dapinaymrs
Pearl of the Orient
Are you sure you want to watch this drama? Chongmalyo?
Kure.
Then you need a few things: a mind that understands, a heart that feels and loads upon loads of tissue paper.
As any Korean drama, Scent of a Woman starts of with the cliches: an indifferent chaebol (Kang Ji Wook) falls for a poor spinster (Lee Yeon Jae--who looks like she's in desperate need of a make-over) who turns out to have a terminal illness. The supporting male lead (Dr. Cha Eun Suk) has eyes for the heroine but could not confess his feelings, and there's the secondary female lead (Im Sae Kyung) who is a b*tchy daughter of a rich businessman and is arranged to marry the chaebol.
However what makes this drama special is how it successfully weaved its exceptional story to the growth of the characters episode by episode.
Yeon Jae develops a determined outlook in life to fulfill the things she had only dreamed of as a lowly desk employee of a touring agency and starts a bucket list of 20 things she wants to accomplish before she dies of gall bladder cancer. From her meek and docile character she learns how to appreciate herself and live life in search of her happiness. She develops a romantic relationship with Ji Wook and tries to stay away to prevent him from heartache in the future, but soon realizes that his love runs deep.
Kang Ji Wook, for his part, was painted as a mature and understanding person. From the meaningless and routinary life that he led, Ji Wook learns to appreciate life and to live life diligently. For all his worth, Ji Wook became Yeon Jae's pillar of strength and the most stable source of love she is able to draw from.
Secondary contradictions and side-stories also developed well in the drama--this makes for an air-tight storyline, with each side-story supporting the main one. Best parts are Hee Joo and her mom (this convinces Yeon Jae to confess to her mom), Ji Wook and his dad (he fights for his love and the right to be with Yeon Jae), Dr. Cha Eun Suk's character development (from a cold, detached doctor to a person who feels), Yeon Jae's mom and seongsangnim Kim Dong Min (she says sorry and lets her mom re-marry).
Prepare to cry your eyes out by the latter episodes from heartaches. However these heartaches are necessary to drive at resolutions at the end. I found the heaviest part when Yeon Jae finally confesses to her mom of her condition. Her mother's wail, tears and 'Eottoke' lines delivered like she was going crazy drove ME crazy. Interestingly, I felt this was the climax, not scenes with Ji Wook as their reconciliation was resolved earlier.
I could not have asked for a better ending. Like many others I was cringing at the end because I knew from the start that it was a tragedy and death was inevitable. And yet, Scent of a Woman chose not to end with a tragic note. It provided closure to unresolved relations, uplifts us and leaves us with a strong desire to do the same with life. Fighting and living it to the fullest.
Great writing, great cast, awesome soundtrack although I can't say I'd like to watch and go through this pain all over again.
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However, Sunflower, perhaps, is one of the few enticingly dark stories that gets marked in your head. Kim Rae Won portrays Tae Sik, a high school drop-out who paid jail-time (was it ten years?) for 'cleaning up' the neighborhood of high school punks and thugs. We see how he's trying to catch up with the changes around him and how he's sincerely wanting to change through an old dirty notebook where he keeps a list of 'To dos'.
But oh, some people just wouldn't have it. He's been maimed, bullied, pushed to the limit. So much that it makes you want to cringe when he just keeps quiet and walks away. And when he does snap, it was like a volcano erupting.
Story is a 10 - closer to reality.
Acting/Cast 10 - Awesome characters.
Rewatch value - well, if you want a tragedy...
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Dooenjang/The Recipe is a perfect example of a simple story made extraordinary. Lee Yo Won, as usual, portrays her character with grace and calmness and Lee Dong Wook was the perfect 'masked goblin.' But the best performance goes to Ryu Seong Ryong, who played the inquisitive, go-getter reporter who went to great lengths just to piece every bit of truth behind the story that makes up The Recipe.
Story - If you're just as inquisitive and scientific, this story will guarantee you a 10
Cast and Music - awesome
Rewatch Value - Although a tragedy, still highly rewatchable masterpiece
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I couldn't feel the chemistry between the main leads that others are talking about. Where is it?! Yoon Eun Hye plays a spoiled second generation chaebol and her love interest is her butler, played by Yoon Sang Hyun. While they are actually notably good actors separately, I just couldn't feel any spark between them.
I was more interested on how the second leads were developing their own romance!
Story - Other than the rich-poor falling in love story line, the man helps the woman gain foothold in her harabuji's company and the main and the second male lead fighting over Hye Na's love, the writers must've ran out of cliches to show and ended it with yet another cliche!
Acting/Cast - Yoon Eun Hye, forgive me. I have always liked you, but that wail you keep on doing is grating on my nerves. Kudos though for Jung Il Woo and Moon Chae Won for keeping the cute love side-story to an otherwise boring main cast.
Rewatch value: Please don't make me.
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Honestly, I found myself disliking Dokgo Jin from the start. He's a self-centered, arrogant, not-a-speck on my impeccable suit top star who thinks everybody should think it's an honor for them to receive his attention--and even says so! To top it off, he makes this annoying peek-a-boo action and drawls out 'Dingdong' with unbelievable obnoxiousness. And what kind of man can have perfectly-shaven arched eyebrows?! Well, only Cha Seung Won!
But then, who would have thought this demi-god of a superstar would come down from his pedestal and be the knight who valiantly offers to sell himself out just to save the has-been that is Gu Ae Jong? How this perfectly conceited man turn every flaw into an endearment is...amazing.
For her part, Gu Ae Jong has seen it all, a fame that was struck down in an instant and been trampled on for the past decade. A woman who reluctantly accepts Dokgo Jin's affection and then bit by bit, learns to embrace every 'dingdong', 'recharge' and 'dugun dugun'.
Memorable moments: embrace scene at Ep 9, the way he said 'Bo?' and the way he looked when she asked him to go on a picnic with her, and darn, when he shaved that cow mustache!
Awesome acting, tight storyline, definitely for a rewatch, only wish there were other songs to listen to. I'm going on a Cha Seung Won backtrack!
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The beginning of the story got me engaged and instantly gave the premise that it's a fantasy movie, following the lives of the poor little girl who exchanged her fate for a piece of bread and the man who could turn back time but could not remember his past.
It's a delight to watch, if you're the type who likes romance wrapped in a mysterious fantasy-action story that unfolds bit by bit. The scenes are shot against a cinematic background (makes you recall those Chinese paintings in color and detail)and they flow seamlessly one after the other.
The story develops as the characters reveal their true selves and strangely, I found myself sympathizing more for the man in the mysterious feathery black coat and scarred white face. In the end, he helps Kun Lun to remember his past and sacrifice himself for their kind's last hope.
Story - an outstanding 10 in my book
Cast - Stellar cast:
Liu Ye - as the scarred and damaged Snow Wolf
Hiroyuki Sanada as the warrior-general in the sun helmet
Jang Dong Gun - as the Princess' hero, Kun Lun (I didn't even know this ahjusshi was from S. Korea)
Music - this is a Chinese movie, of course it's a 10
Rewatch value - I watched it for like 4 times and had to restrain myself from watching it again. Darn why did it have to end so soon!
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This review may contain spoilers
I'd probably get flak for this later but what the hell, I couldn't find a review that captured the kind of emotion I have for this drama.Have you ever found a drama that got sooo much attention and praise not to mention the love of 40% of the whole viewership in Korea that you start to get all skeptical and say to yourself: "Well, drama, let's see the stuff that you're made of!"
The Moon Embracing the Sun is an adaptation of Haereul Poomeun Dal, a fiction novel set in the Joseon era written by the same writer of the novel The Lives of the Sungkyunkwan Confucian Scholars that was also adapted into a drama--Sungkyunkwan Scandal.
But that's where the similarity ends. While SKKS is a solid rom-com, TMEtS is a...drama-slash-horror-slash-romance with some attempts at comic relief...
Story - I am giving this a 9 mainly because I think the over-all pace could have been faster or the attention could have spanned more to supporting characters for their development and cohesion with the progress of the main story.
Instead, it gravitated heavily on Yeon Woo and her story and left little time for other things to develop.
If you're used to the grander way they plot the scheme of things in historicals, then you might find The Moon Embracing the Sun falling short of such expectations. However if you'e got commitment issues like me, packing it all in 20 episodes is fine. In this case though, an additional 4 would have been better if only I get to see some side-developments for the supporting cast.
Everthing was in place for the ending. It tied up loose ends and gave us closure to all conflicts--even if those closure weren't exactly how we liked it to be. I am not in the least way surprised how it ended in a bloodbath since it was all predicted before but I was rather taken aback when one particular character had to die.
I spent two days asking myself why, trying to find the rationale behind it. The feeling, it was something akin to seeing innocent children charging off to battle and then realizing it's not all fun and games...(Let's call this character K.)It made me realize how deprived this character was of a healthy, normal upbringing, where K showed gratitude by fending for K's loved ones--selflessly, without thinking that no one is there to fend for K's self. T_T
Acting/Cast - is a 9. I think anybody who has seen the drama would agree that the teen cast did a terrific job introducing their adult counterparts. So much so that when the drama jumped forward, we were missing them so badly.
So kudos to all of TMEtS' teen cast! They were the pace-setter, the base of emotions that the adults needed to draw from. Yeo Jin Goo, Kim Yoo Jung and Lee Min Ho (1993), I will never forget this trio!
There were a few notable performances from its supporting cast:
Jeon Mi Seon - as godmother/head shaman
Jung Eun Pyo - as the King's reliable eunuch and confidante
Yang Mi Kyung - as Lady Heo, Yeon Woo's mother
Jang Young Nam's role as Ahri was short-lived but it had a very strong impact and it was memorable
Lots of could-have-beens for Song Jae Rim and Yoon Seung Ah. I kept on waiting for epic swordfights, I swear. If you have two characters who are supposed to have exceptional skills in swordsmanship, well you could have shown some more serious action...or interaction between them. [POTENTIAL SPOILER/SKIP THIS BRACKETED PART: Honestly, instead of using an investigator to uncover the mystery, they could have incorporated these two in a developing side-romance while on this mission.]
There were times when I wasn't sold on Nam Bora's Min Hwa, maybe because she doesn't know what a real mother feels like (I mean she's young and single after all) that she couldn't emulate it properly but the part where Min Hwa proved her selfishness was actually one moment where she shone--and where I strongly disliked her character!
Kim Min Seo was good in this one as the queen at her wits' end (although I liked her better in SKKS as the bad-ass Chosun) though after two episodes seeing her act that way was tiring.
Kim Soo Hyun gave a unique portrayal as the King, although I must say Jin Goo's amazing take on Lee Hwon was unforgettable.
Yang Myung gun was probably the character who had the smoothest transition. They had similar vibes and gestures. Yes, I know it's not Jung Il Woo's best character but to me he still shone no matter how big or small his role was.
Aigoo, this is gonna be doubly long if I have to discuss Han Ga In's Yeon Woo. I couldn't say she was an epic fail...it's just that her performance wasn't enough to evoke empathy for her character.
Music is a 10. I loved those string instrumentals, they can really get you in the mood.
Rewatch value - 8. Only because I really don't like rewatching tragedies.
At the overall, TMEtS maintains a high 9. I would have added a .5 for costume and choreography.
Thanks for reading my looooong review! Now go watch it!
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This review may contain spoilers
To say that this is a romantic comedy set against a political backdrop is a matter of perspective.City Hall, for me, paints a typical--if not accurate--picture of Asian countryside politics from the petty to the scheming bureaucracy and party politics, then taking it up a notch by touching on national politics and slowly intertwining it with a meaningful love story that develops into the fore.
WARNING: potential spoilers up ahead!
Shin Mi Rae is a 10th grade civil servant who, after winning a contest, finds herself being the victim of Inju's swindling city government. Mi Rae, indignant about this injustice, initiates a self-serving one-person protest until it becomes a city-wide issue. Mi Rae realizes that her issue is one among many of those being ignored by the government and through her efforts have gained the support of Inju constituents.
Jo Guk, son of a legendary figure in politics, have grand ambitions of running for national office however because his father's wishes, he grudgingly comes to Inju where his father wants to implement an elaborate plan in order hoist himself back into the political arena.
Both leads, although romantically linked, tackled substantial issues: on women, on livelihood, on farming, on employment, on social services, on elections, even on big businesses investing in a small unknown town. And this is what makes it a cut above your ordinary rom-com: it's not all lovey-dovey.
Although the story's treatment of these issues can seemingly be simplified and leaning on the melodramatic, you can still find little bits of truth in every issue presented in City Hall. And what I appreciate about this is the fact that it's love story develops at the second half and how it strikes a balance between love and politics. Thus, viewers get to see how Mi Rae and Jo Guk develop their romance from disgust and awkwardness to curiously interesting and becomes a love that's tugging-at-your-sleeve-and-asking-for-some-attention.
Acting - Dynamite! Kim Sun Ah, Cha Seung Won and the rest of the cast are dynamite! A remarkable and note-worthy performance goes to Yoon Se Ah's portrayal of Go Go-Hae--her acting was so flawless that I wanted to slap her!
Music - Although limited, there are some likable tunes that fit into hilarious moments as well as the more subdued ones.
Rewatch value - Odd. You might ask why a 7. Some might find it an easy rewatch, but personally, this is not the type I'd rewatch anytime soon.
At the overall, City Hall maintains a high 9.
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Yes, this drama launched Kim Hyun Joong into notable fame in SE Asia (and other parts of the world, I presume) as a follow-up role from Boys Over Flowers (how our hearts bled for Ji Hoo). He is, in this series--Baek Seung Jo, a genius who is the object of affection--or should we say obsession--of Oh Ha Ni.
If you've done any research on this story, you might have taken note that it's based off the manga 'Itazura na Kiss.' As I became increasingly irritated by Oh Ha Ni's blind devotion to Baek Seung Jo, I tried to search for the original story and check if there were any deviation from it. Surprisingly, there were NONE. And if there were, they were minuscule and hardly noticeable.
Ah but even if Jung So Min acted so naturally, she could have been so much more. And Kim Hyun Joong...I don't even want to go there.
Story - you can live without it
Rewatch value - are you kidding me?
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The Princess' Man is, as the critics and viewers say, the story of Romeo and Juliet in Joseon style. Moon Chae Won plays Se Ryeong, cousin to the Crown Prince and the Princess Kyung Hye (Hong Soo Hyun).
She is at first betrothed to Kim Seung Yu (Park Shi Hoo)but as things go awry between their fathers, the Grand Prince Su Yang and Kim Jong Seo, they find themselves--and those close to them, inevitably caught in a complicated web of contradictions.
The story is a 9. There are some occasions where I felt the story should've picked up pace especially at those urgent times when it's a matter of life and death. Surprisingly, the side-stories were very well developed and I found the secondary contradictions among the characters much more intense than that of the main one (Se Ryeong-Seung Yu-Su Yang).
I have mixed feelings about the ending. If I had imagined an epic battle scene between Su Yang and Seung Yu, that was a grand, grand illusion. If anybody unlocks the message they were trying to convey at the ending, please tell me. As of press time, my brain can't decipher.
The acting is a 9. The cast did an amazing performance. Among those that really shone in this series are
Hong Soo Hyun for her terrific portrayal of the Princess Kyung Hye--reinventing herself at every turn: a cold princess, an unwilling bride, a woman slowly falling in love, a passionate wife and a calm, collected mother.
Lee Min Woo as the reliable Prince Consort Jung and BFFs to Shin Myun and Seung Yu
Song Jong Ho for his exceptional performance as the ever-tormented and tragic Shin Myun
Kim Yeong Cheol as the terrifying Grand Prince Su Yang, father to Se Ryeong
Park Shi Hoo and Moon Chae Won gave off sparks and did generally well although I felt she was a tad short on facial expressions for a number of emotions she had to portray. (And somehow, I could not appreciate her calling him 'seonsangnim' at the end...come to think of it, did you hear him say her name ever?)
Rewatch value and Overall: Solid 9. If you want a saeguk that tightly focuses on the love story and not so much on politics and war tactics, The Princess' Man is highly rewatchable.
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Oh well, but after a while, the daddy issues were increasingly redundant as is the case of keeping his identity a secret to protect the ones he love logic gradually faulty as almost everyone around him knew who he was. And, in the midst of it all, there were these shameless plugs for fast food chicken, social gadgets, heck even a washing machine.
The story broke off to a strong start but the intensity gradually decreased as it ended. To put it mildly, it was NOT the best ending any writer do for a whole series that was so explosive. If the writers wanted to leave this drama open-ended, they failed, and miserably so. I'll leave that for you to find out.
Story - could have been a perfect 10 if there had been closure for the other issues that were left behind
Acting - The cast was awesome! Kim Sang Joong's surrogate father role as Lee Jin Pyo practically owned it. Best villainous conviction with a soft spot for Yoon Sung and let's not forget the ever square Prosecutor Kim!
Music - 10 out of 10. Best part was that instrumental for the underwater hand salute Jin Pyo gives to his partner Moo Yul as he sinks to the bottom of the sea. It's a dang good OST!
Rewatch value - Once is good enough for me.
Overall - it's still a great drama!
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I am making this review after watching Dream High for the 4th time...oh no wait, was it the 5th time? I lost count already!
Anyways, this is for you people who haven't watched this series yet and are looking all over DC for a highly recommendable drama. Ok, first off: I am not a fan whatsoever of 2pm, Miss A nor have I ever heard IU sing before I watched this and Eun Jung is the only person in this cast whom I have previously seen in Coffee House (and that old DBSK mini-drama of which the title escapes my mind at the moment) but then again, I'm not into T-ara.
I've heard about Dream High before but have never really gained interest in watching it because, like some of the dramacrazy people here, I thought this was another high school drama with a superficial plot that would throw in every little cliche writers could think of and end in a very predictable way. But I am glad to say, I stand corrected.
As it turned out, there ARE cliches in the story but they become surprisingly pleasant twists that will keep you anticipating what'll happen next. For one, I learned not so long ago not to back up any male or female leads in a love triangle too much--that way you won't get too disappointed when the story doesn't end your way. This twist really made me love this series all the more and it's what making me watch it over and over again!
What to expect here--since this is an arts school, expect singing, dancing, tidbits of music lessons, tidbits of idol life and the music industry. Well, of course there's a love triangle! It wouldn't be as exciting if it was all work and career.
About the characters--mainly a lively young cast. I sincerely thought they acted rather impressively for their parts.
Suzy is a find. At her age, she's a clay you can mold. Thanks to Taec-yeon and Soo Hyun's coaching.
Taec-yeon shows maturity in acting through his character Jin Gook and in taking care of both Suzy and Soo Hyun (oh yes, I watched BTS footages). Very admirable. I also like the fact that he acts naturally/comfortably.
Soo Hyun is young and multi-talented. Not an idol but he's got the chops and acts amazingly! Left-handed people really ARE into arts! Really is a vision of many things to come. I have a feeling he's going to become EPIC.
IU blew me away. Idol stars are almost all in here but the one that really sucked me into watching was IU singing Someday at the auditions in Episode 1. As far as all the female vocals are concerned in this series, IU owned it and stole Suzy's thunder (and no, not that Thunder).
Eun Jung probably had the most difficult part out of the bunch as the character Baek Hee. Love her, hate her, pity her, then love her agan.
Wooyoung had it cool, so no prob there.
Ki Joon, Yoon Ji and JYP play awesome teachers in support of their students.
Sorry for those who could not appreciate. But for a music lover like me this series earns a 10 out of 10. Can't wait for Season 2! ^_^
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So as the story shows scenes of the main lead actor with the two main heroines in this drama and watchers are made to guess who he ends up with, fans could NOT wholeheartedly support one female lead. Thus the feeling is half-hearted and has a bit of a bitter aftertaste if the story doesn't end your way (as in my case).
In the end, it felt tiresome and the whole guessing game became unfocused for far too long. Jin Soo’s character was made to be unpredictable and eccentric but his resolution to his romantic problems was just so random and lacking a solid ground. The writers could have one a much better job solidifying the main pair and not waste time on filming scenes that weren't as important nor contributory to their pairing.
Story - Not exceptional; was just made to be complicated
Music - I can't even appreciate the music!
Rewatch value - No, thank you.
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High Kick! The Revenge of the Short Legged
10 people found this review helpful
If you're scouting right now, I'd like you to consider this humble piece of advice (or plea). Jebal...hajimayo! Watch something else if you can.
High Kick 3 is a story of two neighboring households; a family sitcom that goes through love and rejection, conflict,and growing up. But then instead of bringing out the heartwarming from a comedic narration, it buries them in the 123 episodes and repeatedly brings out instead the irritating habits of its characters with too many annoying instances.
There were two reasons why I kept watching 'til the end: (1)the episodes were very short; on the average, they're 22 minutes, and(2) there are about four people in the drama that I liked to follow (or at least their stories were worth following), while the rest of the cast were just unbelievable to the point of hateful. And then even when there were likable characters in the drama they still have their dis-likable moments.
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend High Kick 3 to anybody UNLESS they have extreme patience for childish characters or if they easily laugh at toilet humor and slapstick. If I could, I'd extract Ji Suk and Ha Sun out of this drama and make their story a separate one. But to have to rewatch it again--out of the question.
For the first time, I rated a drama this low. And I thought I wasn't stingy with scores, but with this, I can't rate it any higher. Mianhae. :(
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Story: The story's premise, subplots. over-all dialogue and pacing were balanced. It held me at the right amount of curiosity at what would happen next. While the main characters are gathered at Moorim School, the smaller plots are brought to fore simultaneously although piece by piece, step by step. Elements like romance, bromance, a little bit of action, trust and betrayal, friendship, love between a parent and his child -- these are what to expect in the story.
I think this deserves a 9 for the story only because it is, in my opinion, well-written.
Acting/Cast - I gave this a flat 7. Would have been an 8 however I can't ignore the fact that Hong Bin is a hit-and-miss. There are scenes where he can get pretty intense however for most of the time in the drama, I find that he is awkward with his facial expressions and gestures. (I sincerely hope he improves because he has potential.)
I make special mention of Wang Chi Ang's character because I felt he was more complex than Shi Woo. Whereas Shi Woo earlier formed his resolve and shifted from the hot-tempered idol to a calm savior mid-way through the drama, the character shift was a struggle for Chi Ang. His internal conflict was difficult to resolve because it involved his relationship with his father and friends, and his desperateness to feel accepted. However the execution certainly affected my watching experience in this case and even though the supporting cast were generally okay and the older cast (Prof Beop Gong, Wang Ha Oh, Shim Bong San, Dean Hwang and Chae Yoon -- they're all males and with the exception of the Prof Beop Gong, all four others are father figures).
Hyun Woo delivers the right feels for Shi Woo. although I felt that towards the last few episodes, Shi Woo took a backseat and Chi Ang became the closer.
Direction/Effects/Editing - I would have liked more martial arts. Fight scenes are so-so; don't expect epic choreographed ones. The best sparring I saw was the last one Shi Woo and Chi Ang had--it felt like they were letting all their frustrations out.
Ending episode was a good closure though and I mean for the much-discussed key and treasure.
Special Effects - not too many, and it was actually fine for me.
Editing - Had minor slips that could've been avoided but were noticeable in the drama. The dog/wolf and Soon Deok's wound!
The music is enjoyable and the main song is upbeat. Every time the piano intro played, you'd know you're in for a cliffhanger or something's going to go down or it's the end of the episode and the preview is up. ;)
Rewatch value - doesn't affect the overall rating. I seldom rewatch dramas!
Overall, still a good drama to watch!
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