Elle
Exploring Dramaland
Unnatural features a skilled cast depicting intriguing characters with complex backstories and motives portrayed by Ishihara Satomi, Iura Arata and Kubota Masataka. This drama marks a reunion of Ishihara Satomi and Iura Arata. They were last in a drama together in 2012’s Rich Man, Poor Woman. It is remarkable the transformation Iura has made from the two roles. I only realized it was him after reading through the cast. Iura is such a skilled actor with amazing range. I will have to seek out more of his works.
I binged this drama in a couple days before the last episode aired and this drama is quite a ride. This drama is extremely well balanced and keeps its audience engaged from episode to episode. This drama does a very good job in introducing its characters backstories and delving into what makes them tick. While each episode typically offers a new case, it’s the overarching focus on its characters that kept me so engaged throughout. I’m typically pretty cautious when it comes to procedural dramas, but this drama is the perfect mix. If you are like me and hesitate about starting this drama, Don’t Be! Take the plunge! Trust me, you won’t regret it! Here’s to hoping there is a second season!!!
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Money Flower paints a very interesting story about the Jang’s familial power struggle. Everyone has their own motives and agenda. Though this drama falls into the typical makjang, revenge category, the execution is beyond anything I’ve ever watched before.
The ability this drama has to deliver an intense, plot heavy story week over week is admirable. Characters are calculating, logical and heartless. Jang Hyuk stars as Kang Pil Joo. His delivery and ability to build suspense without even saying a word is pure power. His melodic delivery when he does speak as the calculated attorney leave the audience anticipating every word and syllable. He is absolutely mesmerizing. The drama also delivers on other strong portrayals by Park Se Young, Jang Seung Jo and Lee Mi Sook.
If you are looking for something that is intense and utilizes amazing story telling and acting, I would strongly recommend giving this drama a try. I can’t praise this drama enough. It has kept me guessing all the way through. The way this drama can suck you in and keep you on the edge of your seat, champing at the bit for the next episode is truly note worthy. What are you waiting for?! Let yourself get swept away!!!
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Park Seo Joon and Kim Ji Won make such adorable leads. Both of them do a very good job playing out their roles where love lies right below the surface.
I feel that this drama focused way too much on the secondary leads story. I really felt little love for both Ahn Jae Hong and Song Ha Yoon's characters. I found their story detracting time from the lead couple.
This drama has such a fresh start when it focuses on the leads and their struggles in finding their way in the world. As the show continues, it starts to settle into a more traditional love story. As well toward the end of the drama, it throws in a lot more angst. While I found the disagreement about Seo Joon's character's career path, the birth mystery was really evocative and touching ...
Fight My Way was a good watch. The fresh start is a must watch. I did notice that as the drama started to settle into the typical tropes, I found that it got a little bogged down.
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Even through its dark and moody tone, the drama is surprisingly melancholy and understated. It strikingly fits the persona of the lead protagonist Michima Shin, a struggling novelist played by Noda Yojiro.
The characters are deep, and their character arcs are well developed considering that this drama is only 12, 25 minute episodes. Due to the run time, the story is very tightly written. Each episode beautifully plays into unraveling more of the mystery.
Million Yen Women has a bit of an off tempo. It is leisurely paced over 12 short episodes. I would highly recommend giving this drama a chance. I found that I was quickly pulled into the storyline. I will restrain myself from saying more so I won’t give too much away.
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Interesting premise but struggles mightily with setting a consistent tone and story.
Taxi Driver had an interesting setup and premise. I really liked how it highlighted a vigilante taxi driver and his squad out for vengeance to defend the helpless. I loved that the cases were based on real stories which did well to ground this drama.Yet this drama had a hard time creating a special tone for itself. I’m thinking that it’s because I expected more grit from this drama, and it had settled on giving more #SquadGoal vibes.
Around the second half, the overarching story went a bit off the rails, and I don’t feel like it was ever able to right itself. I personally think this drama would have done much better if it stuck to its more episodic arcs focused on real-life cases. Those cases were all heart. In contrast, it tried to develop an overarching baddie, that took the drama into eyebrow-raising unbelievable territory. I also think with the exit of the original writer, the second half lacks a lot of focus and purpose. Unfortunately, Taxi Driver left a lot of opportunity on the table and veered away from a lot of what made it fun and magical early on. Quite the shame!
If you are looking for a crime drama, this may fit the bill. Alternatively, if you are looking for a drama that is offering something new and never been done before, I may suggest looking elsewhere.
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This review may contain spoilers
Honestly, when I started watching Tunnel, I had no idea what to expect. I knew it had a pretty loyal following, but I had no idea how this show would take me captive. Thus far, I haven't been very impressed with dramas this year. Tunnel is a great crime and mystery drama, but its best asset is its characters. This drama features rich characters with thoughtful story arcs and amazing chemistry. Choi Jin Hyuk who is cast as the main protagonist delivers a great performance. I was really able to follow all his ups and downs as he tries to figure out life in 2017. Again and again, I am so drawn to Yoon Hyun Min. He is by far my favorite actor to provide as second for any bromance. His role as the young, misunderstood Sun Jae is something of legend. When I first saw Lee Yoo Young's character, she honestly freaked me out a little. The slow burn romance between these two is absolutely delicious. Their subtle advances are soooo deeply satisfying, and I felt this greatly complimented the show.
Tunnel features great story telling. Throughout the drama it unravels a well thought out and intertwined plot. This story had me clinging to my chair the entire time. I felt like every episode revealed another layer to the story. While some have stated that it was too predictable, I pretty much equated the predictability to all the spoilers I accidentally saw when it aired.
I strongly recommend watching Tunnel. It really takes you on an amazing ride. My only regret is that I wasn't able to watch it when it aired.
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This drama has such a good start. The chemistry between the leads was perfection. Watching Noh Ji Wook get drawn into always aiding the helpless Eun Bong Hee was so endearing. As this couple is forced to live and work together, their relationship drives the drama forward.
So it shouldn't be surprising that when the relationship between Ji Wook and Bong Hee hit the breaks so does the momentum of the show. During the last third of the show, the noble idiocy runs rampant. As always this is supposed to show depth and character development, but it just kinda falls flat. I just wanted to see my OTP back together again.
The suspense portion of the story could have offered more. Throughout the drama, there is a main murder mystery that weaves its way in and out of the story. Dong Ha does a very good job as the main antagonist. His interaction with Ji Chang Wook is very compelling. It seemed like whenever the tensions were high between these two, viewer ratings saw a spike. This arc is supplemented by short one to two episode vignettes that do little for the overall story. Personally, I think these one off cases, distract from the main story and delude the tightness of the plot. The time taken to spend of these little cases took time away from answering questions about the main story.
This drama's best selling point is its cast. Ji Chang Wook and Nam Ji Hyun do amazing jobs portraying the main leads. In addition, the dynamic of the supporting characters was so entertaining and funny. Noh Ji Wook's firm consisting of Bong Hee, Eun Hyuk, Chief Bang and CEO Byun kept me in stitches. Their regular office banter was a highlight of the show.
Overall, I really enjoyed this drama. I do feel that there is a lot of untapped potential, but the characters are too endearing to pass up. This show is a pretty light and breezy watch. I did enjoy the 30 minute episode framework. It made this show very watchable. If you do hit a bit of snag in the last third, I recommend you stick with it, since the ending is very cute.
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Man to Man's handling of its comedy was top notch! There were a number of moments that just had me rolling, especially when they were featuring the dynamic between stoic Kim Guard, Cha Do Ha and Yeo Woon Gwang. This trio kept me rolling. The effect that Woon Gwang and Do Ha have on the normally straight faced and unflappable Seol Woo kept me in stitches. I think this drama initially touted an amazing bromance between Seol Woo and Woon Gwang. I personally feel like there was some untapped potential that the drama could have played up a little more.
Overall, I think the drama had some trouble with balancing the suspense and romance. I tended to get a little tired of the political power plays. Nor was I ever all that intrigued with Mo Seung Jae's role as the main antagonist. I felt like the romance between Seol Woo and Do Ha seemed a little unnatural. I loved how they played off each other, but as a romantic couple ... the drama never really got me there.
Even though this drama can come off as a little unbalanced and a bit all over the place, its comedy is its saving grace. I so enjoyed watching Park Hae Jin play in a comedic role. His acting chops and range are on full display in his role as Kim Seol Woo, ghost agent and body guard. To be honest, I wish this drama was touted more for being about friendship and the family you choose. I worry that this drama will be remembered for not being able to live up to its hype, but I think it's a worthwhile drama. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a comedy with a little action on the side or anyone that is looking for some amazing Park Hae Jin eye candy haha!
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Right out of the gate, this drama was pretty ambitious as a gritty fantasy crime drama. The lead protagonist ends up being the reluctant grim reaper 444. This drama pummels its audience with questions that will go completely unanswered and/or forgotten until the eleventh hour.
Revealing secrets and twists is an art form in timing and pacing. Black does not do this well. Rather than strategically presenting big reveals throughout, this writing team chose to keep all of these abreast until the last fourth of the drama. By then, most of my interest in finishing had greatly dwindled to nothingness. Some may appreciate this approach, I personally need more of a bone to keep me interested.
The delivery of this drama is extremely uneven. I faintly recall there being some moments that made my heart race, but most of this drama is watching 444 run around aimlessly trying to figure out his feelings and his past. Again and again, he gets diverted and waylaid. His experience is much like Black’s viewers. It gets quite tiring. Even the episodes that ended with an amazing cliffhanger would resolve in a disappointing opening in the next.
The biggest disappointment of this drama was its characters. Both 444 and Ha Ram were so flat. Ideally this drama is supposed to detail 444’s internal battle with his empathy for mankind. Yet portrayal was ineffective at keeping my interest. I was taken aback by how little screen-time 444 and Ha Ram shared. For the majority of the show, they are on their own separate journeys. This may have impacted the implausibly of their budding relationship and the lack of chemistry I felt for this duo. This drama was lost when I no longer cared about the characters.
All of the above doesn’t even touch on the gaping plot holes, the completely untapped supplementary characters and the problematic ending that negated everything that this drama was attempting to accomplish. This drama is being praised for its mystery, but for me that can’t make up for all the other drawbacks. If mystery is upmost in your book and you can overlook everything else, then maybe give it a try ... Otherwise, I would recommend giving this one a hard pass.
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This drama’s strength is its characters. My Ajusshi portrays deep and nuanced characters not only in Park Dong Hoon and Lee Ji An but also in their supporting characters as well. This drama delves deep into the concepts of love, marriage, family and community.
I did want to address the love between Park Dong Hoon and Lee Ji An. The love between these two is not a romantic type of love, it transcends that. Dong Hoon refers to Ji An as someone who knows him completely just from observing him, someone who almost shares a soul with him, a kindred spirit of sorts is my interpretation. I personally refuse to see their love in a romantic light. Their love is too pure for that!
This drama is incredibly beautiful and able to encompass an aspect of life unlike any other drama I’ve seen before. Though it may have a darker framework, it’s uplifting and encouraging message is so very rewarding! This is by far one of the most encouraging dramas I’ve seen! My Ajusshi is a beautiful story about salvation, redemption and rebirth! What are you waiting for? Go watch this now!!!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama has so much potential at its start. Starring Go Hyun Jung in the role of Choi Ja Hye, this drama made some big promises. In the beginning this drama promised a twisty who-dun-it plot with a really despicable cast of characters. It was quite an interesting setup, but halfway through, Go Hyun Jung decided to leave the show. Park Jin Hee would take her place as the deep and complex defense attorney Choi Ja Hye. After the casting change it became painfully obvious that Choi Ja Hye was written to be portrayed by Go Hyun Jung. The depth and complexity that she was able to convey in the role was largely lost with the change of lead actresses. Yet even with will all the casting changes, the drama still delivers a fairly engaging plot with an ending that redeems a lot of messy middle. I really do think it's worth finishing. I personally haven't seen anything like it!
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Where this drama missed the mark was in all the obstacles it threw at this precious lead couple. This just led to a lot of unnecessary mellodrama. There are issues with their friends, family, money and on and on. This setup got sooooo repetitive. I wish this drama had a way of focusing more on the couple. Overall, a sweet drama but your pretty standard fare.
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If you are looking for a cute, easy watch, you may want to give this drama a try. I quite enjoyed it!
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The chemistry ... oh man, the chemistry between the lead protagonists is soooooo good. Their love is sweet and nurturing. I particularly liked how Ji Chang Wook depicted the differences between Healer and the shy Bong Soo. It made me very reminiscent of Superman and Clark Kent.
I found this drama very balanced across its genres. It touches on mostly Action and Romance, but there's just enough Comedy to keep it light enough. It has all the good feels, but it is by no means a melodrama. Thank goodness. I cannot recommend this drama enough. In fact, I am ready to watch it again!
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Though the who-dun-it story is mighty twisty, I was most intrigued by Go Hye Ran’s plight to stay relevant in an industry that keeps trying to push her out as she gets older. I appreciate that this drama created such interesting and nuanced female characters.
Misty has an overarching theme of questioning people’s dreams and motivations. What leads to their happiness and how far will people go to attempt to attain that happiness?
As a whole this drama offers an intriguing plot with compelling characters. Though I did grow a little tired of the court room, the stunning performances kept me engaged as a whole. This drama kept me guessing throughout! Overall, this is a well put together story.
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