Kate

The long ballad of supporting characters.

Amazing development, reliable traits with believable strengths and flaws, emotionally gripping stories that made me invested in the plot progress - what I’ve got from the supporting characters and side plots. Confused teens with good fighting skills are what the two main characters delivered.

So why did the main leads not work for me? Poorly presented context of their struggles. Li Chang Ge was introduced as a military prodigy for her young age. After facing the murder of her parents, she sets on the journey of revenge, that leads to countless self-reflection and changes of her goals and motivations. The issue is, the drama made me feel like an idiot.

All the characters around her kept saying how impulsive she is, how her actions are wrong, how the killer of her family is a good and a nice guy. I was sitting in front of my laptop questioning my sanity and the character's morals. Yes, I understand that there was more behind the story. I understood that the relationship between her and her uncles is not all that we see. My issue is, even the characters that had no reason to like or trust Li Shimin, ended up on his side right away, and I was just supposed to accept that. The writer wanted to make sure the viewers see Li Shimin as a good guy, without explaining why we should not view him as the villain. Even the most loyal people of the late emperor changed their affiliation in one or two days.

I was amazingly frustrated how no one tried to explain anything to Chang Ge, and she was just supposed to accept everyone’s claim that the new emperor is a good guy and she is wrong. As if everyone did not try to hunt her down without first giving her a chance to understand what truly happened. She was the traitor that needed to be killed.

Because of the unreasonable context, her journey just felt flat to me. Not to mention, while they showed her to be physically strong, she was extremely easily influenced by other people. Her morality, goals, views on the world shifted each time she met someone new. While self-discovery is based on exploration, the fact she just adopted whatever principles the people that were currently around her had, was a bit much.

Then we have Ashile Sun. There were fascinating ideas that could have been explored on a greater scale: how long are you obligated to stay loyal to the people who helped us in the past, should you accept all their demands or is our individuality as important, how long can you surrender to others’ demands and what are the long term consequences? His internal conflicts connected to Yan Li Khan were sadly overshadowed by his instant love for Li Chang Ge.

And the romance was not that great. He literally fell for her because “she was not like other girls”, remembering all the behaviors she presented that are usually linked to masculine traits. He fell fast and hard, and she was the initial reason for his character’s development - I find it disappointing. Often he did not feel like an individual character, but rather a shadow of the female lead.

Luckily, we’ve got some interesting side characters who made me like the show a lot. Easily my favorite, Li Le Yan had one of the best written character developments I have seen in a while. Her character development was built on her already existing characteristics. She did not become a completely different person - she simply worked on her flaws while staying true to her peaceful and gentle approach. She trusted the people around her, knew her limits and when to ask for help. She showed maturity and emotional strength when other characters were struggling to control themselves.

Hao Du, everyone’s favorite. Truth to be told, it took me a while to truly understand why everyone was so obsessed with his character, but he does creep on you - you don’t even know when, and you love him. I wish his story had a bit more screen time, so the development would be more gradual and well paced. Sill, the progress from distant, lone wolf to lost, adorable puppy was extremely entertaining and endearing to watch. I also appreciate his efficiency - kill first, ask questions later.

Even if not as well developed, the other characters that I appreciated by the end of the show were She Er, General Li Jing, King of Mobei, Gongsun Heng, Situ Lang Lang, Zhen Zhu and probably a few other supporting characters. They all had distinctive personalities, motivations, goals and aspirations. They all played an important role in the plot, affecting the events in a meaningful way. None of them felt like a background filler.

The characters made the show, because the plot was slightly all over the place.

Then we have the production issues. I am sorry, but they did not even try to make the cross-dressing believable. When Chang Ge was addressed as “he” after her first appearance, I had to pause the episode, I was so confused. All I could think about was: how could anyone ever assume she is a guy? And the show did not improve on that aspect at all.

Then there is the issue with kissing scenes. One could say - small detail if we take into consideration the whole show. But romance was a huge portion of it. The romance was what drove a lot of the characters. So when we’ve got birds’ make out sessions, a non-existing kiss fading to a white screen and even a dead body getting more action than the lead characters, one would start to get frustrated.

The Long Ballad had a lot of unintentionally hilarious moments. The new emperor being surprised his daughter was starving when she was a refugee (little grasp on reality he had, no?), “think for yourself” being seen as a lifelong experience that can be passed on to only the worthy one, the fact male lead had to be told he loved female lead 31 episodes in, after he risked his life and lives of other people he cares about for her, the overall vibe of “people die, get over it” everyone gave, female lead telling male lead he can’t kill his brother for killing his mother, while she herself has been on the revenge trip for months to kill her uncle for killing her parents. To sum it up, everyone lacks brain cells.

Overall, The Long Ballad was addicting and entertaining and I had a lot of fun watching. Undeniably sharing my rants and views on mdl feeds did make the whole experience a bit better, but even without it, I would appreciate what I’ve got from the show. For 49 episodes, it was a quick watch with likable characters, fast paced plot that does not require much brain power to understand, which makes it perfect late night binge watch material.

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Rather simple, but well constructed plot that, thanks to the interesting cast of characters, serves as an entertaining watch.

The best thing about this show was for me Wang Zhi. While at first I was quite cautious about him, soon he became one of my favorite characters from all the shows I have seen in 2021. Loyalty, desperation, wits, drive - all fitted into this one, morally gray character. Whatever he said or did, I could not stop myself from thinking “he makes sense here”. Did I sell my soul to Wang Zhi? Maybe. He could be going around killing and torturing people and I’d be like: good for you honey, keep it up!

Even though Tang Fan and Sui Zhou were not as complex of characters, they still presented some nice nuances. On one hand, Tang Fan, in a quite refreshing way, combined reasoning brilliance and social stupidity. At the end of the day, a lot of problems he solved in a clever way, happened because of his social ignorance.

On the other hand, Sui Zhou represented both strength, emotional maturity, but also vulnerability and emotional struggles. It was interesting to see that the character who seemed the strongest, was the one that had to face his internal demons and tragic past the most.

The trio had an amazing dynamic, pushing each other to strive for better, while not ignoring each other's shortcomings. How it usually went, you ask? Tang Fan causes the problem, Sui Zhou tries to help Tang Fan, Wang Zhi actually does all the work to clean the mess - what a perfect group of friends, relatable af.

All the supporting characters had their place in the story, and none felt redundant. What's important, most did not just vanish after their cases were solved, and they've been brought back at the important plot points. This small detail of not removing characters from existence after they've done their part, made this whole fictional world seem more real.

Another aspect of the show I had to appreciate was the pacing. For some, it might have been slow - it took them quite a few episodes to deal with each case. For me, it was perfect. Watching crime related shows, I want to witness how the cases are solved, what actions and steps have been taken, and it’s impossible to achieve in the "one episode for one case" format.

The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty presents the viewers with some amazing visuals - from the scenery, sets to beautiful costumes. Do you like food? You might want to prepare some nice snacks before watching the episodes - the cooking scenes will make you hungry even after eating dinner.

That said, the show is far from perfect. To be honest, I did not notice many flaws since I was preoccupied going crazy over Wang Zhi, but there are a few that caught my attention. First of all, there were not many characters that were just… normal people. Everyone was highly skilled in something, and me being a typical potato could not relate to the skills and brain power going on. At the same time, around episode 44-45 everyone’s brain collectively shuts down, to make room for the villains to try their schemes.

While I found Tang Fan being an idiot, cute and funny, I can see how he would make some people’s blood boil. Some mistakes this child made were on a whole new level of “I forgot to bring my brain to work today”.

Since this is an adaptation of a BL novel, it will not satisfy people who watch it for the bromance. Honestly speaking, the show has little “censored adaptation of same sex original work” vibes, to the point that these few scenes, giving the bromance feeling, actually felt out of place for me.

Overall, great directing and writing, good acting, nice soundtrack - everything making this story an addicting and fun ride. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me bang my head on the wall. I became obsessed with Wang Zhi, and had withdrawal symptoms right after I saw the last episode.

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Nishiogikubo Mitsuboshi Youshudou is a short, yet surprisingly deep drama that made me dwell on various social issues.

Each episode focuses on a different customer of the bar and their personal problems and worries. Amamiya Ryoichiro serves a role of a mediator, rarely ever giving his own opinion on the subject - focusing on making the guest comfortable enough to share their stories. On the other hand, Nakauchi Satoru and Kobayashi Naoki present usually opposite takes on the presented situation, which helps the viewers see that most issues are not just black or white scenarios.

Taking into consideration the short duration, the social issues are never presented in a complex and detailed way, but the show still opens the door for the viewer to reflect on the topics on their own.

The acting was on point, and the casting team did a fantastic job, not only with the main characters, but also all the supporting and guest roles. The natural expressions and line delivery, mixed with simple directing created this familiar feeling that made it easier to relate to the characters, even if we could not get to know them that well.

The only criticism I have would be the lack of backstory of the main characters, especially Amamiya Ryoichiro. His character was like a blank canva - focused on reflecting what is happening around him and guiding other people's thoughts and emotions. While it might have been a writing and directing choice, I wish we could get to know him and his story more.

Overall, it’s a short yet meaningful series that presents you many interesting and realistic stories in a heartwarming and pleasant way.

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Too much drama, not enough variety.

In my eyes, season three repeats the same mistakes season two made. Everything felt scripted, even the jokes and fun interactions between the cast.

While in season two the plot presented at least seemed interesting, and separate cases were for sure fun to follow, here... I couldn't care less. The crimes were not exciting, the games were not entertaining. I was left with close to nothing.

I'm not gonna lie, there were moments when I could not stop laughing, but they were few and far between. More often than not I wished the episode would just end and I wanted to skip some scenes.

One thing that truly took me aback was the amount of violence in this season. Some in the form of jokes and some part of the plot. I get it, it's a crime driven show, but it does not mean we need to witness someone getting killed (mostly shot) outside of the investigation, aka the dead bodies that were the source of cases. Not to mention the recurring "slapping" joke. It was funny the first time, but after that, it was too much.

I still love the cast, some of their interactions were amazing, but the script was weak and the overall flow of the show depended too heavily on it. The best and most memorable moments for me would be the traveling between houses in the last episode. It felt organic, natural, funny and not painfully rehearsed and scripted.

Since there will be no season 4, I am truly confused why they included the last scene in episode 8. They wrapped it all up quite well, just to open a new door that will never be closed.

Unless someone is a big fan of the cast, I wouldn't really recommend watching it.

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Character development worthy of a drama.

Easily the best season of Single’s Inferno, I even dare to say one of the best seasons of any Asian dating show. You had it all - fun characters, unique characters, annoying characters, hot, cute, smart, strong. You name it, they had it.

I do think a lot of pairings were rather obvious half way through, but the journey to get there had a lot of ups and downs. Be it caused by one and only “Mary Sue”, or personal indecisiveness, curiosity, lack of communication. If you wanted to map all the connections together, you get that “connecting dots” meme.

There were moments when I questioned the sanity of the people in the show, since their decision making skills were… interesting at best. Why did they choose it? Why did they say that? Why did they not explain? Why did they explain it this way? At times I felt like they are working hard to make their own lives harder. And it was so entertaining to watch.

What was best though were the MCs. That was probably one of the most honest commentaries I have seen in any dating show so far. You can clearly see when they are frustrated and annoyed, when they are happy or surprised. They criticize and question the contestants when they disagree with their choices. Their commentary simply did not feel as scripted as it usually does.

Overall, without giving any spoilers - worth watching. I was dropping everything to watch every episode as it aired. I liked the games they were playing - intense. I liked the switches between the “pairings”. I liked how unique everyone felt. Probably the best casting so far.

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“The TV station needs to use sweet moments between Nubsib and Aey to promote the series, so as to gain viewership.” aka the tale that exposes how even the people behind the BL industry know the quality of the content they create is not good enough to gain the viewers, so they can only rely on cheap tricks attracting delusional fans.

Lovely Writer had a great beginning and the end, with a rather mediocre middle part. Exploring the romantic relationship between Gene and Nubsib in the context of the BL industry was interesting, but the moment the focus moved from that to a childhood connection, it lost the appealing aspect that made me invested in the story.

Gene was also quite a frustrating character. One would think by episode 11 we would witness some character development, him standing up for himself, not being so easily swayed and manipulated. Sadly, that is exactly who he was till the end of the show.

Nubsib was rather one dimensional. Everything about him revolved around Gene. All his goals and motivations were related to Gene. Each decision he made was influenced by what he thought would get him closer to Gene. Sure, their scenes together were extremely cute, they were an adorable couple, but I always wish to see the characters not only as a part of a relationship, but also as their own individuals.

Many character developments happened in the last episode, and I was questioning where most of it came from? We had a 4 month time jump, so I guess all the self-reflection happened off-screen.

I have to say, after I picked this drama again, I started to appreciate the fakeness of Aey more. His “I’m fine, I’m not sad about Gene and Nubsib” live was truly iconic. Him trying to manipulate the situation left and right was simply entertaining to watch. He was the definition of a professional victim.

One thing I for sure appreciated was how the comments fans were making in the show truly reflected the nonsense some fans are saying in real life, for example “How can prime minister allow this” - I’m sorry, but what does prime minister has to do with 2 young gay dudes dating?

It’s nice to see a BL drama drag the problematic aspects of BL industry, even if the topic was addressed only at the beginning and the end of the show. Discrimination happening during the production, the lack of personal freedom for actors, the overbearing and intrusive delusional fans and many other issues that go even beyond the industry itself.

That said, some things missed the mark for me. Lines like “I might look gay, but I’m straight” - I get the good intentions, pointing out that liking feminine stuff does not make one gay, but framed in such a manner it suggest there is in fact something like “looking gay”.

The thing that bothered me the most was the introduction of the past/kids story. It was borderline inappropriate. While just the scenes did not really cross the line, how they were framed was a problem. Adding music typically associated with romantic scenes, Gene saying they will reignite their past affection (if they were not romantically involved, there would be nothing to reignite) and how salty he was simply because a child from his past did not show up to say goodbye. How Nubsib kept saying he was already in love with Gene back then. All that context made it borderline wrong. Gene was a teenager, Nubsib was a child - it did make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Acting wise, Up delivered what he was asked to deliver and what the audience might want to see. I loved him in the role of Gene, even if at times I felt frustrated with the character. Kao… looked nice? For sure he can sell the confident flirty look, but sadly, I was not convinced by more emotional scenes. Overall, the whole cast did well. My favorite ones were definitely Up and Zorzo.

Overall, Lovely Writer has some amazing elements that were truly refreshing to see in BL. It falls back into some stereotypes and cliché bits, but at the end of the day, it was quite an enjoyable watch.

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Saying I did not have a good time watching this show would be a lie. It's also important to point out that my enjoyment did not come from amazing writing and excellent directing. The show is a mess, but that's why I liked it so much.

It's not the best opening for a series of dramas. Plot wise, we are just left with no answers and more questions than we can handle. As I was watching, I was waiting for the info and the lore, the whole background for the characters to be slowly explained. I wanted to understand the world presented, so when I decide to watch the next installments, I would have a grasp on the background and the relationships/connection between the characters and could fully focus on the plot. Nah... ain't gonna happen. There has been just too much info introduced, but not explored.

I definitely enjoyed some characters. Main lead, Wu Xie, had his dumb moments (quite a lot... probably more than the smart ones), but was still fun and easy to root for. Zhang Qi Ling is the biggest question mark of the show. We know nothing about him. He obviously, for some strange reason, cares for the ML, but it's never explained. I love his overdramatic emo ass and the fun fighting scenes.

Some characters annoyed me more than ever. Wang Pang Zi? Needs to chill. He was too unreasonable and awful with any type of social interactions. The more I saw him, the more I could not stand him.

The biggest problem (which by the end of the day became the reason I enjoyed the watch so much) was the lack of logic behind characters actions. I was just sitting in front of my laptop and asking myself: but why?, every time someone made some dumb or unrealistic decision.

The production value was... questionable at best, but docent in some scenes. Scenes heavy on CGI could make people cry though. Feel warned.

I think this is the case of a show that is bad and confusing, but that's what makes it an enjoyable ride. I truly loved the watch and it was simply a lot of fun. Since there was no point in figuring out what is happening and why characters do what they do, I could just focus on whatever mess was happening on screen and laugh about it. There is just something weirdly endearing about The Lost Tomb.

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I think I’m too old for a nonsense story like that.

The idea of this adult guy going back to school to take revenge on his old friend is quite unrealistic, to say the least. Maybe if I was able to turn off my brain as I was watching, I would enjoy it more. And if the characters were any better.

Kang Bok Soo - the underdog hero with amazing brains (but not really), and some unrealistically good investigation skills. Was Seung Ho cute? Sure. Was the character interesting? No.

Female lead? Amazingly useless. At first she was there to tip the scale and get the misfortune rolling in Bok Soo’s life. After that, she was nothing more than a love interest. Quite frankly, you could remove her character from the drama and not much would change. She is also a prime example why I believe sometimes chasing your dreams is not a good idea, especially when you ain’t that good at the activity. Keep it as a hobby, because at times, you, somehow achieving your dreams, might hurt people you interact with.

Se Ho was an interesting character, but even he failed me by the end, bringing no nuance to the plot. Not to mention his mother has been just your typical mother-villain.

I have to say, I enjoyed the supporting characters far more than any of the leads. My heart broke a few times for Park Dong Jun, I was rooting like crazy for Park Sung Woo, and I wanted to help Lee Chae Min.

The acting was overall good. I am not the biggest fan of Jo Bo Ah, since she kind of acts the same in all her roles. By the end, I was also a bit tired of Kim Yeo Jin’s overacting, but then I cannot be sure how much of it was her decision and how much was she instructed by the director to go for such a delivery of the lines.

The production value was good except for the makeup. I would put better make up on the cast. What was that weird brown smokey eye, they did on Kwak Dong Yeon? Why did Yoo Seung and Ho Jo Bo Ah’s lipstick look as if they had kept it on their lips for 10 years until their lips looked so chapped it pained me to look at them? Someone explain, because I do not understand...

As for the ending, I don’t think it was possible to make it more of a cliche.

I get that this show has some nice wholesome and heartwarming messages, but there are so many better school dramas with the same messages, I see no reason why anyone should try this one. I would recommend watching anything else.

Overall? It would probably be better if I left it on my drop list.

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I shouldn’t have liked it as much as I did. It’s truly not the top notch writing and the characters are quite frankly dumb. But the show has a weird excitement to it, I could not resist. It might be the result of a quite well balanced mix of genres: politics, military, mystery and corruption with action sequences on top.

So how were the plot and characters? The whole team is full of silly little potatoes. The decision making would probably be better and more logical if they flipped a coin. They were all supposed to be professionals and specialists in their fields, or at least close to being them. How could Son Ye Rim just walk around like it’s not a big deal after being exposed to an unknown substance? How come in such a small team so many people have ulterior motives that can at times endanger other team members? How come they truly do not care about any military regulations 90% of the time? I think them being such idiots added to the entertainment value. Who doesn’t like watching people make stupid decisions?

That said, even though the dumbassness was frustrating, I enjoyed the characters themselves. The dynamics were fun to watch and slowly discovering any potential connections kept me more focused on what is going on on the screen.

I appreciated how they didn’t dump a massive exposition in episode one explaining all the details, but they also didn’t leave me in the dark till the last moment. Clues, hints and puzzle pieces have been dropped throughout the show, slowly forming a whole picture. In the process I flipped from loving to hating to loving again many characters.

Let’s talk about CGI. Thank god the crazy dogs only happened at the beginning, because they were laughably bad. I always believed that sometimes not showing the monster is better than showing it with the use of shitty CGI. People are creative, they will fill the gaps.

The pacing was well done, I didn't really feel bored during any episode. Keeping them an hour long (compared to the 1 h 30 min. we get lately) and only 10 episodes was a wise choice. This plot is definitely not something that could have been successfully stretched to 16 episodes. The biggest flop was episode 3, which for some strange reason, did not follow linear storytelling, and we jumped around the timeline like crazy. This made little sense.

Overall, it’s not a smart show. I have no military knowledge, but some of the decisions that have been made were simply illogical, even for me. And yet, I liked it. For some strange reason. It was probably because of the characters and the cast. I wasn’t that interested in Dong Jin and Ye Rim, but all the rest truly caught my attention. A girl needs to appreciate the real stakes too, even though it was painful to watch and it broke my heart a few times.

Also, mad respect for including pictures of dogs with other actors in the end credits of the last episode. Let's all appreciate their hard work.

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It works, so why didn't it fully work for me?

I honestly don’t know how I truly feel about this drama. Many things worked, I enjoyed the chemistry, the bickering, the vulnerability of the situation the characters put themselves in, and yet… I feel strangely emotionally detached from it all.

Instead of the usual enemies to lovers, we get the rivals to lovers, with both the most ridiculous, but also somehow fitting the characters bet - who will make the other fall in love faster. It’s ridiculous by design, not by mistake. Both Zen and Ryo, at least to some extent, understand that it makes no sense, but it’s also the only way that feels safe to explore the potential of the romantic relationship - to dip into it without no way back into friendship. Obviously, as an audience we know from the start where the bet leads, but it’s fun to watch the characters figure it out themselves.

For the relationship that blooms from the false pretense there is surprisingly a lot of proper communication and vulnerability. It all changes when the emotions start to feel more real - the more you care, the more you want to hide things that could threaten what you have. Were these short lived miscommunications frustrating? Yes. But did they make sense? Also yes.

One thing that did bother me quite a lot was how uneven this relationship felt from the beginning till the end. Slowly they tried to present moments that were hinting things are more equal than it might seem, but I was never truly convinced.

While the main leads were rather well developed, the setting of the drama was not. Except for Futami Yuya I do not really remember any other co-worker. I don’t remember any project they worked on - everything was just bland and feeling the space since the romance cannot happen in a complete vacuum. And this might be the reason I was never really sold - it never felt real. And if it does not feel real, I don’t fully connect to the story.

Still, I did love the characters. Shito Zen was this cute hamster that honestly needed to chill. I felt burned out from work just watching him. Yotsuya Ryo was the puppy who needed a hug - all that emotional labor he did… And Futami Yuya was the true chaos I wish they introduced earlier in the plot.

All three actors (and the young actor playing teen leads) did a good job with the roles. I was for sure the most impressed with Hori Kaito - personal preference, but I love when actors can present so much angst and vulnerability with just their eyes and no lines spoken.

For the production - I like the visuals, I question the sounds. That soundtrack was ridiculous. This telenovela music needs to go.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but I also expected to enjoy it more.

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Glad I gave short dramas a shot, but never again.

I had an inkling short dramas like that are not my thing, but you never know unless you try right? I tried, and I was bored to death. I could have followed my gut feeling, but as a person who enjoys scientific method, I rather test it.

Rainkissed Fate is pure entertainment with no depth, no logic, lots of abs and kisses. Sadly the lack of substance is what made me want to fall asleep. I’m one of the people who needs to care for the characters to enjoy the drama, and I could not care less for leads here. Bu Yan was honestly awful and immoral. The whole premise of her wanting to get pregnant just to use her new kid as spare parts for the one she already had grossed me out so much I did not exactly wish her well… oops.

I don’t really have much to say about He Yu Chen, kind of gave me nothing, but the abs. I know, I know - this is why we watch these dramas. But it’s just not enough for me. Abs and shower scenes should be the cherry on top of the dessert, not the whole meal.

The chemistry was amazing, that’s a fact. The kissing scenes were great. The few slapping scenes were even better (I love a good slap in a drama). The villain was dumb, but entertaining in a frustrating way.

Honestly, the most fun part of the drama was how they kept referring to kickboxing as boxing. And saying male lead is a boxer, as he fly kicks his opponents in the ring. That’s the true entertainment of this title. I found this mistake in naming especially funny, because the writer actually got a few medical aspects right - half assing the research? One would think finding out you cannot in fact kick in boxing would be easier than the details of leukemia treatment.

No thoughts on acting, this is not a show that is carried by the acting. It’s a show that’s carried by the abs and kisses.

Overall, glad I watched even if I did not enjoy it. This is just truly not my genre.

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Some curses age well and Ring stands the test of time.

After all these years and countless rewatches, it's still such a fun movie. It can work as both an entertaining horror flick to watch with friends and the tense psychological horror to watch alone in a dark room.

From the opening scene and setting up the mystery of the killing tape, to the gradual reveal and investigation, up till the final moments - it keeps you guessing what comes next and how the story will conclude. The pacing was just perfect.

What’s more, Ring hits the good balance between building the tension through storytelling and scaring the viewers with good old jump scares. The scares are solid and not constant - you don't get tired from them. What older horror movies understood were the limitations put on the makers based on the technology they used - that’s why so many of the well known titles from the era do not really feel that dated. Knowing how much you can show, how much should be left for the viewers to assume and interpret, and what’s most important - the use of practical effects.

Surprisingly, as much as I find the movie atmospheric and entertaining, the perceived at the time message does not quite land anymore. The fear of the new media and technology is just not something a modern viewer would associate with the movie. I was honestly surprised to know that was the interpretation by many when Ring was released in 1998. The themes always seemed more general for me - the fear of the unknown and the larger consequences of it.

Overall, Ring for sure stands the test of time and I can confidently say it will most likely be this way for at least next 10 years if not more.

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Expected more bizarre horror.

After that synopsis I think I expected something more wacky. As someone who went into the lore clueless, with no prior knowledge of the source material, maybe my expectations were misplaced.

They dropped the masterpiece of popcorn with pigeons scenes so early on, everything that followed seemed so… mid. That said, the concept of the curse was extremely interesting - a curse that does not necessarily bring you pain and misfortune, but makes you actively avoid happiness.

The performances were great. Somehow even the overacted moments perfectly fitted whatever scene was happening on the screen.

For the production - while the movie looks stunning, I cannot move past the fact that at least partially the soundtrack was “composed” by AI.

Overall, I guess I expected more? It for sure leaned more towards slow paced dark fantasy, rather than exaggerated horror.

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So mid it’s actually painful.

This could have worked as a short movie - not longer than 40 minutes. There is just not enough to the story to justify 1 hour and 30 minutes.

I actually enjoyed the ritual scenes and the mechanics of getting the answers was quite creepy. This alone would be enough. But no, they always have to give a plot twist that is obvious from the start. They always need to make things unnecessarily complicated, when just a ghost ritual story that leads to scares is enough.

Everyone was to some extent annoying, I wanted everyone dead, but especially Park Ja Yeong - what a menace she was with her no facial expressions and obvious issues.

They did not even do the freaking ritual correct, not even once. Which made the ending senseless.

Overall, sad it was a full length movie, when it could have been a solid short one.

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Having a social life and friends can save your life.

And with that I am convinced leads from this movie had none. I cannot believe they’ve been gone for days without anyone having any contact with them. Not one person who was concerned? All it would take was one person, it’s not like they were on some secret mission. People knew where they were seen the last time. They would be found on day 3 if just one person cared.

Putting the mindless set up aside, it was both decent and bad at the same time. I actually really like the idea of a person being trapped in a place with no contact and no way out. If just the execution was better. It would make the movie more tense and less frustrating.

The performances were fine. The production was fine. The pacing was fine. Nothing really stood out, be it positively nor negatively. The beast was not beasting a lot, mostly chilling in the corner. I don’t think the “no animal was hurt during filming” note at the beginning was necessary, since it was clearly visible when the dog was fake and when it was real.

Overall, I’m not mad about how bad it was, I was more bored. When I think about the plot of this movie, it is scary. But when I actually watched it, I felt nothing, but mild frustration.

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