Irene
All of the medical cases were weaved into the story seamlessly. Excellently executed. Great characters. Master Kim embodied the righteous teacher you would want to learn from, who had made mistakes and had learned from them. He was such a mentor to the younger doctors in the hospitals. He inspired them. He also stood up for them, in many satisfying scenes.
I've seen a number of Korean medical dramas, and most of the time the surgery or medical cases only served as plot devices to move the story further along. More often than not, it was difficult to be invested in the cases. However, with this drama, each medical case really brought along a lot of emotions and drama, as you learn not just from the doctors, but also from the patients.
This drama especially reminds me of early days Grey's Anatomy. Lots of heart. Lots of tension. Satisfying to watch when injustice is overturned, which the doctors face on an almost daily basis.
The romance, while light in this drama, is well done for its realism.
Watch this if you are in the mood for a medical drama and you will be drawn in by the doctors at Doldam Hospital, who put saving the lives of their patients above all else, as true modern day superheroes. Be prepared to drop some tears!
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Lots of sugary sweet parts across the two main leads. Spice from the very attractive Mr. Namgoong Min.
The drama dragged a little, the police investigation was done very kdrama style (a.k.a. not the most logical, but watchable). However, a very solid beginning and end, lots of comedy injected throughout and lots of genuine laughs from watching the drama.
Shin Se Kyung does a great job in this drama. Her and Yoochun's acting are on par so they made for a good match as neither overpowered the other in their acting. Lots of cute moments between the two leads.
Namgoong Min is a charismatic villain here. Mysterious and sociopathic, you can't get enough of his screen time.
The rest of the supporting cast was well chosen as well.
Good use of music - I like the sound effects they used when SSK activates her seeing smells ability.
Watch this for adorkably cute moments and a new interesting way to solve crimes.
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Completely resonated with me as someone in the late 20s/30s striving for her dreams. Don't let the summary mislead you, as it did for me. This is a drama about friendship and love. This is about living in reality, while still looking toward your dreams.
I fell in love with the characters in this drama because they are so relatable. The two main leads share a great chemistry, as they progressed from friendship to romantic love. I really liked how the drama depicted the relationship's initial awkwardness as they transitioned - very totally cute scenes. The acting was great as I was sucked in every single time. I also enjoyed the depiction of lifelong friendships between the four main leads, and the friendship between the parents as well!
Use of music was great, as the background music made me crack up many times. Also, I liked how the product placement wasn't completely obvious and was very artfully placed in the drama.
All the subplots and main plot was wrapped up very nicely in the end, which made for a satisfying ending.
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Watch this if you're in the mood for a crime drama. The first half are more procedural and more enjoyable to watch, as the second half is focused on wrapping up the major storyline.
Unfortunately, this drama doesn't make it to the top of my list for the following reasons:
- Lack of logic in dialogue. Many moments where I'm scratching my head wondering why people aren't more suspicious.
- Why do they never wear gloves at the crime scenes?
- Some parts were not fully explained and one supporting character dropped off the show with little explanation.
- Some of the "reveal" scenes made me laugh because they were overdone (yet satisfying)
Highlights:
- Strong acting. It felt like the actors made the most from the script.
- Unique premise. I love the fantasy aspect of traveling forward in time and discovering while new technologies have been formed, the human psyche hasn't.
The loveline in this drama was well done for its subtlety, which is fresh in the kdrama world.
I haven't watched that many crime dramas yet, so I see there is a lot of potential in korean dramas. Overall can't quite compare to CSI and the like due to plot holes but stronger than American TV shows in the character development and overarching plots. Looking forward to watching more of them!
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I never read the webtoon so this review is for the show only. Very strong beginning and set up of the show but frankly very limited character development and limited relationship development. While the characters did grow a lot of times I'm found thinking about just how average these characters are in their personality. Hardly anything about the characters themselves made it worth watching other than how pretty the overall cast was.
The side plots are very cliche if you've ever read shoujo manga, but then again this was based on a webtoon.
The show had potential. Worth a watch if you like college setting and rich boy/poor girl tropes.
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Engaging story
I binged this show over a week. It was very watchable and the plot moved along relatively quickly without any fillers.With that said, there’s a number of scenes that don’t make sense. The story is about a boy raised in the wild by wolves that later become a prince, so there is a fantastical component in there in the male lead having wolf like capabilities. That part is expected and delightful to watch. But expect plot holes. I read that the script is based on a novel that had different characterization, so the novel probably made more sense.
The acting by the actors were all on point. I was especially impressed by the male lead, as he demonstrated both child like innocence and animal instinct ferocity quite effectively. The characters also all were reasonably developed throughout the story. All very easy on the eyes as well.
The music was great, and certain characters received their own little soundtrack intros when they appeared on the scene. I’ll be listening to the OST for a while after this viewing.
All in all, very enjoyable watch (and binge) if you are in the mood for some star crossed angsty romance. Just be sure to turn off your inner sense check. After all, this show underwent quite a bit of editing for the last three years. I’d argue the writing and production from three years ago are of a much better quality than now (2020) and it certainly shows when you compare this show with the web dramas that are so common now in Chinese dramaland.
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The drama spent a lot of time exploring humanity and choices, and how our choices can affect who we become in the future. Unfortunately, for a drama involving criminals, police, and profilers, there is very little about justice and the consequences of those choices. Some villains from the beginning of the drama were never mentioned again.
The romance in this story was unnecessary and awkwardly included in the drama. A sign of poor writing.
The acting across the cast was excellent. From the child actors to the main male leads, everyone did a great job and conveyed complex emotions properly. Watch this drama for the eye candy, and enjoy their acting while you are at it. Seo In Guk did a great job, as did Park Bo Gum. Unfortunately, I really couldn't understand either of the characters nor could I understand what the writers wanted us to feel from watching. I don't think anyone could be like Seo In Guk's character and be as levelheaded as he was, even when facing murderers. Were we supposed to feel pity for Park Bo Gum? I agree with many reviews that the true chemistry is between Seo In Guk and Park Bo Gum. When both of them were on screen the screen sizzled.
All in all, it felt like the drama was trying to make us feel more and think there is some hidden message. But it was not well written enough to properly convey whatever those messages were meant to be. At the end, you got a serviceable crime drama with an element of melo (hidden identities and such). The good acting made the drama worth watching, but don't expect this to be a masterpiece.
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What a wonderfully shot drama with a winning cast and tight knit storyline.
Story: Every episode builds upon the last. I was never bored. The use of humor in this drama is also on point. Instead of the common "trolling" often employed by writers in dramas these days, the humor is unique and refreshing. The way the past life story is unraveled also fits very well with the character and story developments. In all, a very well executed drama.
Music: AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL OST. One of the songs is in English, which made it all the easier to relate to as a English-speaking viewer. A great choice of the songs used in this drama. Made the drama so beautiful and easy to be immersed in.
Acting: Yoo Ah In is in this. Need I say more? All 3 of the leads were able to infuse layered acting into this so that the characters embodied their roles perfectly, whether that was helplessness, confusion, paranoid, etc. The ending was perfect and poignant, and only because the leads' acting was able to pull it off. Some people criticized that the main lead was too insensitive and a jerk, but as you keep watching the drama reveals why he is that way, so have some patience.
I cannot say enough good things about this drama. While Legend of the Blue Seas (which is also about past and current reincarnated lives) is a romance story, Chicago Typewriter is instead a story about patriotism and friendship. The past life motif is strong this year (i.e., Goblin, Legend of the Blue Seas) but Chicago Typewriter has the best story.
This drama is so underrated, I honestly don't understand why this drama doesn't have as many viewers as the other two above. Don't be put off by the "literary-ness" which put me off initially but instead expect a very intriguing period drama x fantasy/supernatural aspects. The bromance is strong in this one. Instead of rooting for the love line, I rooted for the bromance all the way.
Definitely worth the watch! (and perhaps staying up late for!)
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What happens when you introduce a thug with heart into a corrupt corporation? This is the premise of Chief Kim.
What made the drama shine? Rather than the story, the drama shined because all of its ingredients, the acting, the writing, the music, all came together beautifully like a wonderfully conducted orchestra.
This drama has one of the best depictions of love-hate bromances you will see anywhere in kdramaland. There are also multiple bromances and mentor relationships. It also has many characters who were fully multidimensional. Sometimes it's common to see only the main 2-3 characters be fully fleshed out in a kdrama. However, everyone in this drama has unique personalities.
No romance here, but it's really not needed. You don't always need romance for excellent chemistry to spark between cast members.
All of the comedic effects were on point. Be prepared for lots of laughs and simple enjoyment along the wonderful OST.
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Just know what you are signing up for if you decide to watch - marriage is as much about marrying two families as it is about marrying two individuals. How do in-laws settle their differences? What place does pride have in a new marriage? The reality of bills, housing, transportation after getting married? Where will the wedding be and who will be paying for it?
This drama covers all of that and more. Both mothers of the bride and groom love their children very much. But they also have a lot of pride and the fighting between the mothers take up the majority of the challenges faced by the bride and groom.
I enjoyed the supporting cast's relationships with each other, as they depicted various scenarios. More realism with a dash of romance. As the older sister is going through difficulties in her marriage, it is interesting to include that as well, as it relates to how important marriage and family life need to be managed post-wedding. It only gets more complex as children come into the picture.
This is really a drama about the characters. Lots of push-pull type of dialogue, introspection, and negotiation. All the actors do a good job here, though the dialogue can get dry and boring at times.
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Acting: The two main leads both have very natural acting talents. The second male lead's acting is too stiff and thus made for a pretty boring love triangle storyline. Surprise cameo was a riot!
Story: I enjoyed watching the various versions of marriage/dating throughout the drama. I also really liked Jung Kyung Ho's character as a single dad. If only all single dads were this perfect! Unfortunately, the story dragged, especially in the middle of the drama. If this drama was shortened to 8 episodes with 2 focused on each couple, it would have been ideal.
Overall, a good watch for when you are bored and want some cute romance but don't expect your socks to be knocked off. The entire cast is as good looking as they come so it's worth it for just watching all the handsome men and women in this drama!
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Excellent writing, acting, directing, and cinematography.
None of the characters are perfect. They are real people, just like us. They face the same worries. They experience the same office politics and the reality of the unjust working world.
No kdrama cliches in this drama. No makjang plot devices. Just a simple story about an average guy entering an office, and working hard, like many of us do today.
Happy endings are not always possible, because we don't live in a fairytale world. But we can create our own versions of fairy tales, as we pursue our chosen dreams.
In the office, you might face sexism, unfairness towards junior talent, nepotism, unsound business practices, people taking credit for your work, and more. You might have to question your own ethics as you pursue success. You will also meet mentors and rivals. With each project, you will create precious memories with comrades, which become the foundation of close friendships and mutual respect. We don't live a perfect world, but it is full of color and richness as we deal with both the good and the bad,
The entire drama is a work of art. There are a lot of subtle moments, which is refreshing compared to many korean dramas that just "tell" you what's going on. The use of music is meticulous. The way it has most of the scenes without any background music is more comparable to that of many American films.
As you watch, you become completely invested in the characters. You want them to be able to overturn all of the injustice they face in the office. While some injustice is dealt with and some are not, the leads still live on bravely. At the end, you still feel completely satisfied, as you experience some pretty incredible character development across the ensemble cast.
As Senior Manager Oh said, "To win is to endure." And so, we continue to endure on, in the multifaceted and colorful real life that we live in, to be the winners of our lives.
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I enjoyed how the drama shows us the story, rather than tell us, through this unique execution.
Acting was solid all across main and supporting cast members as well.
This is definitely sci-fi thriller and mystery with a healthy fix of romance and bromance. Lots and lots of praise for this since I haven't seen that many sci-fi premises in kdrama.
Check it out even if you aren't a sci-fi fan. I was very impressed by the graphics in this and felt the drama was of movie-production quality. Recommending to all my non-kdrama watching friends!
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Obviously don't expect the same levels of cinematography and production value since this is a drama from 2007. Technology is also dated.
Plot is well-paced. Nowadays the plot is usually very fast moving. In a way, it's nice to watch a story that develops at a reasonable pace. Enjoy this like an aged wine.
Lee Jun Ki's acting is on point. I thought his acting was ok, until halfway through, when something happens and he takes on new personas. And then, I was pleasantly surprised!
The relationship between Mao and Kay is interesting in this. Father-son relationships (even the adoptive, pseudo kind) are always more intriguing than brotherly relationships.
The female lead's storyline is a bit annoying, especially in the last few episodes. The bromances in this drama could have been further explored, but wasn't, probably at the expense of poor writing.
All in all, an enjoyable watch!
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Jung Kyung Ho made me fall in love with Doctor's Son. Like many of the reviews already said, what a refined, elegant, brooding, and beautiful character!
Rather than saying the story was well constructed, the pacing of the drama is what stands out. Each episode built upon the last. There are stakes, for sure. There are villains that needed to be taken down. There are plot twists and lots of secrets. Instead, there might have been too many plot twists that the twists themselves no longer become surprising at the end.
But it is the characters that really draw you in. You love the bromance between Jung Kyung Ho's "Doctor's Son" and Yoon Hyun Min's "Soo." You are enamored with the love that can only be built with time between Doctor's Son and Kim Yoo Mi's "Lee Jin Sook." Kim Yoo Mi's acting also added elevated tones to what could have been a very shallow and contrived female character who just looks pretty and sits around on beautiful furniture. Even the romance, which came out of nowhere as a result of poor writing, became convincing between Jung Kyung Ho and Nam Gyu Ri, due to the tortured, brooding looks by JKH.
Excellent action scenes. Beautifully shot with fantastic color schemes across the set. The outfits worn by the characters also highlight their roles.
The ending made me mad. Other than that, expect a great ride along with the characters in the drama. It is truly worth the time to watch!
I watched this in 2017 and I'm still blown away. So far, have not found any role in dramaland that can replace such a charismatic and complex character. It'll be awhile until I find the next best drama.
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