded, she has to find fault in someone else and reprimand them to negate (?) her own guilt/responsibility. Every time her ugly behavior reared its head, I just felt like screaming, "And THIS is why Go Ji Suk left you!" (not the real reason, but still XD). She was "redeemed" in the end, but her behaviors up until that point just don't sit well with me. *shrugs*
I also do need to acknowledge that there were a couple of plot conveniences in the final 2 episodes that I can't look past because they're just too *convenient*. Like, I'm really glad we got a happily ever after, but at the same time, I found myself thinking, "that would NOT have just happened!" LOL.
ACTORS:
I've seen a lot of these actors before and enjoyed many of them in the past, so I'm not surprised that they were great here too!
A couple notable mentions:
I've seen Kim Seon Ho in a number of dramas (way more than I thought! lol), but this performance is what has me an official fan! His acting was great! I loved the way he was able to convey his feelings so well through his tone of voice and facial expressions.
I haven't seen Moon Geun Young in anything before, but she was good here! I'd definitely be willing to give her a chance in the future again!
The actor who portrays the murder (who will remain unnamed to remain anti-spoiler XD) also did a fantastic job in their role too! Really had me wavering!
OST:
I enjoyed the OST - it layered very well with all the scenes, especially the instrumental OST (the creepy ones were DEFINITELY creepy! Haha!).
My favorite vocal OSTs are: Highlight by Roh Tae Hyun, Wanted by ABRY (so catchy!), Feel My Heart by Kim Woo Sung
My favorite instrumental OST is: Lost by Young Ik Park (Perfect Run is the PERFECT investigative instrumental by the way, similar to the Mission Impossible theme song!)
REWATCH VALUE:
So the big question is: Will I rewatch this drama? Hmmm likely not just because I know who the serial killer is *now* (I didn't even look up spoilers in advance because I wanted to be surprised). But I will MOST DEFINITELY be rewatching scenes and/or watching MVs. The MCs are absolutely adorable together - who wouldn't want to rewatch that? ;D
I would 100% recommend this to people, especially if they liked SWDBS since this is way better! Don't miss out!
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Unexpectedly enjoyable rom-com
The trailers and synopsis for this K-movie always made me think that the drama is on the raunchier side, but after watching it, it really isn't explicit, which I was glad for. The plot isn't terribly unique and the setting and set-up for our MCs aren't terribly endearing, but I enjoyed the drama all the same. The story was completely predictable and I was completely okay with that. Mood of the Day is a really good chick-flick to watch with a girlfriend on a Friday or Saturday night. It's not terribly serious and there's no melodrama; instead, you have a very pleasantly resolved romance in less than 2 hours. I also really loved the use of Photograph by Ed Sheeran as the theme song for the movie - it matched the tone and mood so well!So, is Mood of the Day one of my favorite K-movies? No, but I did sincerely enjoy it and it was that much more fun to watch it with a friend.
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Once back in the real-world, things move at a good pace. I adored how Xiao'en stayed loyal and true to Situ Aoran. That was really important to me. He Tianxing and Situ Aoran are NOT the same person - the fact that this is recognized and further acknowledged (as heartbreaking as it was) by Xiao'en is a very powerful testament of her love. The way Xiao'en's romance was resolved was predictable, but satisfactory. And the cinematography was on point! The usage of flashback scenes to build the reunion between Situ Aoran and Zheng Xiao'en gave me goosebumps. It was also an excellent recap of the entire drama, with this being the conclusion of the drama. Excellent work in editing those scenes and overlaying them with the best soundtrack to elicit emotion!
The conclusion for all of the side characters was also satisfactory. The bad guys weren't so black and white as they appeared in the beginning....you understand what fueled their poor choices and even feel pretty bad for them. Their stories are neatly concluded with them facing the consequences to their decisions and actions. Their growth as individuals is well demonstrated - I have no doubt that after they face the consequences, they will be further changed individuals, for the positive.
The acting of the selected cast was good! Not the best acting I've seen, but convincing and not amateurish at all.
I probably won't rewatch this whole drama, but I'll likely rewatch scenes because they were either steamy or adorable. :D
Overall, if you're new to dramas, this will likely be an easy one to get into as it a relatively light, romantic story with great pacing!
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Great drama initially as a binge-watch, but it just doesn't hold up as a rewatch
So I originally watched this drama shortly after it was all released (maybe early 2017?) and adored it (I will admit it was one of my first K-dramas soooo). I binge-watched it - I, in particular, remember crying a lot and loving the emotional rollercoaster this drama sent me on. I binge-rewatched maybe a year later with my mom and loved it still. But here we are, 2021, many many MANY Asian-dramas later, and rewatched it with some other family members and just didn't love it as much? Which devastated me. HOW?! WHY?! Well, honestly, I think it's because this third time rewatching it, we watched it slow (maybe 1 or 2 episodes a night over the course of a week).DOTS is a drama you MUST binge watch. By breaking up the episodes, you lose the emotional impact needed to truly be moved by the drama between episodes as the story progresses. To ride the emotional rollercoaster I rode while watching it the first (and second time), you've got to let yourself be complete immersed without interruption to let the impact of the story hit you hard (which, as sadistic as it sounds, is what makes it so good in the end sooo ^-^').
Anyways, what I didn't like about DOTS the third time around was the pacing - I found the boring parts to be extra boring and kind of drag the overall story (it was mainly the slice-of-life moments in between the exciting action stuff). I also found that I really didn't like Dr. Kang - everything about her relationship with the Captain seemed rather self-centered, which made their romance unenjoyable for me.
BUT what I still loved about the drama is extensive:
-- The OST is great! There's one or two songs I'm not a huge fan of, but for the most part, I adore all the songs (even the instrumentals pack a punch!).
-- The romance between the Sergeant and Army Surgeon Yoon was still really sweet and I could totally relate to it.
-- The romance between Dr. Song and Nurse Ha was absolutely adorable and I loved watching it again!
-- The relationship between the Sergeant and Private Kim - I bawled at the end when Private Kim cried (*even* on the third rewatch ^^)
-- The intense action and "bigger-than-you" plot was great! The natural disaster was the perfect vehicle to grip your heart on top of all the other variables and stressors in this drama to keep me watching.
Overall, I don't think I want to rewatch this again. At least not for a really long time. And I've learned my lesson - it will need to be binged for sure. DOTS *is* a good drama, but it does have it's flaws.
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Fast paced & fantastic fight scene choreography!
Player is a very well written and well execute drama. The plot is not convoluted, it's straightforward, and I really appreciate that the drama wasn't dragged out (it's only 14 episodes rather than 16 or more). The story isn't terribly complicated to figure out and there's no big revelation, but the story is fast paced and the action was on point. The choreography for all the fight scenes was FANTASTIC.The comedy was sparse, but the relationships between all 4 con men was envy-worthy. The 3 men, Ha Ri, Byung Min, and Jin Woong were like brothers. I was skeptical about adding Ah Ryung, but was very happy with her addition once they established her relationship with the 3 *brothers*; the way they all came crashing in to protect her and fight for her as her older brothers was beautiful and gave me goosebumps and envy! Even further, I love how the 4 con men worked together to protect Prosecutor Jang - he too was a wonderful character!
I really enjoyed and adore this OST - Player by Dok2 was fabulous. The placement of this theme song had me perking up EVERY time.
Player isn't necessarily for everyone, especially since it doesn't have romance. BUT if you like revenge plots, con men, and action, this is a drama you don't want to miss out on. If you enjoyed Switch: Change the World, Miss & Mrs. Cop, and/or The Dude in Me, this drama will be your speed.
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And I'm glad I did because this drama is soooo incredibly cute. The romance is sweet and adorable. I definitely ate it up just like when watching Shopping King Louie and Her Private Life. Touch Your Heart is loads of fluff and good feelings, which can definitely be what many of you need when in the right mood. There's no in-depth "larger-than-you" plot/villains, but the love story is pure and innocent.
The actors are adorable and suit/compliment each other very well. I found the MCs to be great for each other, but I also really liked Lawyer Dan and Lawyer Choi's relationship - it was sooo cute, humorous, and slightly cringey (a perfect balance of exaggerated comedy!).
Aside from the easy, cute plot, I really adored the OST. As mentioned above, Make It Count by Chen and What If Love by Wendy were AHMAZING soundtracks; they'll get stuck in your head in a heartbeat and you won't be able to help but hum along. All the other soundtracks were great and blended/balanced each other well.
I probably won't rewatch this drama in its entirety, but I will definitely watch clips and OST MVs, which is just enough sweetness to remind me of the happy feelings this drama invoked. Happy watching!
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WARNING TO ALL WHO HAVE NOT STARTED WATCHING::: TRIAD PRINCESS IS A CLIFF-HANGER ENDING (season 1 is only 6 episodes), with no guarantee to season 2 as of now. I started this drama without realizing this, but I'm glad I saw it because I enjoyed it enough to continue watching it if and when more episodes come out.
Also, I've discovered a new crush for Jasper Liu. Just going to leave that there. ;D
Would I recommend? Yes, I already have! It doesn't take itself too seriously and it's fun, short, and quick. Perfect for a weekend binge. :)
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Ji Sung did not disappoint. He portrayed each personality exceptionally well with true, solid distinctions that made it obvious who he was in a believable way.
Hwang Jung Eum was surprisingly good and Park Seo Joon was a fun plus to the story.
Acting was overall enjoyable and actors in general were well cast.
In regards to the plot, I wasn't too impressed. I didn't dislike the drama, but there were some loose ends that weren't thoroughly resolved in the end and some of the plot devices are a bit overused in the K-drama world of today and therefore, unbelievable/predictable, lacking the impact they were meant to inflict.
What kind of fell flat to me was the ending. I think that the bad guys were written pretty black-and-white for the first 3/4 of the story and then in the last 2 or 3 episodes they are all of a sudden more complex beings and not all bad. This didn't flow well to me because the shift was very abrupt and inconsistent with the rest of the drama.
I think something else that was lacking from the ending was the relationship resolution between Do Hyun and his first cousin. It was implied that they would eventually have a big scene together fighting or whatnot, but it never happened, which left me wanting for something more. It was implied that they had a close relationship as children and that it needed to be mended as adults, but they barely had any scenes together throughout the whole drama. Which brings me to wonder, was it really necessary to include the cousin as a "villain" who was relatively harmless compared to the bigger demons Do Hyun was coming to terms with?
On the plus side, this drama had WAY more birth secrets than I thought it would AND I was genuinely surprised twice, which is a good thing. XD
Anyways, Kill Me, Heal Me is a decent drama and I understand how it became such a huge mainstream drama, but it personally lacks that extra umph that gets me to weep and rejoice with the characters. Honestly, I think that this drama gets all the attention as being a "must-see" because it's one of the few that deals with mental illness as the main plot device, which is good, don't get me wrong (mental illness is definitely under-represented in media and *should* be recognized), but just because the drama is addressing a minority concept doesn't mean that it's automatically amazing.
Kill Me, Heal Me has flaws, just like every drama, and for me personally, the great moments of this drama did not outweigh it's shortcomings for me to glaze over the flaws. What kept me watching was Shin Se Gi (he was my favorite character) and the small comedic moments sprinkled throughout (especially through Ahn Yo Na). And for those of you who are wondering if this is a romantic comedy - I wouldn't consider this a romantic comedy. It is much more of a melodrama - there's a lot of well-deserved crying and emotional outbursts in the second half of this drama that shifts the genre significantly to me.
Oh! And I would really like to add that while Hallucination the OST is AMAZING, the instrumental piece that sounds like a circus' theme song is TERRIFYING and every time it came on, I desperately hoped that it would shut off. XD
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Over the course of the first 12 episodes, I fell in-love with each character of the family and wanted the best for them. It was excellent writing because by the time it came to deal with Cha Mi Rae's illness, my heart broke, as it should. I cried for the characters a couple of times for sure. The acting was superb! BUTTTTTT the ending was still happy (NOT bittersweet in my opinion). By the end of this drama, you happily accept that we don't know what tomorrow brings and so don't waste time - embrace those you love while you can. A humbling yet happy message.
I loved that each episode had me laughing and the story didn't get too melodramatic. Sure, some things weren't necessarily realistic, but I wasn't expecting that either (if you watch the trailer, you'd known that this isn't a terribly melodramatic drama). I also LOVED all the comedic sound effects added to many of the scenes - definitely helped lighten the tone and communicate more cheer. :D While some people may have mentioned those noises as being immature and distracting, I found them uplifting and cheerful and they helped balance the sadder concepts of the drama.
The music in Super Daddy Yeol is absolutely mesmerizing! For those of you who are wondering what song Han Yeol's father plays on the saxophone (episode 9) it is called "Lonely People" by Lee Jung Sun (nearly impossible to identify!). I can't stop listening to it and absolutely love it!
I've never seen Lee Dong Gun before this drama, but I really enjoyed his acting. He was wonderful to watch grow from a bachelor to a father.
Lee Yoo Ri was the only reason why I found out about this drama. I still adore her acting! She's amazing! One of my favorites! And so gorgeous! I'd also like to mention that her hairstyle in the second half (the blunt thick bangs) of the drama really reminds me of Jung Eun Ji (in a good way - I adore her too!).
Lee Re also did a great job! I saw her in Come Back Mister first (she's younger here) and even with this being an earlier performance, she did a great job! I can't wait to watch her grow and see her in more mature roles!
Really, all the actors did a wonderful job, but those were my big shout-outs.
Don't let the rating of this drama deter you from giving it a shot. It's a great drama that leaves you satisfied, cheerful, and optimistic. While everything isn't explained and the plot/some characters are flawed, it's genuinely enjoyable. The characters are relatable and FUNNY and they GROW as individuals.
***I would recommend this drama to people who enjoyed Shopping King Louie and Reply 1997.
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In regards to how I feel about the movie...I've got some mixed feelings, but they're not necessarily bad feelings. I think the movie kind of lacks plot - what is the purpose to the male MC switching bodies? What's the reason behind it? While I was okay with the movie not answering those types of questions right away, by the end, we still don't get an answer to those questions. And while the ending wasn't bad, the loose ends definitely take away from the movie overall. BUT the story along the way and seeing the mini-stories of all the couples that the male MC helped was very heartwarming. And I really loved that we got that epilogue scene for all those side-couples in the end - very satisfying for sure!
I don't think I'll rewatch this movie just because of how the ending doesn't really feel complete for the male MC for me, but I can definitely acknowledge that it was enjoyable to see the one time. Nothing poorly done, just not spectacular. The mini-plots for each of the couples is really what makes this movie worth watching.
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A laugh-out-loud murder mystery!
I was *not* expecting to enjoy this movie nearly as much as I did. Ha Ji Won being the leading actress is what convinced me to watch it and she did not dissappoint.While the plot could have been predicted by an experienced mystery lover, I found that the writers did a great job providing only enough details to keep us guessing as to who the murderer was.
The story was well paced and the humor was so well balanced with the murder-mystery. 2 particular scenes had me dying with laughter (I'm still giggling a day later when thinking about those hilarious scenes).
I do not usually watch murder mysteries, but Life Risking Business was so light that I couldn't help but enjoy myself. I highly encourage this watch! It will not disappoint!
***Please note that Life Risking Romance is not a terribly serious or heavy movie. It is a murder mystery comedy (with a teensy bit of romance).
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There's nothing particularly remarkable about Secret Garden, but it is a solid drama. I finished it in 3 days and there was no point where I didn't want to continue watching (I actually had to convince myself to pause the drama and go to sleep haha). There's nothing particularly unique or breathtaking about Secret Garden, especially when you compare it to what all has been released in the K-drama world since it's release. BUT, it *is* enjoyable. I found all the characters enjoyable to watch. My favorite character was probably Oska (Yoon Sang Hyun is so entertaining!) because he was cute and sincere. Even though the male MC's mother was a b*tch, she wasn't that different from most chaebol mothers portrayed in the K-drama world, so I wasn't too surprised or terribly bothered by her antics. And all the characters got a clean ending and the ending for our MCs was wrapped up well and satisfying.
The OST was nice, but it isn't my favorite out of all the K-dramas I've watched, BUT I really really REALLY love Scar by Bois - you can feel the pain and sorrow of the song and it gets stuck in your head in a good way (very easy to hum by yourself haha).
I would really recommend watching Secret Garden if you haven't gotten around to it, especially if you've been in the K-drama world for a while. It feels like a mainstream "classic" that everyone really should watch. Secret Garden definitely has more PDA than the dramas I'm seeing these days, but it leaves you with very pleasant and warm feelings.
Also, I found Kim Joo Won's chant about the turtle and the crane joke to be sooooo adorable. XD
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