2
jimjamjelly
London, England
However, where Prosecutor Princess lacks in its plot, it makes up for with its rich array of characters. Our leading lady Ma Hye Ri - played by the delightful Kim So Yeon - starts off as a book-smart and trusting self-centred, selfish, uncaring and vain woman who matures into one of both book intelligence and life intelligence. She learns how to understand people better which allows her to become a much more capable Prosecutor because whilst she knew the law like the back of her hand, she applied it in an inflexible and unsympathetic manner - only looking at the evidence, not the truth. I guess in that regard, the main plot does very well, because it develops her and leads her to look for the truth behind the mystery (which she wouldn’t have been able to do in the first five episodes).
Of course, her growth comes with the help of Lawyer Seo (Park Shi Hoo) who mentors her - from the side lines - whilst also being a friend that she really needs. He’s arguably the most complex and intricate characters of them all. Granted, he’s a bit of a stalker with a hidden agenda (and the drama really makes a point of that, and not in that “aw, cute” way). Like Hye Ri, he’s got childlike innocence in him - although it has been somewhat scarred. I feel like my words aren’t doing his character enough justice, but Park Shi Hoo hits the nail on the head with his performance of a multi-faceted Lawyer Seo who struggles to reconcile his true feelings with his desire for justice.
The supporting cast are well fleshed out too. We have our second main leads, Prosecutor Yoon and Prosecutor Jin, who aren’t your typical K-Drama second main leads that are desperately attempting to vie for the attention of the main girl/guy or the second main girl/guy. Jin is refreshing: she’s cute and kind, but she’s also incredibly shy and feels insecure about the feelings she harbors for Prosecutor Yoon. Whilst she initially reprimands Hye Ri for her air-head ways, they come to form this cute hoobae/sunbae relationship that allows both characters to rub off on one another. The two Prosecutors also serve up some nice little breathers when PP starts getting angst-y and intense. I shouldn’t forget to mention our third female lead - Lawyer Jenny Ahn - who is Lawyer Seo’s female bestie. She’s a bit of a frosty bitch, but that’s probably because she sees everything from an objective stand point and just wants to get the job done. I didn’t feel that she was romantically interested in Lawyer Seo, but that she maintained the desire to keep her best friend on the track he initially started on before everything became one big botched up mess because of ‘feelings’ (which I don’t think she really understands). She thinks with the mind of an Attorney out for justice and petty things such as ‘love’ hinders that said justice. You simply cannot hate her, though, because whilst she’s harsh (and at times I royal bitch), she’s always right and she’s usually just being a bitch when she’s pissed that secrets are being kept from her by Lawyer Seo when she’s meant to be his right-hand (wo)man.
The shows charm is the main couple though. Even if, at first, you aren’t entirely sure who she’ll end up with, Lawyer Seo and Ma Hye Ri have brilliant chemistry and nuance. You *want* this couple to get together. The writer doesn’t employ constant angst and bickering to strengthen the pair’s relationship (any bickering is purely playful), but instead has them help each other. They have a mutual understanding of one another and know one another’s true qualities. Whilst Hye Ri can’t read Seo like he can read her (due to his omniscient presence) she feels a sincerity behind his words and trusts him. Another great thing about this pairing is that you never feel that one side is putting in more love than they other: there are no power games at play here. The love equal, on both sides, which allows for the two to help each other grow and develop as people. It might seem like Lawyer Seo is pulling all the strings in the grand scheme of things, but that certainly isn’t the case when it comes to love these two share. They’re fun as friends, but they’re even more special as a couple.
I praise the ending for being one of resolution and closure, but I do condemn it for having a run-up that includes the favourite K-Drama trope of noble idiocy. Thankfully, the noble idiocy didn’t last long and was gone in the space of 30 minutes; however, I would have preferred for it to have never occurred entirely (because noble idiocy makes two appearances in two different contexts, in order to give the couple some sort of “hurdle” they need to climb over together or whatever it is).
To conclude, it is the noble idiocy and thinly spread out mystery that prevents PP from getting an objective 8 from me. But in my heart of hearts, it’s probably my favourite rom-com (so far).
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However, this drama really did suffer from a major pacing problem that led to the story falling flat somewhere in the middle and becoming rather vapid and repetitive. It really did not need to be 24 episodes and could have done with being 20, or even 18, episodes long. The writer was clearly trying to stretch the content of an 18 episode long drama into 24 episodes. All of the speed bumps that occurred in the main couples relationship really did not need to happen.
The ending, though, was nicely done and did manage to tie up and solve the major problems of the drama (even if some plot holes failed to be addressed).
The acting was decent, I guess. Our main couple weren't bad for young actors, but Song Ji Hyo and the second male lead were pretty terrible in their roles. Their screen presence was often forgettable due to their stilted and stoic mannerisms which were present even when they weren't needed. The Royal Family and the actors who play Yoon Eun Hye's parents are where the good acting chops lie. Nevertheless, nothing was overly unbearable (except Song Ji Hyo's performance which was just so...wooden).
Despite its flaws, I would probably rewatch this drama because the first 12 episodes are absolutely gold and Goong is blessed by a brilliant soundtrack (sans the one melodramatic song that absolutely got on my nerves).
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The Beginnings of an Auteur
Its very weird watching As Tears Go By after seeing Wong Kar Wai's later works. His directorial style is very much in its infancy here: saturated colours, slow motion fight and chase scenes, shooting in the dark -- contrasted against more orthodox forms of camerawork.The story itself is much more traditional. Being in the mind of the characters' takes a backseat to a formulaic plot about street gangsters. The ending is clear before we've even hit the halfway mark. But its set apart from the others because of its atmospheric love story.
What shines most here is the romantic atmosphere that Wong creates. And I don't mean between Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung (who are playing first cousins, ick). Its the passionate devotion between Andy Lau's Wah and Jacky Cheung's Fly that's the heart and soul of this film. Both men want the other to live a good life. To be safe, happy, and thrive. Their push and pull is painful to watch. They're like magnets and it makes sense that one cannot truly live without the other.
I absolutely adore Maggie Cheung - she's talented, gorgeous, and commands the screen. But she has very little to work with and is probably the thinnest of the characters in this film. Ngor suffers from being nothing but a love interest. Forgotten by the plot and her man, unless its convenient, and ultimately one of the most forgettable of Wong's female characters. If I had watched this film first, instead of In The Mood for Love, I might never have continued with Wong's filmography as I would have thought he's just terrible at writing women.
I'm glad I watched this -- even if it was just to see where Wong started and how he evolved for the better.
*copy and pasted from my Letterboxd review*
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The main ploy of SSA is not at all groundbreaking and is really quite ridiculous. It is filled with often unrealistic scenarios in an office situation and the CEO and Director of DonTalk seem to be way more hands-on and interactive with the staff (the marketing staff in particular) than they should be. It's really quite forgettable; however, the story line between her two main leads isn't forgettable at all.
Romance centered dramas usually fall flat in developing the characters in a love-line and their relationship thus making their love seem unconvincing. SSA doesn't do that. Without giving too much away, the characters grow to not only understand each other, but to understand themselves and their wants and needs. The romantic plot is what carries the drama (surprisingly) and it reminds of Jane Austen's Persuasion, which works brilliantly in SSA. Furthermore, I have never witnessed such chemistry between the leading couple in a K-Drama before. I think Lee Min Jung is better suited to Joo Sang Wook, in real life, than she is with her gross husband. But that's beside the point. lol
I'd also like to add that our main female isn't driven by her love/hate for a man and her relationship with Joo Sang Wook's character is not what drives her. Her desire to find herself, and some sort of stability in her life, is what drives her. Which is refreshing - especially for a K-Drama - although I do wish her desires were fleshed out a tad bit more, but this is a rom com we're talking about.
The acting in the drama was pretty solid and there wasn't really a weak link. I haven't seen any of her previous works, as I'm still a bit of a newbie to dramas, but I really fell for Lee Min Jung. She was wonderful as our feisty, blunt yet emotionally guarded female lead. Also, Joo Sang Wook is pretty damn hilarious too.
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A love story with a fantasy backdrop
"Love Between Fairy and Devil" works best when its primary focus is on the love story between the two leads. This is why the first 1 - 9 episodes feel like 5 minutes long. We get to see a two people who should be enemies - and are seemingly ill-fated - fall into a pace and companionship that will lead to authentic love. The story suffers when it spends too much time on its antagonists and when it introduces random subplots that are never followed through properly. But this is mostly a problem during the last third of the show although its impact is glaring because the ending felt rushed and unsatisfactory. I enjoyed the journey between Orchid and Daqiang, but I wanted the resolution to be much more concrete. Instead, it left more questions than answers.Great chemistry between Dylan Wang and Esther Yu though.
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Tonally disjointed with a nonsensical plot
Sigh. I'm so disappointed with "Vincenzo". I didn't expect a drama about a Korean adoptee who becomes a consiglieri in the mafia to be the second coming of "The Godfather", but I did expect much more than a legal drama that reduced the courtroom to a circus with a seemingly invincible and ridiculously deranged villain.The first three episodes definitely have their flaws - most notably the strange comedy that feels disjointed from the more serious tone of the main story. However, the plot seems to have direction. Vincenzo's goals are clearly defined, the conflict that prevents him achieving said goal is established, and the event that spirals everything out of control is executed perfectly. The build up of tension across those three episodes left me with my jaw on the floor and ready to see how Vincenzo executed his revenge through both legal and illegal means.
But, by episode 5 I was already beginning to feel tired with the drama: the writer was speeding through so many scenarios, it was clear to see that he was going to run out of steam and that the story would drag across 15 more episodes. And I was correct. Because by the end of episode 9, not only is Vincenzo no longer calm, collected, calculative and cunning, but he's just plain stupid. He executes all his plans in the most haphazard obvious way, its a surprise he doesn't end up dead within five minutes. The writer keeps telling us that he's this intelligent mafioso, but honestly, how the hell did he last as long as he did in the mob by acting so carelessly? There's knowing when to show your hand to your enemy in order to push them into the corner, and then there's being so blatantly obvious it gets you and everybody else around you killed.
The legal stuff in this show requires so much suspension of disbelief it'll make your eyes roll into the back of your head. Anyone with an understanding of the South Korean political, economic and legal environment is aware of how much corruption is rife within the system. But courtrooms have principles and the way Hong Cha Young operates in court would get any lawyer in jail for contempt and could even lead her to lose her attorney's license. Its just so ridiculous. Its straight up comedic.
Speaking of comedy, the humour in this show is just so bad. One minute we go from seeing someone getting their head cracked open with a hockey stick, and the next minute we're suddenly thrust into a slapstick scene with the residents of Geumga Plaza. One episode basically shows a character with a domestic violence record as the source of comedic relief (really homophobic episode too). Even dark shows need moments of reprieve, but these sudden shifts of tone are so silly it undercuts the intended seriousness of the story and even results in the (many!) deaths that occur as feeling like cheap stunts. This show's body count is already so needlessly high after 9 episodes that the deaths lose all meaning. There's absolutely no pathos. And how am is the audience supposed to root for characters who keep getting other innocent people killed? Just highlights how Vincenzo is basically a dumb ass in a nice suit.
The acting and the direction are the only things that kept me going for as long as I did. Song Joong Ki somehow manages to make Vincenzo seem like a smart, cunning, almost Michael Corleone-esque character even though the script is constantly working against him and his Italian is atrocious. Jeon Yeo Bin does the best she can do with her character: her face acting when she's allowed to be more than just an over the top drama queen is honestly really good. She's capable of conveying anger, sadness, grief in ways that don't seem exaggerated at all. I'm definitely going to check out her other work, hopefully she gets more material that helps her shine as actress, because she really doesn't have much to do here besides be a bitch or Vincenzo's lackey.
There are some excellently directed sequences here. Episode three is definitely a stand out in terms of direction. The director is very aware of ways to build tension. But it can't cover for how bad the story is.
Don't waste your time and watch "Flower of Evil" instead if you want a good, tightly plotted thriller that isn't brought down by the more ridiculous aspects of the writing.
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P.S it was a beautiful drama with some seriously beautiful men.
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PPL and Propaganda piece disguised as a rom-com
When you fast forward through the awkwardly placed advertisements and the excessively tedious scenes about China's space race (waste of money, resources and detrimental to the environmental btw), you get yourself a cute, light-hearted romantic comedy that is mostly carried by Dilraba Dilmurat.Dilraba is a charming and dynamic presence onscreen, especially in contrast to her leading man, YangYang, who looks like he's posing for a magazine every time he moves. The scenes that focus on the latter - which there are a lot of them as the drama goes into strange science-fiction territory - are pretty boring. The dialogue is difficult to understand, YangYang's acting ranges between looking serious and mildly surprised, and the propaganda is so blatant and annoying. I swear, if I took a shot every time a character said "For the glory of the motherland" I would be passed out drunk on the kitchen floor.
Nevertheless, the scenes in which are leads are together are sweet (even if they do sometimes feel shallow with all the talk about looks). Dilraba and YangYang have good chemistry together which makes up for the latter's otherwise boring and wooden presence onscreen.
I would not watch it again, and would advise anyone who is interested in watching this for the leads and the romance to fast forward through all of the aerospace stuff and treat episode 30 as if it were the last episode.
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