"It's not that I've fallen in love again. I've never stopped loving you."

All These Years is a beautiful film about two young people finding the very best version of love and helping each other grow through life's hardships, family's expectations, distance and time.

The script is tight, coherent. Beautifully sad and hopeful at the same time. The characters well rounded with very real problems based on actual contemporary issues, such as social classes and expectations based on gender, which makes it even more heartbreaking. You understand the decisions they are making are the best option for each other, even if it means being apart. Still, their love always makes them cheer for the other to become the best version of themselves.

Sun Qian and Zhang Xin Cheng's chemistry in INSANE. Like, DAMN! Not once I didn't believe in their performances or the story they were telling me. They carried the entire film flawlessly. Bravo.

I enjoyed every single minute of this film right up to the end, which left me with a chuckle and the biggest smile.

Read More

Well done, but...

Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim 3 is probably the weakest season and yet it manages to deliver great performances, character development and music. It ends the main story perfectly and even leaves the opportunity for another season open. Well done.

I particularly liked how Nurse Eun-tak and Dr. Jung had a chance to shine this season, with their own storylines, and not as supportive characters only. I also appreciate the full circle moment of having former cast members comeback for important guest roles. This story is no longer about Kim Sabu teaching his younger colleagues, but those former students teaching others now. Wonderful.

Full disclosure: it was difficult for me to watch this season without having to fast forward scenes featuring an actor who I know is a piece of ? IRL. I find contradictory this person was cast on a tv show where ethic behaviour serves at the backbone for Kim Sabu's teachings, personality and other characters's arc. Do better, show. Stay away from that one actor in the future.

You might be wondering, why comment on this? Because as a viewer it changed my experience of this drama. A drama I have been following since it aired its first season in 2016. On this season, when this particular actor was on the screen, I found it nauseating and annoying. Once he was gone, a little over midway in the season, things got far more interesting and the story even better. The show ended strong because he was not there.

If producers and writers are making plans for a fourth season, they should consider not hiring this man again. It distroys everything he touches.

Read More

Waiting for Rain does not deliver

Despite the amount of talent gathered, Waiting for Rain does not deliver. A story about loneliness and nostalgia, it leaves much to be desired when the flashbacks to the past, in which the entire premise of the film is based on, don't really grip at your heart in order to break once you understand the present. I have seen this done before and much better in recent years (e.g.: 20th Century Girl).

The script and directing of this film is weak and mild, it manages to deliver what I can only describe as Kang Ha Neul's most mediocre performances to date. He's still good because he's Kang Ha Nuel, but his best efforts could not save this story. Same goes for Kang Sora, Chun Woo-hee and the rest.

The editing is a mess, trying to play it cool and smart but only manages to mix the timelines and confuse the viewers. I can't...

Don't waste your time.

Read More

Nicely done

Shoutout to My Hot Sexless Lover!

This drama follows a group of young adults in contemporary Japan. Each are in a different stage of their lives as they try to figure out their relationships with other people and themselves. But what I really liked about this drama is that it's mostly for a sweet love letter about embracing your needs in a healthy and responsible way in order to love yourself and others.

The story overall is kinda generic, so it's really the acting that carries this drama and the actors deliver with their performances.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama for what it is: an easygoing drama about love, sex and friendship.

Read More

Sweet and endearing!

The Love You Give Me is a fun, endearing and sweet story about second chances.

Wang Yuwen and Wang Ziqi reunite, after working in their hit drama Once We Get Married, and prove they still got it. Their easy going and sizzling chemistry remains top notch and carries the entire show effortlessly.

If casting directors want to reunite them for a third time in a drama, they have my blessing. Please and thank you. Watching these two work together is a joy and pleasure.

My one complaint about this drama is that it could have been a few episodes shorter; the antagonist storyline ran too long. But overall this is a solid and entertaining watch you can simply sit back and enjoy. Maybe get mildly frustrated with one or two characters.

The opening and ending song are good as well.

I recommend it!

Read More

Not worth your time

True To Love’s story is mediocre at best and its script problematic AF.

I swear the writer of this drama never hold a proper conversation with a woman before, and further more seems to want to constantly humiliate the female lead. I understand wanting to bring a know it all character down so she can grow to become a better person but that’s not what the writer does.

The relationships per se are not bad and there’s development, except for the married couple which I detested with passion. Especially the husband since it made it look like what the wife was asking for was insane when in fact he has grown lazy and makes her feel unwanted and not loved.

The acting is not bad, these are all really talented artist, but I simply can’t recommend this drama.

Read More

In what can only be described as the korean adaptation of the Nicholas Cage's Christmas classic The Family Man, Kwon Sang Woo's character gets a taste of what life could had been like if he had made different choices.

Switch (2023) captures the feeling of the original film and brings a new life, heart and laughter into the story. The director and writer, both, know how to make this adaptation feel fresh, even when it's a story we have seen before. The acting is the strongest point of the story, with everyone delivering their A+ game and making you feel everything their characters are feeling. The humor in this movie is also very good, so I am sure everyone can enjoy it.

Overall, I fully recommend it!

Read More

Warm and fun

Following the structure of Love Actually but using quintessential korean elements, A Year End Medley follows a group of people learning to live through heartbreak and disappointment, first love and second chances, and figuring out the best way to support your friends.

This film knows what it is and doesn't try to be anything else. The director fully understand what needs to be done to get the viewer invested in every storyline. That's a difficult task when you have a cast as big and star-studded as this one, where everyone is bringing their A+ game. Even the random 30 second cameos that you don't expect are really fun to watch.

The music is fun and catchy, making you feel at ease and immediately in the happy holidays mood.

I really liked this film. It left me a big smile and a feel good warmth when it ended. I recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read More

Entertaining but a missed opportunity

This drama has all of the right elements: a solid cast that delivers, good directing and an interesting subject matter. The story started strong, I was even on board with the murder mystery but, in the third part of the drama, the script started to loose its footing. No longer able to figure out what story were they telling.

In many ways, I feel there were several missed opportunity. Crash Course in Romance could have told a good and solid story commenting on society’s prejudices on what a family should be or look like. There was also plenty of room for a proper storyline about the mental health of students going trough an incredible amount of stress and how they coped. How the competitive mothers are willing to bully, adults and children alike, in order for their kids to get into university and their impossible expectations that directly impacted in every aspect of the kids’s well being. By the end of the last episode, male lead doesn’t see anything wrong about kids pushing themselves this hard, except when they collapse, which in my book that means very little character development. Male lead also suffers from half of the story of a eating disorder and we are supposed to just, what?, let it go? There’s never a proper follow up on it or how it was connected to the murder mystery that the drama concentrated most of its time with. A mystery that was resolved in one scene alone, rushed and swiftly under the rug. Almost like we didn’t spend fifteen of sixteen episodes trying to figure out what was happening with this particular storyline.

We only got proper real development and resolution about the issues regarding the kids and mothers, on the last episode, in a epilogue like montage showing us where each character was. The character growth, throughout the run of the drama, came there was came from the teens and the leads. Everything else was almost like an afterthought.

None of this means this is a bad or frustrating drama. On the contrary, despite its shortcomings, is a really fun story with lovable characters. I can recommend it for that alone: entertaining value.

Read More

A very sweet and mature youth drama!

Desk mates. Friends. Lovers. Through growing pains, separation and reconciliation, Si Yue and Ding Xian remain earnest to what they know to be true: their relationship. They are each other's constant through everything and a love based on mutual respect and understanding is meant to last a lifetime.

Yes, the story follows a pattern and it has troupes. But I can overlook all that thanks to good story development and performances. Besides, Chen Zheyuan and Xu Meng Jie have GREAT chemistry. If you are looking a drama to relax to, this is it.

The teaser trailer for Our Secret is accurate but also misleading af. It has all the sweet moments but the story is more mature than what is shown. I was pleasently surprised.

Overall, this was a very endearing youth drama, with solid character development and performances. The story is sweet and if you are looking for a drama to relax and smile to, this is it.

I recommend it!

Read More

Making time for the important.

Nowadays the urgent doesn't leave time for the important and that's Summer Strike's entire premise. A young woman deciding to make time for what is important for her own mental health and happiness. This is not a perfect drama but it's something I would recommend for its message.

I think any warning should be that this drama is not a fun romance but a slice of life portraying sensitive issues as mental, emotional and physical pain and health. I found some of these characters so annoying because of the accuracy in which sexism, ignorance, selfishness and closed-mindedness is portrayed in the show. We all want this world to be different, but most of the time Summer Strike shows it like it is. Changes are gradual and slow. Trust the healing process because it's very satisfying. Thankfully the frustrating characters and moments are well balanced with wholesome scenes, which will have to squealing and laughing with excitement.

All these characters, who were alienated, abused and depressed were able to find each other and create a family. It's not a perfect family but it fills the house with laughter, kindness and warmth. That's what matters and I love it.

I have read comments about how Yeo-reum didn't get any development because she never "stood up for herself". I would say that she didn't need to: she was perfectly fine as she was and if anything her softness was actually the catalyst for change in others. Yeo-reum's "development", in my opinion, was about accepting herself for who she is, wants and needs; not changing and becoming tougher. I would even go as far as to argue, her softness are what makes her strong. Because she keeps putting herself out there and living her life the best she can, knowing full well she might get hurt but that there's also the chance for something magical happening. She has a rich inner life and at the end it's reflected on the outside as well. If anything, Yeo-reum "stood up for herself" in the very first episodes when she quitted her job and moved away. That decision wasn't about her running away, but about her running towards something. She just didn't know what yet.

Another important message in Summer Strike is that being soft is not a bad thing. Leaving toxic environments and relationships, it's okay. You don't have to be an ambitious person just because society expects you to be due to your intellect, gender or any other reason they come up with. Learn to know what is it that you need.

Read More

The perfect combination of sexy and cute

This was a sexy and cute love story between two office co-workers who start a BDSM relationship. I don't really know much about this subject but one of the key things that made me like this film, it's the equality between them despite being in a dom-sub relationship. Everything is a mutual agreement based on preferences and needs from both sides.

The film never centers around sex itself, but mostly on the mutual agreement based on preferences and needs of both sides. This allows for the story to explore on other aspects of the relationship through contrasting colors indicating the character's emotional state.

Leading man Jung Ji-hoon presents himself as a clean-cute, friendly and career oriented. The story goes deep into why he has a need for BDSM and particularly being a submissive person in the relationship. It has to do with unfair expectations society has on man, but I won't say much because I feel like he explains it perfectly. Lee Jun-young plays the character really well and doesn't shy away from the physical acting, which is hilarious and smut.

Jung Ji-woo is the perfect counterpart for Ji-hoo. It's clear she has been raised in an open minded household and as a result she is an independent and outspoken young woman, who is not afraid to call out her boss's sexism and misogyny. It brings her most headaches than she deserves, to be honest. This character trait is what allows her to go into a BDSM relationship filled with curiosity and excitement, as she finds the physiological release she needs. So-hyun's performance is excellent. Quiet yet strong.

The production is solid and very entertaining. And I think they did a good job presenting what is BDSM and all its nuances.

A very entertaining watch and I highly recommend it.

Read More

What is the point...?

The premise of All of Us Are Dead is simple: a group students try their best to stay alive while being trapped in their school through a zombie apocalypse. When I first heard about this drama and saw the talent attached to the project, I thought this was a promising story.

After watching it, I feel mostly lukewarm about it. Sadly, most of the developments that don’t sit well with me are major spoilers, so I won’t be sharing it. Instead, I will be talking about what I liked about it and what didn’t quite reach the potential it had.

What I like the most was that I got to watch the story from several perspectives, from desperate teen survivor, detective and the framed science teacher, to military and political government. The different points of view on what to do in this situation was very interesting.

The first half of the drama was very compelling. Its rhythm fast paced and adrenaline infused but also took its time to develop characters and their inner and outer demons. In the final six episodes the story shifts and the drama suffers from it a little.

The acting is a mixed bag. The adult performers do a solid job but it’s the young talent where it flattered. I personally think what is really attracting people to watch this drama, more than the story, is the charming new actors and actresses. Particularly Park Solomon, whom I admit is a find and probably the next big thing. I can see a little of Go Soo in him and that should tell you everything you need to know. Lee Eun-saem and Ha Seung-ri are another two really strong performances. But the most impactful presence is Lee Yoo Mi who demonstrates the meaning of the word range.

The zombie action is top notch, no surprise coming from a korean production. It is gory and blood thirsty. Their origin story, however, it’s one of the things that just don’t sit well with me.

The school violence, bullying and sexual abuse display in this drama is far more disturbing than the actual zombies. I am sure this was the intention, so we as an audience can understand and empathize with the logic behind the creation of the zombies. The adult solution to the problem is anarchy and destruction. From this situation, a group of kids is left to figure out what’s morally correct, ethical behavior, justice, the importance of kindness, and so on. Lord of the Flies: Zombie Edition.

This is the point where I am left wondering if this is what of All Of Us Are Dead is actually about. Is this a gore fest showing me the worst a human can do? People so detached to what others feel, so already dead inside, that everything they do is worse than what a zombie does? Is this a brutal bullying survivor story? But then why none of the main characters were part of the bullied? Or someone who stood up to the bullies before the zombie apocalypse? Or part of the bullying storyline at all?

As I mentioned before, I found the conclusion of this series lukewarm, up in the air, as I am sure it was the intention since Netflix or the powers at the studio who produced this drama are probably wishing for a second season. Or more.

Overall, if you like zombies stories, you might as well give it chance.

Read More

Nothing new under the sun

A saying goes “there’s nothing new under the sun” and sadly this is the case with the korean drama Let Me Be Your Knight.

It’s not that it’s a bad drama, it’s simply too predictable and cliché ridden, bringing nothing new to the genre or stories surrounding a candy heroine and a group of haughty musicians in desperate need to learn how to be a real band.

The chemistry between Tae-in and Yoon-ju, the two leads, was decent enough and the development of their feelings was coherent, but it lacked the factor that makes you want to cheer for them at all times. I found myself more than okay if they didn’t end up together.

The rest of the characters are charming, quirky, annoying and cute enough for me to not be bothered. I found Shin’s storyline with the actress the most compelling, but it conclude in a lukewarm way. Basically destroying everything that happened before.

I suppose my biggest issue is the script. It honestly feels like the screenwriter wanted to add all the storylines and formulas we have seen before because they didn’t know what this drama is actually about or where they were going with the characters.

Let Me Be Your Knight is a simple and stress free drama. The acting is decent enough to enjoy as a binge-watch over a weekend, if you have nothing else to do.

Read More