Starts With A Bang Then Fizzles

Ashfall is aptly named. There's plenty of fallen ash to spare. Everything is carpeted in ash. It doesn't take this movie 5 minutes before we're off and racing against time to stop an earthquake that will be cataclysmic. Don Lee (Ma Dong Suk.. one day I'll get used to his Korean name...maybe) plays Professor Robert Kang or Kang Bong Rae who had been warning the powers that be for 3 years that a devastating series of earthquakes were coming and that they would initiate the eruption of the dormant Mt. Baekdu. Of course no one listened until after the fact and enlists the doctor to come up with a plan to stop them, which, of course, he already had. The problem is it has a small rate of success. Even so, Captain Jo In Chang (Ha Jung Woo) and his team are sent to obtain the nuclear bombs from North Korea. Their biggest obstacle is the man they have to enlist to help them. Lee Byung Hun plays Lee Jun Pyeong, the obstacle.

The story sounds interesting enough, but it wasn't. There was very little tension, especially in the scenes where there should have been suspense. In very many scenes Capt. Jo seemed like comic relief as opposed to the hero. As the brains behind the operation , Dr. Kang should have had more dramatic scenes or at least more interesting ones. The action scenes were good, but they were a dime a dozen. Nothing new. Just when you think something big was about the happen, they skip to another scene. Basically, you see the beginning of an action and the aftermath, but not the actual action itself. There's also some blaring continuity issues. I feel the need to explain myself so here is a Spoiler: Suzy, who plays Capt. Jo's wife, is stuck in a car on a bridge when a tidal wave hits. The next scene you see her floating in the river. Huh? When did the car get knocked into the river? How did she get out of the car? What happened to all the people who were running? Next thing you know Suzy's bone dry hailing a bus. Her purse and paperwork are pristine. That's some kind of paper and ink! Oh, did I mention her character is in her last trimester of pregnancy? So, yeah, we have a VERY pregnant woman, stuck in a car that was apparently knocked into the Han River where she escapes and I guess swims ashore. She then somehow makes it on time to the road where she hails a bus with paperwork that's not wet. Yup. End Spoiler The pacing of the movie is off. Too fast at some points and too slow at others.

The acting was good. The actors did their best with what they were given. I think many scenes or character interactions were supposed to be funny or at least humorous, but they weren't. It's a really good cast with a fairly poor script.

I don't think the music was good. The music in an action movie is to aid in the suspense and anticipation. The music in Ashfall did none of that. I may not be big on re-watching dramas, but I'll re-watch a good movie over and over. I have no need to ever re-watch this movie.

I wouldn't recommend Ashfall to anyone. Great cast. Great EFx. Good premise. Poor script and direction.

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More Of a Warning Than Review

This warning is for my fellow English speakers/readers. If English is not the primary language you use while viewing subs, then you probably should go read one of the other reviews.

The subs are poor. Forget for a minute about the poor grammar, incorrect pronouns (often males are called she and females, he..confused the heck out of me at first), incorrect or odd words that spring up randomly (the Guavaberry Forrest, 'let's guavaberry,' the guavaberry,' '..enough circumcision.' Is guava berry the Indonesian equivalent of thingamajig?), etc. I just mentioned Indonesia. Let me explain why. Every so often a word would come up that isn't translated and it's not a proper noun. At first I thought it was supposed some afterlife language, then jibberish because I knew it wasn't Korean. I started to believe that the fansubber was not fluent in neither Korean nor English. Then it hit me. They translated the subs that were in a different language (still doesn't explain the poor English but it was something). I tested my theory when I had had enough of not quite knowing what was being said. A full untranslated sentence came on screen. Using a free service, I typed it in and it came up as Indonesian. et viola! Like I said it doesn't explain the poor English, but at least I know I'm not nuts. Most Indonesians I know speak English much better than the subs read. I'm inclined to believe the person who did the subs doesn't speak either language or is at least illiterate in one. 99% of the subs are in English, but you will find yourself needing to decipher the meaning. So, consider yourself warned. And should you decide to watch the movie may you be blessed with better subs. Good luck.

Now, a quick review. The CGI, makeup, costumes, and sets are ridiculously good. The acting is what you would expect from a cast that boast names like Don Lee (Ma Dong Suk), Lee Jung Jae, and Sung Dong Il. The only thing that could have used some work is probably the writing. As a continuation of Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, the story seems repetitive mostly. There are big reveals as one would expect in a sequel, but not enough meat on it's bones to fill the almost 2.5 hours film length. Even with the crappy subs, I did enjoy watching The Last 49 Days just not as much as the original.

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Originally, I had no intention of watching Mystic Pop Up Bar. I happened to watch a trailer and saw Choi Won Young was in it. He rarely disappoints me so I figured I'd try it. So happy that I dd. This quirky supernatural rom com is truly endearing. Five hundred years ago circumstances happen that causes a young girl, Weol Ju, with mystical powers to kill herself and do damage to a sacred tree. As penance she must solve the grudges of 100,000 humans. With the help of her assistant (minder/supervisor really) and a young man with an odd power, she tries to solve her last 10 grudges. The story seems straight forward, but through flashbacks we see Weol Ju has some serious grudges on her own and not everything is what you see.

The story is a good one. For those that need romance there's not only a 500 year old longing, but a new budding romance with 2 very odd characters. For those that like supernatural, there's plenty. The ghost and demon effects were nicely done. There's even action and fight scenes for action addicts like myself.

Although the story is good, it wouldn't have been anything if it weren't for the outstanding cast. Choi Won Young never disappoints me. Sometimes what he's in does, but he never has. He was wonderful as Guibangjang. Hwang Jung Eum was very good, but I couldn't help staring at her lips. It appears she had injections. They were very unnatural. But she was playing a spirit so I guess whatever works. Yook Sung-jae rounds out our leads. I loved his scenes with Choi Won Young. I think he's a natural at bromances. He played Kang Bae with the right amount of charm, naivete, and hope. It made you root for KB from the very beginning.

The music was good I guess. I'm happy they didn't play the same sappy song in every episode like a music video. There were no flashbacks of scenes that were shown, thankfully! I really would love to see another season, but I don't think I'll re-watch MPUB again, at least not in the foreseeable future.

Overall, it was a really enjoyable show. Nothing truly deep and heavy. There are a lot of smiles to be had and perhaps some tears for some. I truly recommend it.

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Chou no Rikigaku is the 4th (perhaps last) installment of the Murder Analysis Squad series. It's been 4 years and detective Kisaragi Toko is no longer the wide eyed naive rookie she was in series one. She's still a bull dog though.

The MAS series began with Ishi no Mayu. I did a full review of it so I won't go into detail Needless to say, it was very good and worth a watch. Next came Suishou no Kodou, which takes place 1 year after the end of ishi no Mayu. Metro Police Dept Division 11 is on the scene with all but 1 familiar face. Kisaragi is trying to overcome the psychological trauma she experienced in Ishi by jumping head first into cases. She also makes several trips to the prison to visit the serial killer from Ishi, who refuses to see her. I found SnK to be more of a character analysis than murder analysis. Yes, there were gruesome murders, but the suspense and tension that was is in Ishi was lacking. As in Ishi the cast was very good as was the production. The music did it's job. I don't remember there being any particular song. The rewatch value is fairly high as it's only 5 episodes long. 8.5

The third installment is actually a hen (part of the story usually not involving a main character) and takes place prior to series 1. Aku no Hado revolves around Yuginuma Masato, an important character in Ishi and shows the events that led him to cross paths with Kisaragi. If Kodou is a possible character study, Aku no Hado most definitely is one It revolves around the Hanging Oneself murderer. However, at it's core Aku shows the awakening of a psychopath if one can go from sociopath to psychopath that is. There is very little in the form of investigation. The suspense comes mostly at the end of the last episode. There's also the added tension of waiting for the psychological break that you know will happen. It was a little lacklustre, but sufficient. Hado is not thrilling at all, but it is good. It starts slow and builds to a crescendo which is the beginning of Ishi. The cast is good. This was my first time seeing Ikeda Tetsuhiro (Det. Iguchi) in such a meaty role. I'm used to him as the bungling sidekick to Yabe Kenzou. I have respect for his acting skills now. I'm glad I watched this one, but I wouldn't want to watch it again. 8.0

As I stated Chou no Rikigaku takes place 4 years after the beginning of Ishi no Mayu. Kisaragi has come into her own as a police detective. I still was not fond of her. I had a lot of questions on Rikigaku's pecking order. It made no sense to me why a detective with only 4 years experience essentially becomes the team leader over more seasoned detectives. I kept thinking 'who is she to give them orders' and 'why are they listening to her without push back.' It was just too unrealistic, especially given that female detectives still aren't taken very seriously in Japan. A fact which they make all too clear in the 2nd series. Otherwise, I enjoyed CnR. The murder toll and murders were amped up. It also marks the end of the team as we know it since there is a transfer looming. I enjoyed Rikigaku. I liked the intertwining story/stories and how they come together. Rikigaku has the the same core cast as Kodou and they are equally as good. The production is solid as is the background music. Re-watch is fairly high as the drama (and Murder Squad series) is short and I feel like there may be clues I missed this first go 'round. 8.5

The Murder Squad series is led by Kimura Fumino. Personally, she's not my cup of tea. I don't know what it is about her, but she annoys me. Perhaps it's just the type of characters she plays (they usually have some kind of personality flaw), or it could just be the actress herself. I'm not sure. I do acknowledge that she does play her characters well. In the first 2 series I wanted to shake her several times. In Rikigaku I just wanted to punch her... just. The veteran cast does a very good job as her supports. However, the stars of the series and the fun ones to watch are the psychopaths in series 1 and 3. Both actors were great.

The writing and production for the series is solid. Hado is a little below the other 3. Some quality was cut as if the budget was lower. Overall, the music was good as it conveyed the emotions necessary. If I could score the series in it's entirety, I'd give it a 9. Yeah it takes some leaps, but they're entertaining leaps.

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Everyone knows there's a curse on sequels. Most times they're not good or anywhere as good as the first. Suishou no Kodou really doesn't break the curse it just lessens it a bit. It was still suspenseful and the murder mystery interesting, it's just something was missing. Or, perhaps it was that I found the lead character, Kisragi Toko, a little too much to take in some scenes. I really did want to shake and slap her a few times.

Since this is the 2nd drama in the series, I'm opting to write a full review when I finish all 3 series and the side story. By the way, you don't need to have seen Ishi no Mayu to enjoy Suishou no Kodou, but it helps explain the relationship between certain characters and Kisaragi's behavior.

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The one thing I love about the Japanese is their ability to tell a story and develop characters. I also enjoy that they don't feel the need to put a romance in everything they do. If you've never watched a J-drama (shame on you) and enjoy crime dramas, murder, suspense, etc, then Ishi no Mayu is a great drama to start with. At only 5 episodes it doesn't require much of a commitment. If you do watch J-dramas, this is on par with dramas like Strawberry Night.

You might be thinking there's no way they can sufficiently tell a story in 5 episodes. To that I say, "Oh but they can!" Kisaragi Toko if a rookie Metropolitan Police detective. Assigned to division 1, she finds herself involved in a strange murder where the victim was encased in cement. Not only that, but the murderer will only speak to her when he calls the police. Kisaragi is haunted not only by the case, but by memories of her deceased father who was a retired detective. Squad 1 finds they have to solve a past case in order to solve the current.

The story is really written well. There may be plot holes but they were small. There were also no red herrings. When they narrowed down to their suspect, no new suspects popped up to confuse the watcher. Instead of who is the killer it's more where is the killer. The production is good. Most of the scenes were done on location it seems. The music conveyed all the emotion necessary so in that respect it was good as well.

The cast is peppered with veteran actors and it shows. They were very good at conveying emotions and thought just by their facial expression and eyes alone. I hope the cast is the same for the next series (what we might call season). Re-watch is fairly high for me as I may re-watch with friends or family.

Overall this was a fine crime drama right in line with other excellent crime/mystery dramas even at 5 episodes.

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Fell Asleep

I was bored.

I'd like to believe that Deranged is a poor misinterpretation of the title. If it is not, then this movie is poorly named. Frenzied is probably more appropriate. Basically, a man is trying to save his family from a pandemic. His ex-colleague is trying to cure it, while is brother, a cop, is trying to get down to the bottom of the misshapen corpses being found in waterways.

The premise is sound. The execution was not. There are plot holes that can't be ignored. The writing was slow. I think some crucial scenes remained on the cutting room floor. The acting was good enough. It wasn't great nor was it poor. It just was. The music conveyed the emotion of the scenes so it was good.

Overall, I would not recommend this movie. There's no way I would have fallen asleep late morning on a thriller unless it was much less than thrilling.

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I've been a fan of Dr. Doolittle (the original musical from the 5o's or 60's) since I was a little girl. It took me a minute to warm up to the Eddie Murphy version. I have to say I enjoyed this Dolittlesque Korean version. NIS Agent, Joo Tae Joo (played by Lee Sung Min), hates animals. It's revealed he has a psychological scar and just can not stand being around them. He awakes after having hit his head with the ability to talk to animals. Unfortunately for Joo, the only witnesses to the kidnapping of the envoy he was protecting are animals. His main witness is a military dog named Ali (voiced by Shin Ha Kyun) who has PTSD.

This movie is silly. I didn't find myself laughing (or booing), but I did smile and chuckle. It's entertaining. Any film where a man talks to animals will be compared to Dr. Doolittle, especially if the animals talk back and, boy, do they! The animals that know something won't give up the info for free. They've learned too well from humans. The production was done well. The CG fits right in. The writer/director did a good job putting a new spin on an old story.

The main cast is mostly voices. Each animal had a distinct personality and the actors did great jobs bringing those to light in the few minutes that most had to do so. Shin was perfect job as Ali. Initially, I was hoping that Lee Sun Kyun would be Ali, but his voice was perfect for the conniving black goat. You know what, I just realized I was mistaken. I did laugh. Not at anything done or said in the movie, but just at hearing Lee Soon Jae's big distinctive voice come out of a tiny hamster begging for help. You hear his voice before seeing the animal. I hadn't checked the entire cast so I wasn't expecting it when they showed the hamster. When he said about being on his wheel for 3 hours and having heart problems, I cracked up. I also giggled when I heard Joon Park's voice as the bald eagle. Lee Sung Min did a good job leading the human portion of the cast. I'm sure very often he wasn't acting with anyone, but you wouldn't know it. Bae Jung Nam played bungling agent Man Shik who has a knack for showing up in the right place at the right time and being of zero help.

The music was good and fitting. There's one song especially that you assume is being played due to the situation until you see the singer. I'd only watch the entire movie again with my 11 year old niece if she were interested, but I'd rewatch some of the animal guest scenes at anytime. Aside from the hamster, goat, and eagle, there's the gorilla and tiger that are standouts. This is definitely a family movie. I think children 8 and up would be fine.

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It's heartwarming and yet I sit here heartbroken with tears in my eyes (not an easy fete trust me on that). Miracle In Cell No. 7 is a heartwarming story about a intellectually challenged man who is separated from his young daughter who he is alone. Lee Yong Goo (played wonderfully portrayed by Ryu Seong Ryung) is wrongfully accused of murder and then railroaded by the police. His now adult daughter (Park Shy Hye), Se Young, becomes a prosecutor who goes to trial to clear his name. In lieu of hearing testimonies, we see the past via flashback which thankfully make up most of the movie. In the flashbacks we're introduced Lee Yong Goo's cellmates who become his friends and young Se Young's (played unbelievably by 6 year old Kai So Won) 4 uncles. The story is as much about reuniting father and daughter as it is proving his innocence.

The production is fantastic. It doesn't try to go for artsy with interesting angles and shadowing. It just is what it is. There are beautiful cinematic shots of a sunset near the end that is probably augmented by CG. Still, it's quite moving. There were apparently 4 screen writers for this movie, but you wouldn't guess it. It's quite cohesive. Thankfully, it only had 1 director.

Again, the cast, chock full of veteran actors, was brillant. Aside from Ryu and Park, there are many recognizable faces like Oh Dal Soo, Jung Jin Young, and Jung Man Sik. There was also an adorable little little face that held her own up against these actors. That beautiful little face belongs to Kai So Won. She was excellent. She's one helluva talent and I hope she is treated well. I saw her as a pre-teen in A Korean Odyssey and teen in Mr. Zoo: The Missing VIP. I am now definitely a fan.

I can see myself re-watching Miracle in it's entirety and watching my favorite scenes whenever. I may even buy it. The OST was pretty good. Admittedly, I wondered a few times why they were playing the songs they were playing during the scenes in which they were played, but they were good songs. It warms your heart and soul. If you were holding back while Park Shin Hye does her tears thing (does she cry in everything? hmm), you might crack like I did during the very last scene as she looks up at a beautiful blue sky with tears in her eyes. Heart...BROKEN! It was so poignant. Overall, this is a wonderful movie but not meant for children.

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A Dynamite Family is not a comedy not even a dark one. It does have a couple of humorous moments, but overall it is no comedy.. It's a murder mystery. If I had to pigeonhole it, I'd say it was a quirky and thrilling family drama.

Four estranged half siblings with odd personalities come back home to a small town after the disappearance of their parents. The parents each had 2 children when they married. Each set of siblings did not care for each other before their parents marriage. The only thing they have in common is they care for their teen aged sister. The older siblings begin to look into the disappearance and stumble upon what seems to be a serial killer. Their attempts to catch the killer brings them closer together and matures them as individuals.

The cast makes the movie. They are an excellent ensemble. It looks like an indie movie, but the production is done well. I watched it a couple months before writing this review and I don't remember the OST. I do remember not being annoyed by it, which is good. I may decide to watch this again. I guessed the murderer correctly, but I wonder if their were clues that I missed. If i do rewatch it, it won't be anytime soon.

If you like murder mysteries and trying to guess whodunit, solid acting, and/or family dramas with odd ball characters, I'd give this movie a looksee. If you need some kind of romance in everything you watch, give it a hard pass.

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Final Cut has the worst English fansubs I've ever seen and I've been watching foreign media online for approximately 20 years. Oh how the mighty Japanese fan sub groups have fallen! The subs were mostly incoherent. The grammar was atrocious. It's painfully obvious that the people at jpsubs do not speak English. Even if they believe they do, they don't. It appears that they used a translator app or program. The subs are replete with incorrect pronouns, missing verbs, etc. Every now and then a sentence made sense only for the next line to be complete gibberish. I spent most of my time trying to use my limited Japanese vocabulary and the subs to figure out what was actually being said. I think I may have done better if I had just watched the RAWS. At least I wouldn't have been distracted.

I say all of this to explain why I truly can not tell you if this is worth watching (in English) or not. The acting looked damn good, but what use is it if you don't know what's being said? There were some serious emotions flying around in the last episode, but they could've been ordering fast food for all I know. Kame might be really emotional about his fries. Of course you get the gist, but it's not the same. The cast was solid. Final Cut is full of veteran actors who always give great performances like Sugimoto Tetta and Sasaki Kuranoske. The one thing I did not like was the forced romance which makes absolutely no sense. It's also obvious that the last scene was tacked on. I don't know if it's because of audience reaction, but it just didn't fit. It was unsatisfying and unnecessary.

The music was ok I guess. I only remember the end theme by KAT-TUN. If coherent English subs are ever found, I might rewatch it. I have a feeling I'd have a much different impression. I truly don't think I have the right to say if Final Cut is good or bad since it feels like I slept through or missed most of it. Perhaps the other 2 reviewers had actual subs to base their decisions on, but as for me I'd say it's slightly above average.

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The Eternal King was a great idea. The special efx are fanciful. The sets and costumes are gorgeous. The acting is pretty tight. I'm not even going to complain about Lee Min Ho. It actually appears that he took lessons. He had micro- (and not so micro) movements that proved he was a real boy and not the wooden puppet I've come to know him as. No, what failed The King: Eternal Monarch was the writer's inability to develop the main and side stories and bring them to a satisfying conclusion and the director's inability to make it happen.

The story was fine until time travel came into play for our lead, King Lee Gon. When he started to try and change his past, the story went sideways and I was no longer able to suspend disbelief. My loves of fantasy and science can only take so much. Honestly, I don't believe a different writer would have done much better unless they added some episodes. This drama easily needed 2-4 more episodes so that scenes in episodes (I'll say 10-15) don't seem rushed and underdeveloped. Perhaps not having 2 directors would also have been beneficial. Again, this was a great idea just not thought out and presented well.

The cast was solid. I'm still shocked that I can't complain about Lee Min Ho. Do they give acting classes in the Korean military? While the leads were good, they lacked chemistry. I'm going to lay the blame squarely on Kim Go Eun's shoulders. This is my 2nd time seeing her and my 2nd time thinking she had 0 chemistry with her leading man. Conversely, I've seen LMH several times and chemistry is usually all he has. OK and what's up with KGE hand thing. I noticed it early on in EM that she constantly puts her hand in her face when she has emotional scenes. I wonder if she has something rubbed on her hand to make her cry. I've nicknamed her Hand Smeller. I swear in one scene she smells her hand a good 5 times in less than 1 minute. If for some reason I run across her, I'll probably be arrested because I'm gonna grab her hand and smell it. Hopefully, we're not in the ladies'. LOL My curiosity won't be satiated if I don't. Put something aside for my bail. Thanks. The king of the cast was easily Woo Do Hwan that played both Jo Young and Jo Eun Sub impeccably.

The music was alright. The love song was forgettable to me, but I'm not a lover of ballads. The rewatch value is nil. It takes a lot to make me want to rewatch a drama. I can't see that happening with K:EM. Don't get me wrong, I actually liked it well enough. I wouldn't recommend it, but it has some same saving graces, especially the cast which is why I gave it 7 stars (5 for the cast, 1 for costume, and 1 for set design).

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Yes, it took me 4 years to finish The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop. Have you ever gotten bored with a drama, especially one in the 55 episode range, and decided to take a break for whatever reason? That's what I did. I kept telling myself, I'll get back to it. If you were to ask me, I'd say it's been a year to 18 months. I had no clue it's been 4 years!

I started Wolgyesu because the idea of a tailor shop interested me. "Every girl's crazy about a sharp dressed man." I was praying for wonderfully tailored looks and some fashion hijinks & espionage as opposed to the forced relationship between boring and uncharasmatic characters that I received. There was hijinks & espionage, but very little in tailored looks imo. Don't even get me started on the women of the main family (the Lees). Your husband is a master tailor, but you look like you pick cabbage for a living. Huh? The support family (the Mins), had great clothing perhaps a little wacky, but great overall.

Wolgyesu started out interesting enough. The story seemed interesting. Lee Man Sool, the Master Tailor of Wolgyesu and the patriarch of a hodgepodge familial unit, disappears one day. He basically goes on a walkabout without any notice. His biological son (the man seems to acquire children), Lee Don Jin, divorced from his wife. the eldest daughter of the Min family, and forced out of his job at Meesa Apparel by his ex-mother in law (who once worked for his father) and brother-in-law, decides to take over the operations of Wolgyesu. The problem is he can't sew, let alone tailor. That's where Bae Sam Do, a master tailor trained by Lee Man Sool, comes in. Bae is like a son to the Lees so he and his wife, Bok Sun Nyeo, move into an apartment the Lees have on their property. The apartment has 2 bedrooms and the 2nd room houses a down on his luck singer named Tae Pyung Sung. He is wooed by the Lees black widow daughter, Dong Sok. Na Yun Shil, a sad pathetic excuse of a character, is an employee and eventual love interest for Dong Jin. Let me just say for the record that they bored the heck out of me and are the main reason why I stopped watching. I just couldn't take them any more. Na's story line is as idiotic as she is pathetic. I despise pathetic female characters that can't do anything for themselves but run and cry. The other couples are fun to watch, but the lead couple, not so much. The cast is rounded out by the Mins and Kang Tae Yang. The Mins are rich and own clothing line, Meesa Apparel. The youngest Min is naive and somewhat annoying. She falls in love instantly with Kang Tae Yang, who is the childhood friend of Wolgyesu's Na Yun Shil. He's a very honest, caring, and likable character. He was deeply hurt by his ex and has no interest in romance.

The Wolgyesu cast is very strong, especially the supporting cast. Choi Won Young was fantastic as Tae Pyung. He looked great in his clothing and totally embodied his character. Choi and Park Joon Geum (Ko Eun Sook, Min family matriarch) were the highlights of every episode. Both, Tae Pyung & Eun Sook, were quirky and entertaining. I also really enjoyed Cha In Pyo as Sam Do & Ma Mi Ran as Sun Nyeo. Both characters were interesting and entertaining. Since the first time I saw Lee Dong Gun in When It's At Night, I thought he was a D-lister with little acting ability that was forced into lead male roles simply because of his height and looks. Wolgyesu didn't do much to change my mind, but I did come to find his acting passable mostly when he shared scenes with Choi, Cha, and Hyun Woo, who played Kang Tae Yang. The 4 of them plus Shin Goo, Lee patriarch, are considered the gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop.

The music was passable. There was nothing great about it. Wolgyesu has absolutely 0 rewatch value. Overall, I'm giving it a 6 because I truly did enjoy most of the cast and characters. Without them I'd give the drama a 4.5 - 5 at best. The big problem is the storyline(s) I disliked happen to be the one(s) that were at the forefront of the drama.

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More than a review this is a testimony about how laughter is the truly the best medicine. I've been watching Running Man since episode 90. I just happened upon it. At the time I was in a deep depression and didn't know it. My self esteem was rock bottom. I had been injured in my neck and foot and couldn't move without pain. As a person that loved to walk and hike I was devasted that I couldn't take 2 steps without needing to sit. I gained so much weight I didn't recognize myself. The horrible thing is I didn't realize how bad off I was. Episode 90 was entertaining enough to make me watch 91 and found myself laughing within minutes. I laughed so hard tears were in my eyes. That's when I heard it. My laugh. At first I didn't recognize it because it had been that long since I truly laughed (not fake laughed in front of people). It was just me and my computer and I was holding my sides. I found a site to watch all of the episodes and I did. Slowly, I started to feel more like myself and happier. Honestly, I accredit what I call the core cast: Yoo Jae Suk, Lee Kwang Soo (the only cast member I recognized), Ji Suk Jin, Kim Jong Kook, Kang Gary, HaHa, and Song Ji Hyo with saving my life. I don't think I'd be here if it weren't for their antics. Truly, I don't.

Actually, I call the core 7, My 7 Little Pabos. They made/make complete fools out of themselves weekly and I thank them for it. They are truly brillant. Lead by the Nation's MC, YJS, the RM cast is a well oiled and often zany machine. When their personalities clash, it's usually hilarious. Unlike other Korean variety shows I've seen, RM is a work out. They play games and do missions. After 10 seasons I'm always shocked when guests come on and are surprised that the title is literal. Watching RM makes you want to join in on the fun. I know I can't anymore (not unless they have Limping Man), but I wish that I could.

They promote the music of the cast as well as any musical guests. Aside from their personal themes, the music played during the episodes is always current. It's a great production and the writers do a very good job.

The bottom line is this: Running Man is fun. They look like they're having fun and you have fun just watching them. If you could get a job, running around playing games all day and laughing, wouldn't you? I know I would. Since that's virtually impossible for most of us, watching RM is the next best thing.

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I binged watched Hana Nochi Hare: HanaDan Next Season in a 24 hour period. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. I love HYD to the point that I have seen (completed most) all versions of the story from every country that I was able to find including the truly awful Mainland Chinese version from 2009. So, I do understand why some people were upset while watching HanaDan. I do. Thing is, it's not Hana Yori. It tells you from the start that it's not. The streaming sites are doing a disservice by calling it BOF Season 2. That is misleading. Firstly, a translation of the title, Hana Nochi Hare, would be something like Flowers After the Sun. For Westerners the Next Season part should probably have been Next Generation, perhaps then people wouldn't have been overly expectant.

The story revolves around Haruto Kaguragi, who idolizes F4, and wants to bring Eitoku-koko back to the glory it once was; Oto Edogawa, who is trying her best to get along until she can graduate; and Tenma Hase, the leader of Eitoku's rival school and Edogawa's oldest friend & fiance. Kaguragi's C5 aren't your typical HS bullies like F4 were originally. They're separatists. A rich kid school for rich kids. Peasants be gone! As such, C5 does peasant/commoner hunting and strongly suggest students who are not paying donations put in transfer papers. This is done in front of the student body at anytime/any place. Edogawa started school as a rich kid, but her family's business went under. I think you can see the clash. The storyline parallels HYD too much I believe. They made slight changes, but at it's core it was the same. A few more changes would have made it much more interesting.

They didn't skimp on the production. The sets were well appointed. I was happy to see the old Eitoku cafeteria. While the writing was unoriginal, but good for what it was, the direction, filming, and editing were expert. My guess is the screenwriter, Yoshida Erika, who is quite young, was given an outline or guide to follow. The one thing I found truly irritating was how Edogawa was so used to her poor life. The family business had only gone under 6 months earlier. One would expect her to still be trying to adjust.

The acting was really quite good. I'd never seen any of the actors that played the students before (I don't believe). Sugisaki Hana was fantastic as Edogawa. Her leading men, Hirano Sho (Kaguragi), and Nakagawa Taishi (Hase) were also quite good. FUN FACT for anyone who watches anime: Episode 10 has some serious Bleach vibes, Ichigo vs. Uryu. The rest of the cast rounds out nicely. Three of F4 make guest appearances. I only knew of 1 so I was pleasantly surprised. OK, I went all fan girl! It was just great to see them slip back into these rolls as "adults."

The OST (instrumental) is fitting. As for the themes, Utada's "First Love" is hauntingly beautiful. It gives you all the feels and goes wonderfully with the story. The title theme by King & Prince is fun, but not memorable.

I don't feel a need to rewatch this, but I don't feel the need to rewatch 99.9% of the dramas I watch. I would, however, welcome a season 2 of this next season.

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