Stayed for the Music

Though I don't really like musical dramas, I found myself drawn to the cast and decided to give this drama a try. Surprisingly I started loving the music more than the actual story-line, and that was perhaps why I was able to watch everything until the end.

For a drama named Heartstrings, I thought it would pull more at mine, but that was not the case. From the start, it became very confusing to me, who was actually the main couple or what was the drama's driving force. The older couple seemed to be the main theme at the start, but then it moved to the younger couple and we barely see any more of the older couple and that kinda frustrated me, because the plot was going all over the place. Jung Yong Hwa and Park Shin Hye did have decent chemistry but their relationship did seem contrived at times and even a bit too childish to me.

One thing I also liked was the competitions within the university campus. I found the Modern vs Traditional music concept very appealing and it even made me interested in researching more about gayageum instruments and music. I found that Park Shin Hye did a good job at portraying such an artist, even though she seems to be typecast quite a bit, she does her homework (if only she would improve her romantic scenes).

In the end, this was sort of a musical feel-good drama without that much depth to it, but I would recommend it for the music only.

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Another Flower Boy

Originally I started watching this because of Park Shin-Hye. I generally enjoy watching her in light-hearted romantic comedies. I felt that this drama was more of a comedy than a romance and that, perhaps put me off from truly enjoying this drama fully. I enjoy comedy, but I prefer a different type of humor.

As for the romance, I couldn't really feel the chemistry between the leads. The relationship seemed a bit one-sided to me. Enrique was the one taking initiative most of the time and Dok Mi was very withdrawn into her little world. Perhaps their personalities were so apart, that a quirky person like Enrique was just too much for Dok Mi's apparent lack of emotion and selfishness.

If you enjoy a bit of fluffy and silly romance, unrequited love, without story or plot, then this might be for you. Alas, not for me.

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Interesting start then went downhill

This drama seemed interesting at first and I did like some parts, but as it progressed it seemed to lack substance. It failed in my opinion to delve deeper into its main message.

I was excited about this drama at first, simply because of PSH. I had seen some of his other works and decided to check this one out. I have to say, that the eccentric and over-the-top character type, doesn't suit him well in my opinion. On the other hand, MGY's character really grabbed my attention in the beginning. Here we have a capable and hardworking woman trying to find a good position in a company but being passed over because she can't compete with those that have connections and a higher social standing that gives them an advantage. Something that she can't achieve just by working hard. Here she is met with the dilemma of wanting to succeed in life by her own merit, but also wanting to grab every opportunity even if it seems unethical. She starts walking a fine line between those two.

My major problem with this drama is that it made the MGY struggles seem shallow. Not only that, I found her acting to be a little too expressionless, (opening your eyes as wide as you can is not a catch-all for every emotion you're trying to depict) something that I have noticed in some of her other works as well. I don't think it matched the male lead's personality and just made him seem even crazier at times. This only made the romance seemed a bit bland for me. I just could not see the chemistry between the leads.

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Master and Slave

I don't even know where to start when it comes to reviewing this drama. The title translates as “This guy is the biggest mistake in my life” and I almost feel like that after having watched it. I have not read the manga so I can't really say how well it compares to the source material, but honestly, I don't want to find out.

The first episode actually made me think that this could turn out to be an interesting story. The main characters had potential and I felt there was room for growth on both sides. Obviously, you need to come into this drama with a grain of salt (or a whole bag of salt). It depicts full-on stalking and borderline obsessive behavior. In my opinion, it sends an awful message to the viewer and I get it's not meant to be taken seriously, but honestly speaking, those issues are not exactly funny.

Other than the most glaring issues that I already mentioned, my biggest issue with this drama is that the characters, especially the main lead do not seem to learn anything. They keep repeating the same patterns of behavior seemingly not self-aware. Or even worse, they are aware but keep doing it anyway, over and over again. By the end of the drama, nothing is learned, there is no character growth, no story development, and the audience is lead in circles only to end up at the exact same place.

I think this drama can only suit a very particular kind of humor, and it does not suit mine.

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You are not the best

You Are The Best!

This for me was yet another failed attempt at watching another weekend drama. I can appreciate a good family melodrama but honestly, I was expecting it to be more of a romantic comedy. Or at least I was expecting the romance aspect of this drama to be written better and not feel so much like an awkward friendship.

I do appreciate dramas that revolve around women and how they deal with Korean socio-cultural issues. How to fit and navigate this ever-changing society being a single divorced mother or fighting to keep your career and your marriage. I especially loved to see Soon Shin's progression in achieving her goals and progressing as an actress while at the same time unraveling her family secret. I feel that the show should have put a bit more emphasis on her and her development and less on crazy mothers and their drama. The acting wasn't bad, but I do feel the characters lacked any sort of growth. Many characters were terribly selfish and felt justified in their actions from beginning to end.

Even though this drama had plenty of potential and interesting characters, it ultimately failed to deliver in my opinion.

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