rachel
Singapore
The ending is given to you right at the start of the movie, and it's certainly not a happy one. But it sets the stage for the viewer to fill in the blanks. The music is bare bones - appropriate for the bleak tone of the film (no pun intended). The colour palette of the movie and scenery also serves to set the mood for the movie.
Lee Je Hoon is thrilling as the protagonist, swinging from sincere and heartfelt, to threatening and fearsome.
A heartwrenching but rewarding watch.
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First loves/crushes. Letting go of your first love. Having your friend's back. Bullying.
Have you ever wanted to give your 17-year-old self a big hug and say "it's okay, it's not the end of the world"? What advice would you give to her/him? Did you ever fulfill those lofty dreams you had as an adolescent? Do you have any regrets?
These are all things that are addressed in the movie. It dispenses valuable lessons, yet doesn't feel preachy. It delivered so many moments of both laughter and tears.
I love that the story is told by intercutting the present time with flashback sequences through the eyes of Na-mi. However, the beating heart of the group is Chun-hwa, and Kang So-ra impressed me as young Chun-hwa. Shim Eun-Kyung also has a breakout role in this movie - so funny at times, so heartfelt at others.
As for the music, the movie used many English-language hit songs from the 80s that probably sound familiar to us now, and were very appropriate to the era. The music also helped create an air of nostalgia suitable to the flashback sequences.
I don't usually like rewatching shows, but I can see the value in rewatching this film, for some of the lessons that are suitable for any station or stage of life you may be in.
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My issue with the show is how the story basically plodded along. I could see from the outset what kind of story was aiming to tell and the tone it wanted to set. But because it was written to be heartwarming and lesson-teaching, there was little drama, and the story didn't have strong peaks and valleys. It became predictable and boring at times.
Some relationships were not properly developed, so the way the relationships played out or were resolved by the end of the show were not very convincing to me.
Joo Won is naturally the star of the show, since he plays an unconventional character in the Korean drama world. At times I was moved by his character, at others, I was frustrated. I particularly enjoyed Joo Sang Wook's character, Professor Kim. It's my first time watching Joo Sang Wook in a major role, and I think he put in a good performance. I can understand why he has previously been always cast in the CEO role.
At times, the music was quite jarring.
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But the movie felt slightly directionless - probably due to a combination of the writing and the directing. The character and relationship development were half-hearted, especially between Lee Jong Seok and Park Bo Young's characters.
I was expecting Kim Young Kwang to have a more significant role in this movie, but unfortunately he was greatly overshadowed by the two leads, Lee Jong Seok and Park Bo Young. Lee Jong Seok's bumbling lover boy character did deliver some laughs, especially when faced with Kim Young Kwang's gangster character. But the standout was Park Bo Young - don't be fooled by her baby face, she can strike fear in the heart of any man with her punches and vulgarities. Quite a transformation from her previous roles.
I enjoyed the Korean and American music from the 80s which helps set the time period.
Still enjoyable in parts.
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But as the show went on, it became less enjoyable, due to the amount of airtime devoted to certain aspects of the stories and the flawed portrayal of the villains.
Cha Seung Won does such a good job - he's proven his comedic chops in Greatest Love. He still brings them to the table in this show, though not as much as in Greatest Love. He also shows that he is a very good dramatic actor. It's good to see that Lee Seung Gi is trying something different in this show, where his character is a lot darker and mysterious.
I'm really pleased that Go Ara is getting good roles after she did an excellent job on Answer Me 1994.
On a whole, still an enjoyable show.
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Here's what I didn't like about the story. Yong Goo's story feels totally unrealistic at times, such that sometimes I thought "really?!", when the ones who are supposed to enforce and uphold justice don't seem to give a damn about the injustice of his case. At times it felt that the writer was trying to wring your heart of as many tears as possible.
What an excellent cast. So what if the only name you recognized was Park Shin Hye? In fact, she doesn't even play the most important part of this movie. Kal So Won is a child star in the making - at times she is strong and cheerful, other times she breaks your heart with her love for her father.
Ryu Seung Ryong makes a departure from playing the gruff, stoic characters, to take on a challenging role - like . Not only did he manage not to be a parody of a mentally retarded man, he infused lots of heart and love into the character.
Imagine throwing together a bunch of actors usually cast as villains, but put them in a comedy. Yong Goo's cellmates are just that. You probably recognize them from other shows as villains. In this movie, they play hardened prison birds, who are initially dumbfounded by Yong Goo and try to subordinate him to the internal prison hierarchy, but are eventually won over by his innocence, sincerity and fatherly love. They bring the most laughs to this movie.
This movie has no deep message to preach, or lesson to teach, but gives lots of entertainment value by delivering many laughs and cries.
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In the early stages of the movie it was difficult to understand what was going on, and where each character loyalties lay. I would rewatch it only to understand the early parts of the movie better, in the context of the later part of the movie.
If I am correct, this is Gong Yoo's first turn as the lead in an action thriller. He is committed and his hand-to-hand combat scenes are quite gripping, but Park Hee Soon steals the show for me. His wily, dogged South Korean officer in the NIS, pursuing Dong Chul by all ways and means.
An alright action film with the necessary thrills and spills for about 2 hours.
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The relationship lives up to its name - a very ordinary couple. In that sense, the movie doesn't peak and valley like a drama or romantic comedy would. But what it does well is tell the story of an ordinary relationship going through its ups and downs. If you've been in a relationship before, or know of friends' relationship problems, the story will be very relatable. I appreciate the down-to-earthiness, as much as I appreciate the comedy and sometimes farcical nature of it.
Lee Min Ki and Kim Min Hee have good chemistry as a couple breaking up. It would probably be worth a rewatch if you're in a place in your life where you find your relationship going nowhere, or going through a difficult period.
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I was kept on the edge of my seat because I just didn't know what would happen next. The terror was real. At some moments, I even gasped out loud. At one point, the story almost moved into territory that conspiracy theorists would have loved, but thankfully the movie steered away from that very quickly. I was quite satisfied with the ending and the way Ha Jung Woo's character arc was resolved. There are some moments where the movie seems to be trying to tug at your heartstrings, but thankfully they are minimal, so that the movie didn't descend into melodramatic territory.
Ha Jung Woo plays the central character. His character was an ordinary man thrust into the most extraordinary circumstances, and he grabbed the opportunity to be a witness to an important event. His performance is the most important to the movie. He is a quintessential action star and he doesn't disappoint.
If you enjoyed Captain Philips, United 93 and The Bourne Identity, you will probably enjoy this.
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The historical events and figures are real, so it means the movie treads the fine line between not changing history and dramatizing historical events and people. My take is that the story tried to do two things - fit the face reader into these events and give him connections with historical figures. It also tried to expound on the character of the face reader as well as the practice of face reading and whether it is valid. This would probably explain the way the movie ended, but the story seems to spread itself thin in trying to explore both aspects.
For a star-studded cast, I was not disappointed by the performances they put in, especially Lee Jung Jae and Jo Jong Seok. Lee Jung Jae was terrific in his role as the cunning and maniacal Prince Suyang, while Jo Jong Seok was both hilarious and heartbreaking as the face reader's bumbling brother-in-law and loving uncle of Jin Hyung.
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Yuri's character is not very fleshed out, and I found her storyline as an aspiring singer to be completely boring and the connection with the swimmers' stories felt very forced. With the little material she had, Yuri's acting still leaves much to be desired. At times she seemed a little stiff, at other times it felt awkward to watch her.
The movie also tried to touch on backstabbing and bullying, but it was quite brief and the supporting characters were also not fully developed.
Overall, this show is mostly light with some brief moments of gravitas. Enjoy the fanservice, aka abs galore and montages of topless men exercising.
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What I did appreciate slightly was that all the characters were pretty much interlinked with each other, instead of having each couple in their own universe.
Joo Ji Hoon was the main shining light in this movie. He played his role with style and charisma. The rest of the cast either played characters that weren't very unique or that they have played before. Some of the acting was also quite mediocre - especially Lee Yeon Hee, the actress playing the Uzbek girl, and Taecyeon.
Overall, a light but forgettable romantic comedy
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2PM's Junho is surprisingly one of the more entertaining aspects of this show. Honestly, we don't get much "acting" out of Jung Woo Sung, who is meant to be the main villain. By the end of the movie, we don't get much information about his character either, which is a pity. Clearly, Han Hyo Joo's character is meant to be the centerpiece of the show, but her character development is just barely there.
Simon Yam has a cameo, as a wink to the original Hong Kong version of this story, Eye in the Sky.
My verdict - meh.
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Having watched Reply 1997, I couldn't help myself from comparing 1994 to the first one. Some aspects of it are similar, like the love triangle, the parents and the pseudo-familial bonds. But this ensemble has a story of its own to tell and its own lessons to pass on, which is where the rewatch value lies.
First, the story. I am too young to understand many of the pop culture references and trends referenced in the show. However, the show continues what it did so well in "1997" - appealing to universal themes of youth, moving away from home and your parents, sibling relationships, first loves, family and, growing up. Some important news events that occurred during that time period were nicely woven into the characters' storylines. Another thing this writer does well, which I find unique from other dramas, is the way each episode has a theme, a lesson, and often focuses on certain relationships and characters. This gives the supporting characters equal opportunities to tell their stories and shine.
However, after the halfway mark, the episodes got too long for their own good. I found myself groaning towards the finish line.
I found this love triangle a lot tighter than the one in "1997", which was a dead giveaway to me halfway through the show. It was hard to ally myself with an OTP. I did have my suspicions who the husband would be, and while I'm glad my guess was right, both male leads won my heart over and I still ache for the one that was denied.
Next, the cast. The show has done it again - making superstars out of its cast. I'm pleasantly surprised by the makeover that Go Ara went through for her character. I would never be as endeared to Oppa Trash if Jung Woo was not portraying him, and Yoo Yeon Seok plays Chilbong with such earnestness and sincerity. Without going into all the supporting characters, the strength of this show does lie in the ensemble and I'm glad they were all very appropriately cast.
Finally, the music. I love the use of different songs as themes for the various relationships. The revival of hit songs from the early 90s was a big bonus.
I will miss this camaraderie in this alternate universe created in the show!
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Firstly, if you have any knowledge of a real legal system, please suspend all belief. As a law graduate myself, I initially found it hard to sit through court proceedings in the show and discussions about legal issues, because I couldn't stop ranting at the screen about how unrealistic it was.
The 2 lead characters are fabulously crafted. I especially appreciate Hye Sung (Lee Bo Young). She doesn't fit the conventional female lead in a drama - she is feisty, honest, and doesn't stand for any BS. We have waited so long for a lady who can do things for herself, knows what she wants, and says what she wants (well most of the time).
This show not only has a compelling lead couple - its supporting characters have stories of their own to tell and they really shine. Those worth mentioning are Kwan Woo (Yoon Sang Hyun), Doyeon (Lee Da Hee) and Hye Sung's mum (Kim Hae Sook). Not only do they each stand for certain principles and characteristics that are essential to the two lead characters' growth; by the end of the show, Kwan Woo and Doyeon, in particular, evolve as human beings and legal officers to become better people.
There are several funny moments throughout the show, and tear-jerking ones too. The ending is satisfying and full of hope for the future for all the characters. Very importantly, NO MOMENTS OF NOBLE IDIOCY.
The only flaw is the show sometimes spent too much time in court, with our characters going through their legal arguments, which we are already familiar with, and that sometimes made me turn off for a bit.
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