purplebass
Italy
This review may contain spoilers
Without saying too much, this story starts after a young woman's murder. The murderer calls for a jury trial, and you'd think it's completely normal to do, and you'd be right, but you'll find out this event puts something bigger into motion. There are three main protagonists, but every character involved in this is involved in the story, that's what it makes it so monumental and complicated. We have detective Ryu Sung Joon, who has a bad temper but he tries to do his job and catch bad people. Then we have his older brother Ryun Song Hoon, who is an impeccable judge and always follows the law. There is also Jo Eun Ki, a social worker who tries to help young children and teens who are mistreated and neglected by their parents.The cast of this drama was so good. This was Taecyon's come back, and he was terrific in this. He had chemistry with both Jo Eun Ji and Ha Seok Jin, and they also acted well. There were a lot of known drama actors in this, and everyone had their own distinctive personality. They all helped the story to be told effectively, although sometimes it could get confusing. Perhaps there were too many characters, because sometimes I got confused. I'll say, if you pay close attention to this drama ever since the first episode, you'll find clues as to who are the bad guys and what they did, although their actions may tell otherwise. The story came full circle at the end, and it was bittersweet to watch. The story of this drama may look simple, but it isn't. This is a story about revenge, guilt, betrayal, penance, morality, violence, neglect. If you're looking for romance, there is none here. It's all very raw and intense, and there is a lot of blood and gore, so you're warned. I would say this is more: does trauma justify violence?
The music was good but nothing special. I liked the rock tracks.
Would I rewatch this? I don't know. It was super intense and even though it didn't drag, and it was all tied at the end (mostly), it was super sad once you realized that everyone had been lied to or manipulated by people they trusted. Even the bad guys. So you'll be satisfied once you reach the ending, but will still feel a ache/bittersweet feeling in your heart afterwards. Still a good drama with good acting and writing.
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Story: This drama is your usual romcom drama. It has a very US tvshow feel because the audience is lead to discover stuff about the main leads' past very slow. The stories also have a realistic pace, unlike some dramas where the main leads fall in love or kiss each other after four or five episodes but you don't understand where their attraction came from, making that romantic side of the story not much believable. Thankfully, DOR's story, which was realistic yet very simple, tried to explore how two people behave in a relationship and what happens when you meet your ex again and the inners dilemmas and issues of men and women of our modern society go through and not the stereotypical storylines of kdramas. This drama was alright and while I watched I felt myself agreeing or getting mad at the characters as if they were real and not fictional. When a drama makes me feel something, whether it be a bad or a good feeling, it's a good thing. In this the drama didn't fail, but I would have loved more mystery and intrigues - guess I'm asking too much from a romantic comedy.
Acting/Cast: I came to watch this drama not only for what I mentioned above, but also because I had liked Sung Joon on "I Need Romance 3", which had the same writer of this drama, I think. I didn't know Eric nor Yu Mi, and I was pleased to see them acting together because they have great chemistry. I rooted for them from beginning to the end because compared to Sung Joon and Yu Mi, I felt more for that couple and it was the exact kind of couple I look for on a romcom. Speaking about SJ again, I think despite he's younger compared to the other two, he has nice chemistry with noonas, but it's not yet perfected so I hope he will improve that in the future. Everyone acted believable portrayals and they really felt like true characters to me, as if I knew them in real life. The side characters were good as well. Han Yeo Reum's friends were funny and they made a cute couple.
Music: It was cute but honestly, I already forgot about it. I like that there were a couple of english songs put there casually, like in the last episode.
Rewatch Value: Well, despite I enjoyed this, I don't think I would watch it again for the moment. It's a light drama, but very predictable, so one could be bored if they know the story already, since it's not that big of a story.
Overall: I would give a 7+ to this drama. If the story had been deeper, perhaps it would have caught more viewers and would have gotten more of my love as well. In general, it was a nice thing to watch to pass the time. If you are looking for something that doesn't require too much attention and you loved the "I Need Romance" series, then this is perfect for you.
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In the acting department, Yeon Woo Jin was very good at playing the shy boss. Besides being super cute, he brought out a character who is relatable to life, with many layers to his personality that always surprised me. He and Park Hye Soo had a nice chemistry, imo. They were adorable together and shared some emotional scenes. She may have been a bit exaggerated at the beginning with her character, but then she finds her way. If you watched her in Age of Youth, here you'll see she is able to play a completely different character. Although I liked her performance, I think she needs to improve more. Well, she's young and has a long career ahead of her, so. The supporting cast was also great. I've seen Yoon Park in other dramas as well and I wish for the future that he'll land a main lead role, I'd like to see how he would do.
The music was cute and tailored perfectly for this drama.
Overall, is surely a drama I would rewatch because it's simple and light but it makes you think. It was such a pleasant story to watch unfold. If you love comedies, then I think you may like this because it is a refreshing story.
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Like I said, the story is the overused plot of the identical twins, one is good and one is evil (although not super evil but at times you'd want to strangle her). I don't have any problems with dramas with this trope because I like it a lot, but in this I cringed many times at how much of a pushover the good twin Sun Hee was and how cold-blooded to the bone was Do Hee the evil sister. One was too good and one was too evil, and I was a bit disappointed that despite they have an evolution at some point, it happens too late. There wasn't a middle ground as if they had a one track mind, but not all the times.They were too stereotyped in my opinion, but for the type of drama I can forgive it. To add fuel to the fire, another thing that made me roll my eyes was the over the top plots and subplots of the other main characters. It was makjang at its best, which I tolerate, but I asked myself "Are they for real?" a couple of times.
Despite all that I've said above, the acting was really good. The drama had some known actors and some less known. I watched this drama not only because I wanted something light, but also because it was the first K-Drama with Lee Da Hae as the main female lead after "Hotel King", which is still is one of my favorite dramas. Play the role of twins is not easy, but she did a good job because when she played Sun Hee you wanted to either tell her to stand up for herself or hug her, and when she played Do Hee you wanted to strangle her or tell her to respect her sister and colleagues. I didn't know the main male lead, but I liked his character because he was more balanced. I also loved Sun Hee's daughter Cho Rong, who was played well. The evil witch was also Oh Tae Ree played by Yoon Se Ah, whom I already knew from "A Gentleman's Dignity". She made me angry at her character on this drama as well, but I can't deny that even when she shouted and threw things around her office and looked like a basket case, her acting was perfect.
The music was quite enjoyable in my opinion, and I still have the OST stuck in my head.
I would recommend this drama and I would rewatch it, because despite it's predictability, it made me pass a good time and made me happy, which I believe is the most important thing for a product like a series. I guess lovers of rom-coms and makjangs and soap operas will enjoy it as well.
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I started watching it because I love dramas with twins, and the story that this one told was intriguing and you never knew where it would go. It was quite long since it was a weekend drama, but the story keeps on refreshing every 10 episodes or so. It's like it's divided in batches of 10 because each batch deals with a "problem" and then moves forward and tries to deal with other intricated stuff that needs time to be resolved. Some things move at a slow pace while others are faster, so for those who like quick development maybe this drama would look boring and stalling a bit, but after all it has 50 episodes so it cannot go fast all the time. The changes in the characters were more believable like this, but there are some outcomes I am not happy with because the writer left some loose ends in regards of side characters, but if you're looking for a happy end for the main couple, you can find it in this drama despite they don't start with the right foot.
The main couple, played by Ji Jin Hee and Kim Hyun Joo was the strongest point of this drama. She plays the twins and is able to pull off the selfish one and the good one very well, even if my favorite was the "evil" one because she had a multi-dimensional personality. We see her evolve a lot in the drama and become a better person, along with her husband played by Ji Jin Hee. The husband, Choi Jin Eon, started off as a kind-hearted man with a soft spot for weak people, and this is not usually the type of man I like in a drama because he is a doormat. He changes a bit during the drama and gets tougher. I liked the story of his character with Do Hae Gang because they rebuilt their love from the ashes, but sometimes they argued too much for my taste and it seemed that we got back to square one (although I think the couple dynamic was meant to be like that).
I guess if you like drama dealing with revenge, secrets, business, you won't have a problem watching 50 episodes. But if you're looking for something romantic with a bit of comedy, this is not the drama for you. I have a lover is a melodrama and has its light moments, but the dramatic ones overpower them.
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The story revolves around five roommates with different personalities in their twenties and thirties. There's the beauty queen, the talkative one, the introvert, the hardworking and the obsessed one. Each episode tries to follow the story of one girl in particular so that you can get a glimpse of her personality and her insecurities. You can relate a lot to all of them, because they were realistic characters who lead a common life that was interesting. It could be a slice of life drama, with every story trying to tell something to the viewer and explore an issue. The writer tried to get deeper into social issues and it was very profound I actually got very emotional at times. And it had a little bit of mystery and suspanse as well, so it wasn't just an analytic piece.
The acting was very good. The actresses and actors in this drama had different ages and some of the couples that were pictured on screen had a big age gap between each other, but it wasn't evident at all because they luckily had a nice chemistry. The five girls actually looked like real roommates, they were very credible in their roles despite they are usually casted as minor characters on dramas of non-cable networks.
The music was nice. There were songs in english as well, and every character or situation seemed to have the right background music. In perfect "Belle Epoque" style, the drama opened with "Rien, je ne regrette rien", which is also the feel of the drama, the age where you should do what you like because these moments won't come back anymore.
If you look for a short drama with simple storyline but unpredictable and deep meaning, start watching this now. It is a rare drama where there is drama but not the over the top type, as it looks very realistic and tries to indulge into hot and sensible themes of the society of today and young people.
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Acting: The acting was great on all sides. Even the kid actors were good. We had veteran actors like Kim Soo Ro and Kim In Kwon who created a strong bromance between the main *dead* leads and younger actors like Rain who was able to be funny and comedic but also show a melancholic side of his character. His friendship with Oh Yeon Seo's character was really believable and she also was able to pull off a manly character reborn as a woman. Her scenes with Rain are one of the funniest of the drama, haha. Lee Min Jung seemed more like a second lead in this drama. Compared to other of her works, she was quite laid-back. On this drama we also had Choi Won Young who plays yet another insecure and manipulative character. Like on "I Remember You" where he played a psycho, this part suits him very well. Hope in the future he acts in a drama where he is not crazy, though!
Music: The music suit the mood of the drama very well. There were sentimental songs for the sad/reflective/longing scenes and pop music for the funny moments or the fight scenes - yes, this drama also has action!
I would advise to watch this drama if you're looking for a compelling story that comprehends action, comedy, drama. It has them all, and they also combine quite well because you discover things step by step and they don't seem to be thrown out there. If you want a romantic story stay away, because there is the love but it is a more of a family and friendship kind.
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Have both my favorite actor Lee Dong Wook and Gong Yoo (this is the 1st drama I watch with him in it) as the male leads - because as Kim Eun Sook proved in her other dramas, she can give enough screentime to more than one actor - was a pleasant experience. They have great chemistry, their bromance was awesome and it sometimes overshadowed the main couple. I lived for their bickering, they brought me to tears and this doesn't happen much. Needless to say their acting was great. I loved LDW as the Grim Reaper and he moved me a lot, he was really fit to play a serious and a bit depressed immortal angel of death. Gong Yoo was also a surprise, since this is my first drama with him. I felt like he brought peace o the set, I don't know. He gives me the aura of a heartwarming person. I'm a bit torn about Kim Go Eun. She is believable as a 19 year old even though sometimes she used too much aegyo. OK that she's still a teen, but tone it down a bit, gurl. Like I said, her chemistry with Gong Yoo was there but there were times I didn't feel as much for Goblin/Eun Tak couple as I did for Goblin/Grim Reaper. Perhaps it was the age gap that made them give the feel of dad-daughter or oppa-dongsaeng, because it depended on the moment. Eun Tak could go to 19 year old to wise girl in a heartbeat and the Goblin could act like a small child one moment and like a mature guy the next. Overall, though, they are balanced in my opinion. And I liked that in many moments in the second half of the drama where they had to film kisses or couple-y scenes, they seemed very comfortable acting as a couple. Yoo In Na was perfect as a beautiful BBQ shop owner. She was witty and funny and I loved her sense of fashion. I also liked Yook Sung Jae as Deok Hwa.
The music was great, you can tell they spent a nice deal of money and time to make it good.
In general, I would say that this drama is for fantasy lovers the most with a side of romantic comedy. If you're looking for something mysterious, there are few questions you're gonna ask yourself indeed, but is not complicated like a melo. Let's just say, the story is simple and the message the author wants to convey is too.
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A reason why I started this drama was Jang Na Ra, who is one of my favorite actresses. She can do happy, sad, angry and other emotions very well without exaggerating. In this drama she plays a 38 year old woman but also her 20 year old self and it was cute to see how she was both mature and young at the same time. I loved her chemistry with all the cast members but of course, I liked how she seemed comfortable with the male lead Son Ho Jun, who was a revelation for me because I didn't know him. I hope he'll get more male lead roles in the future because he has talent. The supporting cast was also super likeable, because they portrayed such different personalities who blended well together, and their stories were interesting like the one of the main leads. This is another reason to watch, because you won't feel bored by anyone on this show.
The music was good and I'll listen to the tunes in the future. They also included some 90's Korean songs (which I don't know, but it was nice they put them to create the 99' feel).
It's a must watch. It's a light drama with moments that will make you think, not the usual romantic comedy but more of a "dramedy". You'll shed tears of joy and sadness, but in the end it will be worth it.
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I guess that the strength of TYH isn't the story, which, I said, it's very basic and usual, but it's the cast. I loved Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na in Goblin and I knew they had chemistry, and this drama proved it even more. They are what carried the drama forward despite the lack of unpredictable storylines. Had the leads been somebody else, maybe this drama wouldn't have gained interest at all. Their characters have opposite personalities but they attract and their interactions are soooo cute. So if you like cute and fluffy, you'll surely awwww watching these two. The supporting cast was also great. I already knew some of the actors, while some others were new to me. Their dynamics were super hilarious and I kid you not that I laughed a lot of times during all the 16 episodes.
I don't know if I would rewatch all of this, though. Despite liking it, I find the episode length too much compared to dramas airing on the other channels: one episode could arrive up to 1h10, which can be tiring when the story is cute but there isn't suspense. Some episodes felt dragged but somehow, the mood of the drama pulls you to finish them, but I think some people may find this one annoying because of the lack of a deep storyline.
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The main focus of "A Poem a Day" is reality and the routines of various people of different ages who work as physiotherapists. The story followed what they went through (even though it focused on some characters more than others) and the hardships or joys of their lives, all of that accompanied by beautiful poetry. I think the purpose of the story wasn't to engage the viewer and make him/her wait for the plot twist, but push the viewer to reflect on life and to be comforted by the words of the poems. Like I said, the drama followed the routine of these people, and it showed that sometimes life gets better while other times it's not the right moment yet and we have to keep holding on to get what we want. Of course there were also funny moments (I laughed a lot watching this drama) as well.
The main storyline mainly revolved around the female protagonist Woo Bo Young. She was very likeable, at times naive, but very enjoyable and realistic as a character. I think the point here was to see her grow up, especially in the love department. She easily likes people, so this drama as a "sort of" love triangle that was shown to make us see how Bo Young grows from immature love (represented by the immature Min Ho) to mature love, represented by Doctor Ye. But Boo Young also grows by doing her job, and gains more experience. So "A Poem a Day" is most of all Bo Young's journey. After all, she is the one who wanted to become a poet.
Regarding the cast, I had watched Lee Yoo Bi in other dramas and I knew she was good. This drama made me discover Lee Joon Hyuk (who I think should be the male lead somewhere, sooner or later). I really liked their pairing on the drama because they had chemistry. I also liked the rest of the cast because you can tell they all got along while filming, making me believe that they were a tight group of friends IRL.
I can just repeat that this drama may not be anyone's cup of tea. But if you're in the mood for light, cute, no strings attached, emotional... then you should watch this. If you want a drama that'll play mind games with you... then this is not good for you.
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- The story is one of the hot themes of the moment. A married couple who fights and wants to end things but this time only one of them makes that decision, and not both, because it's Joo Hyuk who decides to turn things around. The title is fitting, because the drama is basically around Joo Hyuk and the "familiar wife" he knows. You'll understand along the way. Like I anticipated, the story kept me entertaining for the most part because there are a lot of funny moments, but I think that after the first 11-12 episodes it was dragged, and the last episodes felt like an extension that, to some degree, could have been cut into less episodes.
- The main character, like I said, was Cha Joo Hyuk, played by Ji Sung. I've got nothing to say on the acting itself because it was really good, so I'll talk about his character. Joo Hyuk is one of those men who is selfish and lets his wife take care of the house and their children, not thinking that his wife has also a life to live and a job and that he needs to help her too. Besides this, he is also whipped, and lets other treat him like they want and when it's time to speak, he is not understood because he never spoke his true mind. In the first episodes I found his attitude annoying, but it slowly changes (although it doesn't make me like him completely). Seo Woo Jin, played by Han Ji Min, was Joo Hyuk's wife. Her husband let her do everything and rarely helped her, and this makes her angry and bitter. She could look despicable as well, but in my opinion, she had more reasons to be like this compared to Joo Hyuk, in fact I sided with her. We see different "shades" of Woo Jin that lets us see how she was before she married Joo Hyuk. She is truly an enjoyable character and stronger compared to Joo Hyuk, and I liked that. She is probably my favorite character. Luckily the story wasn't just about Joo Hyuk, but also about their friends at work and family. I liked every person at their workplace and they were funny (I admit I laughed a lot watching this drama), and I could tell that the cast got along well during filming because the group was tight. Loved to see Jang Seung Jo again in a funnier role compared to the one he had in "Money Flower". Everyone was good.
- The music gets the highest rating along with acting because it was catchy. I really like the song that they used at the beginning and that was played in the background of the shots where they showed the title of the episode.
- This drama was nice, funny, it let me spend some hours in peace and didn't make me have headaches like some other titles, but in my opinion it was a good romantic comedy with realistic acting but didn't leave a mark in my heart. This is why I gave it a 8 star rating.
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Acting/Cast: No doubt Eric is a star and lately is living his moment of success again. He is such an outstanding actor and is able to portray realistic characters. His Kang Tae Joo was a guy who mistreated women and didn't care because his only aim was money and whatever money could buy. At times he was really narcisisstic and egoistical that you could believe he was really like that. He was able to show us the redemption of his character. Although I would have loved more development on his part, I felt like how he acted and the consequences of what he did showed the audience that thing I talked about earlier, that life doesn't always go like we want. He and Jung Yu Mi had an amazing chemistry on screen and I loved their interactions; they were able to transpire passion on a korean drama because of their not-so-standard kisses for a drama of 2007. Jung Yu Mi portrayed Han Eun Soo well too, although at times I felt this character was flat because she was silent and often closed herself to the world. The other protagonists did a good job as well even though they were despicable in some parts.
Music: Catchy song in the beginning and on most of the previews at the end of the episodes, also a nice tune for the scenes of the main couple.
In conclusion, this is a good drama but I wouldn't rewatch it because I think it's repetitive and at times cannot be interpreted well. There were some parts that made me roll my eyes because they weren't explained like you would expect, but nothing compared to other dramas. I would suggest to watch this drama if you love the main actors or you love melancholic stories with a usual plot but not a usual storytelling. It is a very mature drama so if you're looking for a romcom or something with laughs, this is not a drama for you.
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