safiresea
Reason why you should watch it:
ROMANCE & CHEMISTRY: I put this here first because for me, watching Korean drama is first and foremost about the heart and soul…they are spectacularly great in depicting this (I watch Western industry films/drama for other stuff but the love and romance I go to K-drama for). This pairing of the two main characters Do Min Joon and Cheon Song Yi (KSH & JJH) is one of the best if not the best on screen couple to date. Their romance unfolds like a baby bud blooming into a most spectacular flora, it’s an absolute joy to witness and completely unforgettable. The journey was poignant, laughable, and angst ridden, an intermingle of two different species pulled off so believably that you feel as if these characters are REAL and not just characters. Let’s talk kisses-there’s like a total of 10 kisses (1 on forehead, 1 on cheek, the rest on lips) in a 21 episodes, that average to like one every other episodes! I can’t recall a show showing this much smooches! (Secret Garden maybe…but not even then)….the kisses start out innocent and keeps getting hotter and hotter each episodes until it reach the most elaborate, heartfelt, swoon-worthy lip-lock at the last episode. But beyond just their kissing chemistry, these two are so natural together it’s sometimes hard to separate them from their characters (and to think one of them is already married in real life!)…from the many longing glances to the most hand-holding in any drama history (I literally lost count of how many times they hold each other's hands, arms linking, front hugs and back hugs, and lounging times in bed!...talk about bed scenes so many of those cute innocent ones too!). And the things they say to each other?? Wow, can you take my breath away anymore? So in this regards, spectacular, Spectacular, SPECTACULAR from beginning to end!
STORYLINE: The storyline is probably one the most tightly written and well executed that I’ve witness to date. There was never a dull moment for me. Every episode was anticipated with abated breathe and every episode not just deliver but outdo my own expectation…one after the next after the next and continually so until the very end. Halfway through the show I was already deeply in love. You generally know the premise of yes an alien gradually fall for the star and figure out how to be with her….it’s a given, just look at the title “My Love From Another Star”…but it’s the journey of getting there that is just so masterfully done. It steers away from most clichés in K-dramas, it doesn’t drag one situation for too long, and it solves issue with realism that doesn’t annoy the heck out of you. To put bluntly, a show about an alien that stranded on earth for over 400 years with a spoiled egotistic superstar with a super-rich chaebol psychotic killer blended together…are you kidding me? BUT IT WORKS! It works so well together that I’m amazed beyond words. Then let’s talk about the emotions this story wrung out of you. I can’t even begin to explain. I’m a tough cookie when it comes to laughing and crying in movies and shows, some shows make me laugh a little here and there and some shows made me shed a tear or two (sometimes bucket loads) but these are far and few in between. MLFAS cracks me up!! If someone were to look at me, they’d thought I’m a lunatic…and the crying? I was able to hold out until the last few episodes which really did me in, I sobbed like a baby and re-watching those same scenes over 4 times still have the same effect. Even though the story of this show may seem melo and dramatic, it actually weaves in so much laughter and lightheartedness that just floored me! I feel that the show really did turn me (and many others) into bi-polar human beings! It can take you from laughter straight to painful hurt, to being scared, to fluttering butterflies in your stomach, and back to laughter again….sometimes within a span of a few minutes and it does it so well, I’m still left flabbergasted. And don’t get me started on how well executed their cliff hangers are. I feel like dying every episode waiting for the new one….those that get to see it straight through now should feel lucky you don’t have to endure this waiting pain, ugh. Let's not forget the Cinematography, that would be another long rant…just know that I LOVE IT!...the special effect is great and even comparable to Western movies! Lastly, I want to mention the creativity of this show…the “self-interview” mode that’s usually in the beginning and the awesome epilogues in each and every episode at the end is very unique and one of kind, it explains and enlighten so, so much! When a story-line is unpredictable for me to guess from the very beginning to the very end, then in my eyes it’s a WINNER!
CASTING/ACTING: The casting for the main lead, I already state is spectacular amazing and I wouldn’t change it for the world. No one else besides KSH & JJH could do the character justice…no one. But beside them all the other casts was picked and executed nicely as well. I loved every single one of them, that’s actually saying a lot because every drama I watch previously there’s one or two or more (and sometimes the main characters themselves) urks me to no end. Everyone seems to have their fair share of lime-light at one point or another even though the show exclusively zoom in a lot on our 2 main leads. The bromance here is one the best I’ve seen as well. One very poignant and heartbreaking, the other hilariously funny! For a second male lead, HK, they really did develop his story quite nicely and the actor definitely step up the plate when it comes time for him to shine….and boy did he shine! I applaud everyone down to even the cameos in this show.
MUSIC: I’m a little conflicted on how to rate this one. I feel I should give it a 10 because frankly before this show comes along, I could care less for the background music in any show….heck I don’t even know what OST means! But after this show, I have downloaded 3 songs and had repeatedly rape my replay button to death. No people, there’s not just the song “My Destiny” so don’t rate it base on just that. My favorite is actually “Hello Goodbye” and “Tears Like Today”…”My Destiny” was good too and some others like “Every Moment of You”, etc…and I also LOVE the remake song KSH (aka Do Min Joon) sings to our character Song Yi called “Promise” in episode 19 in a very special occasion. It’s not an OST but I fell in love with that song immediately. But there were other OST songs that weren’t as mind-blowing so I guess I’ll stick with a 9 on this.
Why some people might not want to watch it or dislike it:
1. The story does not explain everything (including the ending). I guess some people wanted everything spelled out and written in stone, I’m not one of those so I enjoy this aspect. Yes, his alien life and the sci-fi area were not really delved into and explained much but that’s because the story’s focus has always been the trial and tribulation of the relationship between two different species and how they overcome it. If the show try to tackle everything, I’m pretty sure it would have been a hot mess all over the place and would surely lose most of its focus…I’m glad it always kept the aim on the romance and that everything else is just a means to that end…leave some for our deductive reasoning and imagination please!
2. Some might complain of the casting of the two main characters (she’s too old for him?)…if you’re that immature to judge based on age and looks, then yes please do skip this show as you’re not mature enough to handle it.
3. KSH acting was underwhelming? I heard this before and I couldn’t disagree more. People expect him to act like a “human” when he’s actually an “alien”! If you wanted human emotions go watch him in Dream High, Secretly Greatly, TMTETS, etc. I personally loved his innocent depiction when first landed on earth, to harden reserve, staying away from human in a cold, detached manner after 400+ years of jadedness, and then falling in love and feeling that first twig of jealousy, to an all-out consuming love for one woman…beautiful characterization from beginning to end! The subtlety in his emotions reflect off so well from the all-out-there-craziness of SY's emotions that makes it even more hilarious to watch.
4. Some couldn't stand CSY character as the spoiled, bratty, sometimes bitchy and egotistic star profile. Personally, I think she’s THE BEST 4-D character ever introduced to K-Dramaland (and I’m not standing alone in this!). Fierce, Ditzy, Honest, Bold, Loyal, Caring, Childish, Egotistic, Vulnerable, are just a few of the words I would describe her character. Outwardly she’s flawed but she has so many layers about her that it’s a fascination within itself just seeing her changes range from one moment to the next. It’s never been so much fun to look at a character before…and a female character at it! Some arguably would say, “she stole the show!” or “she made the show!” I couldn't agree more, it wouldn't be a masterpiece without her, JJH and her character depiction of Song Yi is the glue that binds all the elements to create one heck of an astounding show....BRAVO!
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