Disappointing: Rushed plot leads to underdeveloped characters

Double World was a highly anticipated movie for me for 2 reasons: Henry Lau and the OST MV "Don't Go" (also by Henry Lau). Both these aspects had me looking forward to the movie - it looked intense and interesting!

Unfortunately, while the cinematography and set/costumes quality were great, the story really suffered from rushed execution of plot and poor character development. Due to the extremely rushed story, we do not get a chance to really get to know the main characters nor really capture the character dynamics between MCs. This was super disappointing because each of the MCs had so much potential to be interesting, but their stories were wasted due to their poor character development and rushed telling of the story. It felt like the writers were trying to fit a bunch into the movie, but to compensate for the amount they wanted to fit in, they rushed every plot point to fit everything in, sacrificing adequate development of both characters and plot. This was devastating to my overall enjoyment of the movie because in the end, when tragedy hit, I felt nothing. I wasn't sitting on the edge of my seat with anticipation/worry; rather, I was sitting back, kind of shrugging at the new development, unmoved.

*sigh* Overall, Double World is a serious letdown. It wasn't bad, but it severely missed the mark of "awesome" since you could taste the potential of the characters (and plot) but they were never given the opportunity to grow and shine. I would not recommend Double World, nor will I be watching it again.

Read More

I started this on a whim because it was conveniently on Netflix and I was between currently aired episodes of the ongoing dramas I was watching at the time. I don't usually watch C-dramas (I think I've seen maybe 2 or 3) and I usually have trouble getting sucked into them just because the language sounds so different from Korean and many times it's a voice-over, so it's a bit distracting. And also, the stunts can be a bit too exaggerated for me. But this drama didn't have any of those awkward things to get through. There's no voice-overs and no over-the-top stunts (not the right genre for that anyways haha).

AND what I really enjoyed was the great use of the OST's and sound effects. I'm a sucker for sound effects used to accentuate funny moments and this drama does a great job doing that! I also totally bought into the love story of the 2 MCs. They were so cute together and they're innocence was adorable to watch. And the trope throughout the whole drama - how the male MC thought with a scientific mind while the female MC thought with a more laymen's mind - was realistically funny to see from both sides when they misunderstood each other and came to understand one another.

The drama is easily binge-watched over a long weekend with how fast-paced and fun this drama is. Nothing got draggy thankfully. And I also think that the female MC's high school crush was handled well; honestly, I thought he was a pretty big loser, but they concluded his side of the story well. The only reason this drama didn't score higher for me was just because I truly disliked the story of the high school crush - even though he was handled well in the end, I didn't care for his character or his romance/story (I came close to skipping their scenes). If I were to ever watch this again, I'd definitely skip his scenes.

Overall, very fun, light-hearted, romantic comedy. I liked it so much that I'm willing to give more C-dramas a chance in the future. Recommend for sure.

Read More

Unexpectedly amazing and light-hearted for a law movie

I was not expecting this movie to be nearly as good as it was or for me to like it and enjoy it as much as I did. I watched the trailer and it has some great actors in it, so I decided to give it a shot. I just finished watching it and it was really really good.

I'm always worried that a law/crime based drama/movie is going to be too gruesome or brutal for me to stomach, which usually deters me from watching them, but the execution of this movie was pleasantly unexpected! It was much more light-hearted compared to a lot of law movies, which I really liked. But it still managed to hit on some very serious morals that made you think and analyze what you *think* you know or understand. I cried in the end.

The only reason why I took off 1/2 a star was because I would have really liked to know where each of the characters wound up in 2019 in the last scene. That would have helped provide a nice wrapped conclusion in the end.

Juror 8 was surprisingly good AND it's based on a true story. Excellent pace and well executed! I really enjoyed this. Highly recommend for sure!

Read More

For some reason I always thought that this drama was a movie and so I always put it off, but in actuality it's a 4 episode, 1 hour per episode, drama! Like an extra long movie! I watched it in one day and I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. Don't let the title deter you - it is NOT kinky or sexual at all! There's only 1 kiss in the whole drama and there's nothing really scandalous at all! "Naked" simply refers to the modelling gig the male MC takes on which introduces him to the female MC.

Anyways, the pacing of the 4 episodes was great with nothing moving too slowly or too quickly. I was TOTALLY surprised with who the bad guy was (but it doesn't take much to surprise me LMAO).
I also think that the writers did a good job with their selection of actors and how they portrayed the characters because many of the characters were left pretty mysterious until close to the end when their true intentions/tendencies were finally unmasked.

Overall, this drama wasn't perfect (for example, there were some character relationships that just seemed to fix themselves by the end of the drama that weren't really explained), but those imperfections didn't bring down the overall plot so they were easy to overlook for me.

I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick mystery-action drama!

****Also, please do NOT be scared of the ending. There is NO tag on this drama stating "tragedy" so do NOT fall for anything too quickly. XD I warned you! ;P

Read More

I actually buddy-watched this drama with a MDL friend (kingsqueen - thank you for all your patience while buddy watching this drama with me!) out of extreme anticipation and excitement for seeing So Ji Sub in a new drama (I fell in absolute love with him after seeing him in Oh My Venus). This drama started out with so much comedy, mostly through the KIS friends of the apartment homes and the twin children of our MC, Ae Rin. After Ae Rin and SJS's character, Bon, meet we see them slowly build a relationship. My heart melted constantly throughout each episode in the beginning just from watching Bon interacting with the twins in such gentle and caring ways.

Unfortunately about 3/4 through the drama the plot shifts and the children are taken out of the plot, which I think was a poor decision because their presence offered comic relief and something to gush over (the children actors were absolutely ADORABLE!). Things also got much more NIS involved, with the focus being more about spies and solving the case. I don't particularly mind this, but I very much preferred the plot prior to the shift in focus.

Something that REALLY bothered me was that the writers "killed" 1 particular character whom I grew to like and even though we end up finding out that that character isn't dead, I didn't appreciate the use of that trope personally.
There were also a few loose ends left unanswered, but nothing too terribly obvious, just things that left me pondering and wishing had been wrapped up better.

The soundtrack was very nice. I found that the music was well placed/timed and the music selection was appropriate in making me feel emotion during the right times. A personal favorite of mine was Shout to the Sky by Eun Sung - she has a beautiful voice and the tone is very fitting for the drama.

The main reason why I've rated this drama at a 7.5/10 is because it had so many sweet, lovely, and well-thought out pieces, but I don't think everything was put together and progressed seamlessly. For example, there are time jumps in the plot that are unspecified (the time jump duration is not stated) or they are somewhat random to conveniently move the plot, which I feel is poor planning and can be a bit sloppy and confusing, especially for the viewer. I am also absolutely disappointed in the fact that the romance that was alluded to throughout the entire drama was never truly resolved. There was no kiss to literally seal the relationship. And while many people might be okay with this, I really need more in a resolution to feel satisfied. And ultimately, the shift in the plot going from a lighthearted, comedic drama to a drama that became much more serious and mystery focused left me feel unsatisfied.

Overall, a good watch and something I would not be hesitant to recommend, but instead, explain it's shortcomings as a prelude as what to expect and encourage people to enjoy it for what it is. I will personally probably rewatch many of those comedic moments (mostly found in the first half of the drama, which usually involved the twin children) in the future simply because they made me smile and gush with happiness. :)

Read More

I wasn't really sure if I wanted to watch this drama because the atmosphere seemed kinda fogged to me, but it had really good reviews, so I figured it might be worth a shot. Once I finished this drama and got to the end, I was very satisfied. The beginning was a bit slow and it took until about episodes 6-8 for me to really get invested. I did like the sports aspect to the drama because it wasn't over-done. I could also totally understand the female MC's desire to be pretty and feminine. The romance was sweet, though the MC's are definitely not my favorite drama couple. It wasn't a waste of time watching this drama, but I don't think I really gained much out of this particular watch.

Read More

I was looking for something that would help me get past my sober feelings left by Moon Lovers and was watching a WHOLE BUNCH of trailers when I came across this piece of gold. Twenty is VERY funny, but only if you are in a certain type of mood. It is not a movie to watch when you're feeling a melodrama or serious movie. It is very sexually driven and laugh-out-loud funny. Do not watch with your parents. I repeat, DO NOT WATCH WITH YOUR PARENTS. I'm really close with my parents and we have open discussions about sex and other intimate topics, but it would be AWWW-KWWARD watching this with them. Anyways, the progression of plot was well done and well paced and I would just like to say that these dudes would be my ideal friends in real life. Movie was so entertaining that I watched it with my brother (who I'm really close with) the very next day.
***SHOUT OUT to Kim Woo Bin --- major eye candy --- his character was my favorite. His temper tantrum for continued allowance with his parents was really funny!

Read More

I definitely enjoyed To The Beautiful You, but I wouldn't say it was perfect. It heavily reminded me of She's The Man (with Amanda Bynes) because of the sports, school, and gender-bender similarities. Something I couldn't quite wrap my head around (but it didn't bother me too much) was how the female MC could justify moving from the US back to Korea just to convince her favorite athlete not to quit. That's just a bit extreme to me, but it didn't take away from the drama for me, so it was fine. To The Beautiful You was lighthearted and funny. The romance was cute too. The sports aspects were nicely incorporated and not too heavy. Probably not something I would rewatch, but I did really appreciate the actor's performances in this drama.

Read More

I really liked Suspicious Partner! The characters were all likable and the plot was very interesting to watch unfold. I really enjoyed the dynamics between Ji Chang Wook's character and the female MC, especially when they didn't get along so well. Ji Chang Wook is a very talented actor and I really appreciate how well he can capture and portray a variety of characters. The ending was great and all loose ends were tied up very well and satisfyingly. The only reason why there's half a star shaved off my rating is because there was a slightly awkward tone/atmosphere that you could barely notice, which threw me off occasionally - but not detrimentally because I still really enjoyed it! The grandfather was a hoot!

Read More

Reply 1997 was sooooooo much better than I thought it was going t be. It took a couple of episodes before I was completely hooked, but after getting into the groove of present-day vs. flash-backs, I was binge watching until the end. I really loved the chemistry between the two MC's and the suspense about which brother the female MC ends up with nearly killed me because I just HAD to know soooo bad (hence, the binge watch).

I really liked all the characters in this Reply series and oddly, I was highly entertained with the female MC's tantrums. They were hilariously cute to me and not annoying to me at all. I also found the younger brother (male MC) to be very attractive and his character was bashfully sweet. The way he ran to her when she was being stalked was *sigh* such perfection, it made my heart swell.

I also found Reply 1997 to be very reminiscent of my childhood, making me feel much older than I am (in a good way). I ended up being a little nostalgic and remembered all the things we went without in the 90's and did so differently, even here, on the other side of the world. I also liked seeing the similarities between here and Korea in the 90's.
Overall, while there were some obvious/inevitable flaws to the drama, the ending was thoroughly satisfying and the execution was well done. Since this was so good, I gave the sequel (Reply 1994) a fair chance (and I enjoyed it too - refer to my review for it, if interested).

Read More

Such a nice show. I loved watching the family relationships between the siblings, parents, and extended family. While the series was 52 episodes, each episode spent time showing each character and their life, so the episodes actually flew by. Hyeyeong and Cha Jung Hwan were my absolute favorite to watch! Hye Yeong had soooo much attitude and character that I couldn't help but love her from the first scene to the last. "Inner peace" was probably her best quote!
Mi Yeong and Jung Hee were okay (and I know Jung Hee's story was super important to the overall plot) I just didn't love their romance all too much.
Overall, a very heartwarming, emotionally packed family drama. I would definitely watch if you value and understand living in large extended family households and enjoy a little bit of romance and mystery mixed in.

Read More

AMAZING!!!!!! I didn't expect to love Go Back Couple, but it really grabbed my heart. I watched a 10 minute clip by chance one night while scrolling through stuff before bed and decided I'd start watching it the next day and that's when I found out it was sooooo good!!! I definitely cried a lot - mother daughter scenes, sorrow over not being able to be with their son, not being able to be together - I didn't bawl, but I definitely got chocked up for them all in general. And I've always said, if the writers can get me to cry for the characters, then they did a good job. I did cry really hard during one particular scene near the end; the scenario was so unexpected that I had tears running down my face before even realizing they had started. The lack of hesitation in this scene, showing the true love the husband felt for his wife stole my breath and tears instantly.

Go Back Couple will speak true to those people who have been with their significant other for many years, like I have. Where you forget to be tender with each other, to communicate with each other, and why you love each other. It communicates how life's struggles and troubles can really cloud your true personality, emotions, and feelings, creating space and walls between yourself and others you never intended to create.

Go Back Couple starts out very sad. It starts with a divorce - a place we never thought we would end up 15 years ago, but here we are. You see the inner thoughts of each character and find out what really went through their heads during those detrimental moments that ultimately ended their marriage.

What made this drama so amazing for me was how they were forced back in time, forced to interact with each other (to their chagrin) because their friends were in similar social circles and forced to really communicate. What they discovered about each other really moved me as a viewer and as a wife.

The ending was perfect and the pace and humor (their friends were HILARIOUS) were in perfect balance so you wouldn't be dragged down by a melodrama (which, Go Back Couple was NOT).
If you have been in a romantic relationship with someone for 10 years or more, this is a must watch. It will humble you and remind you as to why you love that person and where you hope to never see your relationship go (before you have to go back in time to fix it, that is ;D ).

Read More

Great first half, horrible plot twist

I'm dropping this after only watching 13 episodes, mostly because it became too ridiculous for me to continue investing time in.

The amnesia, while cliche, was tolerable. The large secret the husband kept from the wife felt really wrong and kind of silly when you consider his postion, wealth, and power. The "killing" of a side character for plot progression *rolls eyes*. Plainly put, the villians felt juvenille and the plot twist was super dumb and borderline creepy, cultural diffrrences aside.

I wouldn't recommend this drama, even if the first half of the drama was enjoyable.

Read More

Do you love the shell or the mind? My answer by the end...Love. Is. Love.

Shin Hye Sun is what drew me into watching this drama in the first place - I've loved her in everything I've seen her in. The beginning of Mr. Queen was pretty rough for me. The first couple of episodes were sincerely awkward and over-the-top silly to watch. I've watched a number of historicals, most of which I enjoyed, and so watching this felt like satire. But slowly (VERY slowly), I came to appreciate the beauty in this story; it took until about half way through the drama for me to no longer feel bored and start genuinely enjoying the story and character dynamics.

Shin Hye Sun really is what carries this drama. Her acting is impeccable - I could feel all her emotion in just her facial expressions. And the way she impersonates a man was spot-on!
Kim Jung Hyun unfortunately just didn't do it for me. I've never really had an opinion about him either way in all the dramas I've seen him in (so far, I've liked him best as Alberto in Crash Landing On You), but in this one, I just don't think he was the right fit. He doesn't have the presence for the type of character he was trying to embody, which was a pity. But by the end of the drama, I had simply come to terms with his lacking qualities in portraying his character and just enjoyed the drama for what it was.

Plot-wise, I found the second half of the drama much more interesting and entertaining to watch than the first half (which, honestly, was terribly boring for me). And I'll be completely honest: It took a little while, but I really came to terms with the odd romantic dynamic between the King and Jang Bong Hwan...and liked it and rooted for them!

Mr. Queen sincerely challenged the way I perceive romantic love; it was something I had to acknowledge about myself and then push past the initial discomfort so I could see the beauty of this love. The portrayal and development of their romance was really so well done on the writer's part, where it had nothing to do with gender, that I couldn't deny their love. Do you simply love the shell? Do you actually love the mind regardless of the shell? Is it both? And what I came to realize is that there's no real right answer. Love. Is. Love. *Sigh*
So yes, I am one of the people who just wasn't satisfied with the ending.

If the story was not going to turn out having a romantic ending for Jang Bong Hwan, why have him feel those romantic feelings toward the King? I don't agree that So Yong's spirit inside the Queen's body made Jang Bong Hwan feel romantic feelings for the King. I just don't think it was that simple. Jang Bong Hwan came to care for the King as a person while seeing him struggle and looking past the mask he wore in front of the court. You see this breakthrough in the first half of the drama while the King struggles with maintaining his façade in the palace.
To be clear: I'm okay with Jang Bong Hwan going back to present day. I mean, come on, if So Yong's spirit is still in there, she deserves to live too. I'm totally for that. BUT, why doesn't Jang Bong Hwan get a romantic ending too? It felt like Jang Bong Hwan did all the hard work in getting the King to fall in love with the Queen, his feelings getting tangled up along the way, but he doesn't get to reap the rewards. And honestly, the King loved the Queen BECAUSE of Jang Bong Hwan. I'm not sure if he would have been drawn to her had Jang Bong Hwan not been impacting her behavior. It's even implied that the King noticed that things were different....the dramatic irony is that Kim Byung In didn't notice the change in the Queen...with the King noticing it, you'd expect him to then long for what was missing, right?
Also, you've seen it so many times in dramas - why didn't they do some form of reincarnation of the King in present day as a woman so Jang Bong Hwan gets his romantic happily ever after??? They've done it so many times before. Such a wasted opportunity.

Due to these points, I am having trouble feeling satisfaction with the ending of this drama. I understand that due to social taboos in South Korea, the writers felt pressure to be more conservative in representing sexuality, but it just feels supremely unfair to Jang Bong Hwan. I truly believe based on their dynamics, inner monologues, and interactions, he romantically loved the King, not just So Yong's affections coming through and imprinting on him. His feelings developed and grew over time in a reasonable fashion. Even though Mr. Queen is not nearly as tragic, this ending reminds me of the lacking ending from Scarlet Heart. *sigh*

The OST was really great! "Here I Am" by Jo Hyun Ah was my absolute favorite in the entire drama. I absolutely adored her voice and the melody. *applause*

I don't think I would be able to rewatch this and I personally didn't enjoy it enough to warrant recommending it to others. Shin Hye Sun was amazing, but...the story, the comedy, and the unsatisfactory ending are enough for me to just feel meh about it.

Read More

So I really liked Jealousy Incarnate up until both boys in the love triangle realized that they both love the female MC and the female MC became indecisive as to who she wanted to be with. It drove me crazy. In real life, she would know who she wanted to be with - both men were vastly different so her being wishy-washy really isn't realistic. I personally do not enjoy watching a woman cheat and being indecisive, hurting people along the way. Overall, I really enjoyed the first half of this drama - it was HILARIOUS and the sexual tensions were building very nicely. But unfortunately, I really lost interest and became fed up with how they were dragging out the love triangle. I read recaps for the remaining episodes and come to find out, the love triangle doesn't resolve until the second the last episode. That's just too much for me, which is what officially caused me to decide to drop this drama.

Read More