silent_whispers
Dramaland
At times there were very realistic looks into the characters. Such as Mugi and Hanna being able to go . . . pretty far. Then Hanna realizes that just because they are both cursed to feel unrequited love they aren't really close. There's many layers, so many messed up characters. HOWEVER. The drama introduces them but never truly pushes the envelope to its fullest potential.
This drama is pretty dirty, at least dirtier than most K-drama viewers are going to be used to. So heads up. That said this isn't shockingly so if you have seen American TV.
Sometimes the acting was very cheesy. Others very potent. Yoshimoto Miyu as Hana often seemed off at first, but the more episodes past she was brilliant. Especially as she confronts herself in her mind about the choices she makes. Mugi seemed to be a pretty flat character, so I don't really think the actor had much to work with. Sarii Ikegami as Ebato was truly a surprise to me. She played it so well. Oh, and the Akane character was well done. Talk about creepy smiles. Yikes!
This drama captured my attention from episode 1. Sadly by the end it kind of took standard tropes to an (supposedly) unconventional tale, and instead of delivering the ending of shock. It petered up and wrapped things up pretty tamely. Which I won't lie, in the long run probably was the right choice for it.
In the end this drama was both thrilling and boring. A strange thing to find myself saying after all.
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The old villain is back and I enjoyed that. To often we just move onto the next one.. Ka Kui's actions have consequences. It's highlighted by how easily he rushes into things. What emphasis it more is that May is really in this one. She has legit points. They're held at gun point and he ducks and she doesn't. The consequences of that alone are scary--as she points out. Worst of all is that he was so hot headed chasing after them, that she could have been nabbed.
May's breakup was EPIC! Not only that, but she had great points about what he was doing. Actions do speak louder than words. This is a great entry that showcases May and Ka Kui's relationship, and you can totally see why it would be better for her to get out of the relationship.
It's also full of tons of laughs. This movie was shot 3 years after the other one and it ups it's game. If you watch other movies around the time period you can see how they wanted to make the action comedic. However, Jackie is still the only one who can blend the comedy into the stunts so successfully. Ka Kui uns across the street looking cool, but still gets hit. That's the key to Jackie's success. He's human, he gets hit. No random shot to end things, he wins by never giving up. It can be argued that there is a big explosion in the end.
Wow, so there are girls in the special surveillance team. Finally some women to the police force! Though suddenly after that their were women everywhere. Enough so that I thought it may have been a debated or finally added thing to the movie after it was in progress. Ether way it worked and I loved it! Police Story 2 has some of the best surveillance team work I have ever scene. Especially when they were tailing the target.
Not only does this showcase the realities of damages caused on the job, but fear of action. Even though a bomb is called in the police and security are afraid to act on it. The fear of responding to a threat and evacuating people because they'll be chewed out. The curse of any customer service job. You're damned if you do and nothing happens, or don't if something does. Or it can be flip flopped anyway they want to paint you as the wrong doer.
This is a really smart script. If you watch James Bond during this time period you might even pick up on some of the humor trying to emulate Police Story. It takes the best parts of the first movie and delivers it better. It didn't feel so choppy and the pacing was perfect. I'm impressed. The video is even better and the sound is a bit more polished. Though it is still 80s era action noises. This also makes me miss the time period where not everything had to be dark-dark-dark and gloom. I enjoyed smiling and still feeling suspense.
Honestly I think the darker storytelling of today could merge this vibe and create something even better. What I wish could have happened for Police Story 2013.
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After getting over the shock of the terrible action noises loved of the 80s, the stylish short hair female bob, the track suits (oh, gosh), the scaredy-cat pee (yes this was a action trope of the 80s), and some other things I fell in love. Actually that stuff didn't even bother me. Because Police Story really holds up. Sure the sound effects don't and it has that grainy quality in the film. Minor things because the cinematography is great and showcases Jackie's amazing comedic action style. In fact you'll find some of his iconic stunts here. The green bus scene with the umbrella and the pay off with the mall lights.
Sure the story can't be called brilliant. However, for an action movie of it's time it's solid. We're given the story and the pacing keeps us at the edge of our seats! This is definitely an action COMEDY. Despite some of the darker themes and stakes I spent most of the movie with a grin on my face. Whether it was Jackie dealing with his girlfriend (I'm going to call him that as his name changes from movie to movie) or trying to handle the witness. Or his iconic action comedy scenes. This makes me realize how dark the last two entries in the franchise have gone. New Police Story tried to keep it while updating. However, Police Story 2013 lost everything that I loved about the franchise.
More importantly that while the females are damsels, they get in there. Jackie's girlfriend attempts to help and does actually faithfully believe him. The witness is a female and while she spends more time being a damsel when she realizes she needs to fight, and that Jackie is her only hope, she goes in swinging for the bad guys. Even after repeatedly getting hurt!! Yeah! You don't need to be a super fighter to be a strong female character. Girl had balls of steel.
Overall this movie made me fall head of heels for Police Story. Sure it can be argued that the plot is no longer cutting edge. However, it has nuances. Whether it's the individual actors such as Jackie working in the police station. Or the opening with that small town and the transition to the industrialization of city life. This movie speaks of it's people and culture. It showcases action stunts that are so great that they are better then most of the crap they tell us are fight scenes now a days. Not to mention classic action humor that doesn't require a joke or witty banter in between fights. Jackie is amazing and seeing him with a wide range of emotions on his face is brilliant. (The theme of dark gritty movies tends to take that away.) This holds up, maybe not the sound, but I think this is the best place to start the franchise. Don't worry about how old it is. Besides this was still fresh enough to avoid being too much of a cliché.
Not only do we get the cannon behind the name of this franchise, but I saw a few jokes that are recurring. (Or at least I remember them being recurring in the other movies.) Not to mention Jackie makes wiping poop of his shoes into a hilarious dance!
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In the States I found this under Police Story: LOCKDOWN. That should have been my first cool that this was not going to have the key element to the Police Story franchise: Comedy.
Even with New Police Story rebranding the franchise it kept some humorous aspects. Made the character sympathetic and human. This latest entry sadly does what American action movies think you need. Super inhuman and unsympathetic heroes. Basically trying to create an anti-hero. Jackie's characters always tend to get hurt and react to pain, but I didn't feel like this happened.
Overall I think the actors did what they could for the script. Their work was the best. However, the writers decided to add lots of jumping and flashbacks to build the story. While I liked the slight "twist" as to why the guy was holding them hostage and what truly happened. Flashbacks may be popular, but they are hard to utilize affectively. Most of the time leaving the story sketching and sloppy at best.
Visually this was cool and honestly I can't remember the music running through out the movie except for a few annoying songs. The end OST playing through the credits was lovely though.
I'm a little baffled as to why they didn't utilize Chan's awesome fighting stunts more. At the very least to cover up the lack of decent writing. Because our hero Zhong Wen was unlikable. Which is a huge loss to any story, especially this franchise. I believe they were trying to make him world weary. To bring grit and a lot of the "modern" trappings into the franchise. Oh, well. I'm happy Chan is still in demand, I just hope they do better if they continue to build on this franchise. (Please, don't kill it and reboot like Die Hard.)
Another thing is that each installment into the franchise before kept pushing the boundary for stunts. All of the ones before have stunts that are legendary Jackie Chan stunts of gloriousness. For anyone thinking of going into the franchise I'd watch them in order. The first three are classics and tie in well. The 4th loses its way to international marketing, but still is great. New Police Story is a great reboot, remember it's a new character though. In my heart I think the first 3 movies will always be "it". I enjoyed New Police Story, but I think it is at heart a standalone. Using the name of the franchise to mooch.
Side note: Police Story 2 and 3 are my all time faves!
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This review may contain spoilers
This is one of the rare times that I will actually say that the drama NEEDED to be longer. AND that I totally believe the writers could have pulled it off. However, how could they have with this being pre-shot? They took a gamble with 20. That's the drawback of doing that, it did make the storyline and pacing pretty awesome. A show with no filler is all my heart truly yearns for. Sadly in Korea from what I Googled later episodes never took off, so I'm sure the people backing it are happy they only did 20 episodes. Which saddens me as it looks else where it had “favorable response”. What's up Korea? (I will not get on my soap box. I will not. ^_-) Apparently one of the bigger reasons for the lack of interest and ratings was due to the actors. Actually, I really only heard grumbling about IU and Byun Baek Hyun. Byun Baek Hyun plays the cheerful and child like 10th Prince. IU the lead female Soo Hae. For me I thought they did a great job, in fact the whole cast was stellar. There wasn't a single performance that didn't move me in some way.
I will address IU. This is not my first time watching her. Nope it's my second. I first watched her in Dream High and I enjoyed her. Clearly it was her first gig, but I enjoyed her and have always meant to see her in some of her other roles. Even in Dream High I knew she would make a great leading lady. The vast difference from her first acting gig to Moon Lovers was awesome. I think IU is a fantastic actress and she had wonderful chemistry with the entire cast. Most importantly all of the Princes. I believed the ones who fell in love with her, how could they resist?
It's hard to emphasis how amazing the actors are. I will make some highlights. Ji Soo as Wang Jeong (14th Prince) was awesome and I loved him with Baek Hyun, they were such a wonderful duo. I do feel like poor Ji Soo's character got back seated again. Kang Ha Neul as Wook (8th Prince) was really good. I'm a fan. Kang Han Na as the 8th Prince's sister did such an amazing job! She may have been more villain, but I did find myself cheering her on. Even if it meant beloved characters got hurt. However, my new actor obsession has been born. Lee Joon Gi. He was A-mazing to watch. His character was so complex that I was blown away by how Lee Joon Gi pulled it all off.
The story at times was predictable, but many times it surprised me! Which I loved. As I mentioned I felt like it could have been longer. Due to how much AWESOME things are in here I felt like certain aspects were overlooked or not developed enough. The one powerful thing about Moon Lovers is that the character development is off the charts! Whether they're "villains" or the good guys. In fact, a lot of times the good guys became villainous. You could understand where everyone was coming from.
There are A LOT of time jumps! Besides the jump to the past!! Ha-ha. Those 20 episodes cover a huge span of time. There are no rooms for fillers. The writers knew the story they had to cover and tried the best they could to convey where everyone was at the times. I was impressed. Sometimes it was hard to tell how much time was actually passing for the non-time-jumps. So that felt a bit off.
There were some annoying tropes used. The first kiss of a certain love pair actually left me feeling hollow and disappointed at first. Yet every time the writers saved it. Some of the characters are so complex and while even in a trope you understood why that particular character would do it. So it eased the blow.
What I loved most is that while the era is romantic and lovely, it's brutal. For a K-drama I thought that the reality and harshness of the time period was done well. Characters die and are even tortured/maimed. I was a little disappointed by when the Princes finally started dying, but only because the show was short did it feel late. In truth I was happy for the time I had with my princes. (No I won't say who goes first or anything. Avoid all spoilers I tell you!)
The romances are so complex and wonderful. I love that Soo Hae doesn't just have one romance. Life is messy and the heart can (and will) fall in love and grow many times. I also love how the writers emphasis all the kinds of different loves there are. Betrayal, choosing who to trust, bravery, courage, kindness, and so on. I love it when things are complex.
The music was a bit odd at first. Like this electronic feel to it mixed with classical Korean. After a while I was quite fond of it and it fit the series well. The OSTs with vocals were wonderful as well and I loved whenever they were utilized.
Will I rewatch it? Um, yeah. In fact, I started rewatching episodes as they aired. More than once.
This is one of those Dramas you will know right away whether you're in or out! Honestly I don't think I can explain enough or write enough about how awesome it all was for me. Character depth and growth, great interactions, writing that most of the time blew me away, even if some tropes were used they were well used, and the princes weren't just man candy. The female characters are amazing and so well developed. Tragically awesome romances and just a heads up: the last episode will probably destroy you. You will cry! So don't late night binge that because you may not function for the next day. Give it time to soak in. Though I would suggest watching this when you have time to binge most of it! Because once Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo grabs hold of you it won't let go. Enjoy the addiction.
(Now I'm super curious about the original drama! Oh, and FYI I actually really liked how it ended.)
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Honestly it was an awkward start. It took a while for the drama to find it's footing, and the director felt like a newbie at first. Once it found its way I was captivated. All of the characters were wonderful and everything felt so heartfelt. I was moved again and again. There's skinship totally shocked me! But I LOVED it and it was done so well. Enough so that it felt very real. You could see and feel the emotions of the characters as they forged a bond of trust in that moment. Even better is that even though they slept together it wasn't a guarantee that they would be a couple. They didn't love each other yet and I enjoyed seeing their emotions grow and develop. Though it did grate on my nerves when the main love interest would call her ugly. Even in the end.
Heart to Heart was on it's way to being one of my top favorite dramas. Until the last 5 or 6 episodes. In which a typical drama plot came in to affect. In which the leads actually new each other from the past and of course there was this whole horrible mystery. It killed this drama. What I don't understand is why writers or the networks believe that they have to add drama plot tropes in such as corporate espionage or take overs, kidnappings, amnesia, and so on. We're here for the characters and unless that story is written in well to the overall plot it only ruins the drama. I really had to force myself to watch this and mainly so I could see how my beloved characters would end up. Though to be honest I ended up skipping a lot due to extreme boredom. This is a drama where I ended up sticking through to see how the side characters ended up more then the main couple.
I also found how some of the mental illnesses where handled to be incorrect at times and a very shallow reflection of serious issues. Don't get me wrong the hilarity of the two suicides at the beginning did have it's own points and merits. A different take on many very serious issues. At times I could applaud Heart to Heart for adding that comedic edge to the issues. At other times I felt like the writer just didn't quite understand.
The actors were great! Choi Kang Hee is brilliant as Hong Do and I really look forward to seeing her in future dramas. The depth of feeling and nuances she brought to Hong Do were both refreshing and precocious. I hope to find more female leads that are this well developed. Chun Jung Myung and I have a somewhat sordid past. I watched him in Cinderella's Sister and I feel like were just destined to part on bad terms. He's a fun actor! I just wish I could see him in a drama I love. His character isn't exactly the best guy, in fact he's kind of scum. But he owns it and like the lead we end up falling in love with him.
Actor Lee Jae Yoon was a surprise find! I've already become quite obsessed with him and hope in the future he'll land that lead role he deserves. His character Doo Soo is definitely the right guy at first. Until you realize that he over thinks things until someone else wants them. (Yes, I am referring to Hong Do.) I enjoyed that he seemed like the perfect white knight, but as we get to know him we see that in his own way he is just as bad as Yi Seok. So it's up for debate who is the better man.
That's where the charm is. Despite the over the top nature and seeming unrealisticness of the drama. The characters are very human and flawed. Giving the drama a more down to earth quality. I love flawed characters because as humans that's what we are. There aren't perfect guys and flawless ladies.
The music is brilliant! I love, love, love the OST. Certain songs were fun and others totally moving. The music was so unique and fit the drama well.
I really loved the fashion of this drama as it emphasizes Hong Do's illness. Using clothing and items to hide behind. Her style doesn't change that much, but I loved the use of clothing to emphasize how she hid from the world. I also thought Yi Seok's suits where daaaaaang smexy.
Would I rewatch it again? Huh. I'd watch key moments, but considering the slightly rough start the and inevitable boredom of the last 5 to 6 episodes it's not likely.
Overall I think Heart to Heart is a very charming drama. I feel greatly disappointed that the director and writer chose to botch the final episodes. Because Heart to Heart is a very character driven series and I thought many ideas and concepts where lost to simply fulfill a required trope check off list. I wish more writers would be brave enough to keep their original ideas going. I know a lot of it probably has to do with the networks. However, the majority of this drama was moving and beautiful. The take the writer tried to convey on mental illness and the power to heal others was refreshing. Not to mention how well developed the characters are and that none of them were stereotypes, they were outside the box. Which I am very grateful for. They've made a lasting impression.
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So for me "A Werewolf Boy" was torture. At this point I know it's popular and I'm in the low majority. So I'll keep it short. The werewolf mythology . . . wasn't there, and I don't care what anyone says. The story was lame and the romance was BAD. The fact that said Werewolf Boy was more like Dog Boy was painful. A boy that acts like a dog doesn't help to develop any kind of swooning, no. My reaction is to get that guy some serious help. Don't train him to be a dog, train him to be a person.
The overall plot was dull and by the time the credits rolled around I couldn't believe I forced myself to sit through it. I love campy monster movies . . . this wasn't that. It was just bad. Not the worst thing I've ever viewed. But I wished I had my time back. At least the werewolf could have been more Beauty and the Beast. Beautiful boy with a monster lurking there. A real monster, with real conflicts to add . . . to a rewritten script.
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As mentioned the plot isn't that brilliant. Right from the beginning when the 9 years later popped on the screen I knew the entire plot. So the twist was a bust. However, the real meat of Skiptrace is the journey from Russia to China. Showcasing the people in all the countries and highlighting their cultures! The humor was great! Especially singing to "pass" on the stairs. (You'll get it when you watch it.)
The true power here is the bromance! Any drama fan can tell you that's where it's at. Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville have amazing chemistry as (respectively) Benny Chan and Connor Watts. The police and the thief (again respectively). Too be honest I had no idea who actor/writer Johnny Knoxville is and I don't really care about his past projects. This put him on the map for me. He played well off of Jackie Chan and I loved-loved-loved-loved them. They made this movie so good. From the running Russian lady joke, river rafting on big skins, spooning in caves, and so on.
The music did not make me take note except for the Mongolians singing Rolling in the Deep. That made my life.
Oh, yeah. I will be rewatching this in the future! This is tons of fun and I think Chan Jackie fans will enjoy this immensely. Not to mention non-fans will find something to enjoy. You could tell the budget was a little low, but they did a great job making it look good. The practical affects were great. (Though the CGI was . . . low.) I loved the multicultural outlook/blending and hope more movies like this can be made.
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However, within the first episode I realized the lead was not what I had been sold on. She was dumb. And despite the description of the show saying how smart she was, I didn't think so. Maybe test smarts, but not the stuff that counts. As in worldly and can actually care about something outside of her own appearance. Towards the end of the show she definitely started showing some of the "smarts" that I wish could have flavored the show right from the beginning. For the majority of the show she's obsessed with her looks, and others, and is basically an air head. She was beyond annoying. It only added to my frustration as more and more characters saying how smart she is.
Now for the interesting plot. Oh, it was . . . in fact things got really . . . crazy. Which I loved! It's this crazy first love, new love, coming of age, fat to skinny, revenge, and mystery drama all rolled into one! The coming of age part is what took me by surprise since I had thought the leading lady was supposed to be older . . . and again more worldly. It was this craziness that kept me glued to my seat long after I realized I wanted to strangle the lead.
There were a number of aspects of Prosecutor Princess that I loved! However, the main character annoyed me for too long. She doesn't become real enough until the end of the show, and I know I could never-ever-ever rewatch this drama. It's one I wouldn't go out of my way to tell others to watch either. The positives are it made me laugh, gave me a few ahhhhh moments, and when it was good I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
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What I found was that with great writing two episodes is all you need to create an amazing story. No really. Not only was this a time travel, but a gender bender. Splash Splash Love does suffer from fillers or slow pacing. The writer hit the perfect balance of typical drama story with her on unique take. Not to mention her own magical brand of humor combined with Kim Seul Gi's comedic skills.
I also loved all of the historical ties. Well done! The danger for woman in that time period especially for a stranger was very real and I commend the writer for not making it all romantic and roses.
My biggest thing about this drama was how amazing Yoon Doo Joon and Kim Seul Gi were together. They had such chemistry and I felt more invested in their love story then many other long winded dramas out there. Not to mention that the kiss scenes (YES, MORE THAN ONE KISSING SCENE).
The look of this drama was stunning, especially how the director envisioned all the water and rain scenes. As water plays a very important role and I feel like it is its own character.
The entire cast was great and I loved the parallels between the modern versions and historical versions.
The music is top notch. At times the OSTs are very campy, and other times the rock ballads were epic. Especially in the final episode. The musical score is fun and at many times lovely as it mimics the rain.
Oh, yeah I would rewatch this again and again. I did the first episode already when I decided to finally finish this drama. (Internet issues kept me away from it. ;_;)
One of my favorite dramas. Because the writing is so good two episodes were perfect. The humor, character development, world building, and so on all did what other long winded series failed to achieve. Kim Seul Gi showed off her talents beautifully. I also really want to see Yoon Doo Joon in more things! No, I'm not speaking as a BEAST fan. The man can act. Most importantly I will be keeping an eye out for this writers work. There's a bright future ahead of her.
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The synopsis made this sound awesome! Mafia matchmaker. Yet as I watched it I felt like I was watching any number of mafia romantic comedies. Don't get me wrong I genuinely liked the couple--cute. With the help of the match making bullies they fall in love, again cute. But I actually found myself liking secondary characters more. The eldest brother of the mafia clan and his wife were a hoot! Especially the wife as she goes all Mission Impossible gangster all over a woman her husband is trying to seduce. In fact, if the next movie was about her I'd be all over that!
The worst part is the big romantic speech is skipped! You know that part in all romantic films we wait for. The speech. The one that comes after the couple seems like there going to split after some big misunderstanding. Let's be honest even non-romantic comedy fans look forward to this. What clever and moving, sometimes funny, words are they going to say to each other that seals the deal? Nope the leading man is driving frantically after his woman to let her know that he's really in this . . . and then they're getting married. I kept telling myself they'd flash back to it. You know she's walking down the isle and they show that missing speech at intervals until they "I do". Nope. There is a flashback, the one that shows us what really happened with the "one night stand". But I feel robbed.
In general this a great average addition to the mafia comedic romances. The matching making mafia bros where awesome! And loads of secondary characters help to hold up the average romance. But I think that missing romantic speech could have added depth to the love interests, because they had no chemistry and things were just too . . . passionless. It was basically watching two pushovers fall in love, though every once a while they finally got some spirit. The ending wedding and flashback almost make up for it. But I still feel robbed . . . even the comedic gags have all been done before, and they just smacked them down in this movie hoping viewers wouldn't have seen it else where. A solid average movie all around.
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The story started out very oddly. Seemingly just tossing all kinds of tropes and concepts in. Such s Dan Tae's ability to see things in slow mow, which was convientaly utilzed and then forgotten though out the series. Once the story founds it's legs, I was blow away!!
Gong Shim was both hilarous and moving. She may have not have had high self esteem, but she was strong. I enjoyed that she stood up for herself. Even telling the male lead not to boss her around, it was "her choice" whether she wanted to do something. Though in the end I she did allow herself to be shelved by the man. Becasue she loved him enough to be abused.
Many interesting storylines were introduced pulling inspiration from Beauty and the Beast. I also think Cinderella themes. On inner beauty, outer beauty, self worth and so on. I loved it.
Sadly the plot of Dan Tae discovery he was the heir to Star Group took over. A plot that I thought the writer realized needed to be on the back burner. By episode 10 it came into full affect. It was uninteresting becasue veiwers knew right away what had happpened. The show quickly went from inavated and refreshing, do another dull drama. Not to mention that it felt like the writer forgot that it was Gong Shim's name in the title. It was the Dan Tae show and lost all of the interesting threads.
When things started out Joon Soo was the better love interest and I realy wanted him to get Gong Shim. Dan Tae warmed up as a love interest and I really loved him as well. It became clear that he would be IT and poor Joon Soo was almost fed to the wolves. To be honest I still think he should have gotten the girl. Dan Tae did some pretty crappy things. Though I will give mad props out to Dan Tae and Joon Soo's relationship. It was all so magical.
Even more annoying was that Gong Mi was pretty much abandoned. Despite that her as a villian was more interesting then the kidnapper and villian of the Star Group Heir arc. There were endless posiblities for the relationship between Gong Shim and Gong Mi. Sadly it was only brought up every now and then when the writer realized she was boring her viewers to tears. If I was actress Seo Hyo Rim I would be ticked.
I think the cast did an amazing job. The two fathers, Joon Soo's and Gong Shim's, turned out to be surprising story lines and the best part of the last episode.
The music was both fun, cheesey, and at times terrible. But more fun than anything. Honestly I don't remember most of the music and songs now, but I know while watching I had fun. Though I won't be tracking down the OST anytime soon.
Rewatch. This is tough. I'd probably watch certain parts again, espeically the first half of the series. However, the show became so mind numbingly boring that there is no way I'd revisit it. Probably a "Best scenes of Beautiful Gong Shim" on Youtube.
In the end Beautiful Gong Shim burned so bright when it found it's feet, that it burnt out. One of the biggest disappointing drama turn outs for this year for me. Mainly because it just couldn't maintian it's great concepts and like all Lee Hee-Myung dramas quickly deterated into another boring typical drama. One that disspoints it's characters. I will always value Gong Shim as a refreshing female lead, and despite the writers attempts to ruin her I'll hold on to that.
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Sounds good. Until suddenly the science fiction is all over the place. Such as Do Min Joon's powers. So time moves slower on his planet and it's fast on earth. Meaning he never ages and can freeze time. Not only that he can teleport, levitate things with his mind (so telekinesis), has the abilities to electrically kill and start things, and so on. Psychically he's faster (I'm assuming do to his time abilities), stronger, better eye sight, and his hearing is so amazing he can even hear through sound proof walls and pin point someone through an entire city to long distances. Pin point one person by sound. The whole thing is based on superior aliens who can teleport not being able to duplicate their powers and create their own teleportation device. “BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!” They don't want to alert humans to them, so they have to do it stealthy. That's just touching the tip of the sci/fi and basic questions here. Yes, plot holes.
Enter the female lead who immediately rubbed me the wrong way. She's kind of clueless (read brainless), loud and obnoxious. So on. On paper You Who Came From the Stars sounds good and then as I began to watch it started to play out in a way that I would normally dislike. Cold male lead, annoying female, and silly world building to support it's sci-fi theme that is just a romance story. The first episode I could understand why the fans did liketh. Then as I kept watching my episode ratings increased. Because the writer kept doing what I have wanted many drama writers to do: grow their characters.
It didn't hurt that the humor is amazing and Jeon Ji Hyeon is truly an amazing comedic actress. As the writing and Jeon Ji Hyeon were able to take hold of Song Yi and develop her I soon went from being annoyed to feeling really fond of her. Like Do Min Joon I soon fell in love with her. Song Yi may be clueless about somethings, clearly studies were not her strong point, but she has heart. She doesn't lie to herself she realizes that she's a diva and spoiled, but that's who she is why should she hide! If you're her person, and there's few of them, she is loyal. Soon her inner depths are revealed and I appreciate it anytime that a well developed female lead graces the screen.
Do Min Joon develops out of his cold male lead stereotype. As flashbacks into the past show us some of his experiences of why he no longer feels compelled to help the common man. Despite his words he still has helped. His best friend Jang Young Mok is someone he got involved with despite his big words about staying out of the affairs of people and just wait to return to his Star. Yong Mok and Min Joon's relationship is so wonderful and I love that this show has hidden depths of emotion and relationships. Do Min Joon is pretty funny himself and I urge everyone to give this a chance. Especially wait to get a kick out of the drunken flashback . . . oh gosh! While Do Min Joon originally dislikes Song Yi and only is truly drawn to her because she was the girl . . . that looked like someone from the past, he is the one that enters the love zone first. Or starts to at least crush first. Not to mention that actor Kim Soo Hyun is simply amazing.
It showcases the fickleness of super stardom and how quickly fans will turn on you. (Maybe a commentary on the Korean news media and the so called fans.) Shows how stardom can affect the people around you; friends and family. Being a star has it's own issues.
The villain is pretty awesome and it can be argued that Lee Jae Kyung is evil for the sake of being the villain here. However, the actor, Shin Sung Rok, does it swell. If you don't watch this look up Lee Jae Kyung in the red suit. * fans self * Lee Hui Kyung is the bad guy's unsuspecting brother and of course the third wheel to the love story. He should have been soooooo annoying as this stupid guy who follows Song Yi around. She's told him no, but he will and never leaves her. Yet the writing again develops his character and you understand him and are heartbroken with him. Respect. I thought Do Min Joon was beyond stupid trying to protect Song Yi from Lee Jae Kyung, but Lee Hui Kyung not only turns around and gathers evidence, but he does the cop and Do Min Joon's jobs. It's very overlooked, and not acknowledge by the other characters, that he saves the day. Sure Do Min Joon was called in to use his powers, but if push came to shove I'm sure Lee Hui Kyung could have done it himself.
Even the girl friend turning out to be a jealous friend was handled well! (Song Yi's friend!) See solid writing can turn a hated trope into a good thing. You can understand Se Mi and where she is coming from. What I liked even more is that she eventually grows up. I really loved the actress and hope to see her in some leading roles. (Apparently Goblin???) Other actors and relationships I enjoyed would be actor Ahn Jae Hyun! Oh, I've been watching his stuff backwards, but I'm happy to see his “debut”. I loved his relationship with his sister and her fame, and shockingly Do Min Joon! His crush/hero worship of Do Min Joon is another great thing. I also enjoyed Song Yi's family as we learn how broken they are and by the end come together. Oh, and Song Yi has a real friend and I loved their relationship so much!
While I probably won't be rewatchng the whole show anytime soon I will be watching favorite scenes over and over again. The music is all right and while nothing truly pops up while watching I did sing along with the OST. Though if pressed I couldn't sing it to you now. Out of my head already. The instrumental pieces were simple and fit well, but I won't go out of my way to get the soundtrack. Visually it's stunning and I thought the affects were done well enough! It is a TV show and they budgeted well.
You Who Came From the Star pretty much has the frame work of world building and ignores some of the obvious questions about its science fiction aspects. This is a fated across time love story with aliens. All of the regular tropes tossed in and written well enough that it's not annoying (most of the time). While I'm worried about certain alien and human incompatibilities not being addressed at the end. (To which my alternate ending idea would have fixed. Someone needs to hire me. ^_-) Not to mention the explanation to the ending, I have to be honest that this worked. The writer focuses on the things that turns You Who Came From the Stars into a pretty fun show. Character development, fantastic and clever humor, a build up to love (no instalove thank you), and turning unrealistic characters to realistic/relatable ones. By episode 5 I believe viewers will fully know if this show is for them. Some might not be able to turn a blind eye to the glaring plot holes, maybe even find things slowing down as the show was slated for 16 episodes and dragged out to 21 (though I think they did a pretty good job only 2 episodes truly lagged), and might not be able to click with the female lead. However, I think if you let the writing take hold and simply enjoy it's all well worth it.
I enjoyed myself and I'm glad I did.
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Ji Eun is a well developed leading lady. She's so kind and naïve how could I not love her? She might not be worldly and this gets her into a lot of trouble. Especially her capability to love. Sure I'd get frustrated with her inability to stand up for herself or even turn her friends in to the police after they scam her. But that's part of her charm. Ji Eun is fully realized, friendship and her ability to forgive are definitely her crowing glories. She's kind and while that makes her a victim at times you can't help but admire her tenacity. Especially when she wants to get her father's home back.
Sadly Yeong Jae, Rian's character, doesn't do well for me. Oh, he's well fleshed out. His problem is he's spoiled, and a super horrible person. Yes, his character evolves and it's clear that underneath his horrible personality resides a nice guy. (Deep-deep-deep-deep-deep-deep-deep down.) The problem is that most of his development happens in the last few episodes of the series. Because this guy is a jerk to Ji Eun. He spends most of the show pining away for another woman, who is basically the male version of him. He does a few nice things for Ji Eun in between his trying to win the love of another woman. And watching him slowly (SLOWLY) fall for Ji Eun is sweet. I advocate for shows to take their time and build the love story.
It's a sticky point for me when a male lead is a jerk. That the scenes where I want to punch him out way anything else I've seen from him. The last few episodes should not suddenly be crammed with how he finally realizes how awful he's been to the lead, and now he wants her. It irks me. Whether books, TV, or movies. It irks. Especially because Ji Eun is so great! I loved her and I wanted to watch her be wooed and romanced properly. Not just by the third wheel of the love triangle, or again the last part of the show.
The rest of the cast of characters are fun, but none of them interested me. In fact, I disliked the majority of them. Their basic purpose for being there was to make Ji Eun miserable or give her some new hardship to over come. Sure there were some great friendship moments, love triangle swooning, and other things to add to the story. Sadly just not enough. Being able to enjoy supporting characters is something that can save a dramas and enhance. Of course conflicts need to come from them. But at least let some of them be likable and developed.
Now another painful thing was the music. Holy cow. Whenever Yeong Jae visited this bar the same song would be playing on endless repeat. (A song I used to love.) Some of the music was good, but after hearing it on endless repeat, during a pointlessly drug out scene . . . ugh. Oh, and the music that came on for the endless cleaning sequences . . .
This dramas took me three years of stopping and going to finally finish. It caused me to give up dramas for a while as I TRIED so hard to finish it. Full House will be the last drama I ever force myself to finish. The fact that this is a drama standard classic, and I can see how it has influenced and inspired many a dramas after it. (A formula that is very hit or miss with me.) Sad truth is that if I hadn't watch Rain in other roles and adored him before that, it would have been a lot harder for me to become a fan.
This is a drama staple. Just be sure to watch it because you enjoy it. Don't push on. If you really need to see it what I said above would be great advice. Especially if you've tried watching it before, or you hit the point where Full House is no longer working for you. This was the dramas that truly taught me that though dramas may be short, they can be some of the most repetitive and drug out viewing material out there.
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So the main character ground on my nerves every now and then, but Choi Kang Hee as Rim just can't be hateable. Plus, I thought she was a perfect match for Jung Bae. Because despite Rim's pushy annoying character, he stands up for himself. Instead he let's her get away with things because he honestly likes her. Despite the characters' ages this is a growing up story. Bae learning to love someone in front of him, instead of an idea. Rim . . . well she has a lot of growing up to do and maybe not all of it is a achieved her.
The idea behind the plot is genuinely unique, but it's approached like many other rom coms. The cast of side characters, especially Rim's best friend and brother, really liven up the story! The best parts are during the credits when quite a few inside jokes from the movie are used. DON'T MISS THE CREDITS! This is a mature movie with sexual humor, naughty animated scenes, and one of the funniest attempts at trying to turn someone on I have ever seen! Bravo! If I could have loved Rim more and the plot didn't seem like it went through a bunch of check boxes, I could have loved it more.
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