Funny and wholesome despite some raunchy moments thanks to the fleeting fantasies of the desperate male leads (one of them dirtier-minded than the others but all good guys at heart)
I thought this was really interesting, paying homage and deconstructing the magic of cinema. I felt like even the sparse opening scene was questioning what makes a good movie. The actors, writing, imagery, the director bringing it all together, or is the magic something we can’t really define because our memories and what resonates with us also informs how much we enjoy a movie.
The end is so meta but also so sweet, felt like a wishful gift to inspire people to keep asking questions and seeking answers in film. I just wish I had seen all the movies used in the third part of the movie to better appreciate this one
I laughed out loud when the plot thickened but felt the lead should have shown more growth/recognition that her actions were wrong. I guess the weird final scene was karma but it didn’t tell me she actually learned anything.
This is more a supernatural comedy for teens than a melodrama as tagged
I really liked it. At first it seems like she is the one at fault but you really get to understand her perspective (so sad and well portrayed). The way it ended, working toward seeing the cat as a metaphor for their relationship and how it made them remember what they had together…I’m weepy just thinking about it! I found it beautiful and am reading the webtoon now
So bad, very reminiscent of soft porn-infected B movies of 80s-90s late night American cable TV, except for the sweet sincerity of the leads. The first Korean movie I have seen where I honestly wonder if the creators and actors are ashamed of this film or were too desperate at the time to care
I think this was meant to consider whether any action could make up for the events of May 1980. I don’t think it was meant to be an amazing revenge/caper movie. It seemed clear failure was always going to be a possibility. The girl isn’t useless when seen from this perspective; she is illustrating how you can be too human to exact a “correct” revenge and makes you wonder if it’s worth it
Laugh out loud funny! Reminded me of Looney Tunes with Wile E. Coyote-style violence except with humans and aliens in Korea with no anvils (and everyone plays their roles so seriously which makes this type of humor work so well)
I teared up. Kim Sun Ah was amazing, so vulnerable, hopeful and regretful at the end and the flashbacks to how her ambitions began were so touching. Fabulous wardrobe, raucous mix of drama, danger, sentimentality and hilarity. No romance (lots of cheating) but I feel the understanding between the two FLs more than made up for that. Highly recommend!
Wasn’t expecting much from this but the opening with the young versions of the leads was so absorbing and sad, loved young Ki Ho! The rest played like an homage to musicals to me with the high pitched family drama, repeated musical interludes and ridiculous/fantastical notion of FL living alone on a deserted island for 15 years s— And I enjoyed it!
I really struggled through this. It was so unlike the novel that it was hard to get started. It seemed to return to elements of the novel more around the midpoint but by then I felt like the only way to get through it was to forget about the novel.
I was dissatisfied with the novel and had expected the series to bring more background and closure but instead the series seemed like a total departure, loading on unnecessary tragedy/situations that weren’t in the novel and completely changing characters (especially SFL and SML, FL’s fiancé was a new creation for the series) and motivations (none presented are suggested or explored in the novel). The work/office life aspect at NM was what I found most interesting about the novel and it was almost entirely absent
Also, the novel was entirely the FL’s POV and had a funny sardonic tone that the series did not reflect. I was surprised at the humorlessness. The one faithful thing (at least in part) was the stalker which seems to be what commenters found the least satisfying (as do I because his story was one of the things I was hoping to be explained in the series, which didn’t happen). I wonder how I would have appreciated this series if The Trunk hadn’t been alluded to at all (or if I hadn’t read The Trunk)
I thought this was well done as a meditation on what would happen in a nearly uncontrollable and unprecedented situation (the flu moved too fast for the pace of government or society leading to horrifically drastic measures). But seemed so stupid that the president’s wishes were ignored until the very last moment?
The daughter was such a gem and that child actress gave her all (ugh, that scene at the orange line!).
In a post-pandemic world seeing people masked up, hoarding water/TP and forced to isolate was strange to see. It also echoes the ways of many zombie movies and dramas which made me appreciate those works all the more
This is now on Amazon Prime. I really liked how this explored the ways people will take advantage of another’s misfortune (as the neighbors did in getting blessings and healing from the possessed So Jin) and how they were punished.
Felt bad for the mom, who was so Christian and had such faith in prayer that she didn’t recognize the real reason her daughter survived (the crane spirit entering her which repeats with the cop’s dying daughter in the final scene).
There is a review here suggesting the possession didn’t occur as if the movie was a criticism of religious fanaticism but there are many clear flags indicating otherwise (e.g., the crane)
This is now on Amazon Prime. It had a quirky indie feel and centered on how luck, not talent, determines success with many twists in how the leads interacted to try and steal luck for themselves. I really like movies featuring shamanism and questioning life so I might be biased and YMMV
This is now on Amazon Prime. Honestly it was pretty cute with the chaste relationship between the leads and him sharing Korean ways (teaching her martial arts, insisting on sleeping alone and ridiculously healing her gunshot wound via acupuncture). The ending featured a giant twist and the lead’s resulting bemusement was quite funny though it was probably intended to be sad
I felt the woman’s decision to not pursue justice and break off from her poet friend needed more explanation.
Also it seemed she had put together that the rapist had victimized her friend, and in flashbacks we see the rapist’s in-laws angrily burning the proof of that previous accusation. Did I understand correctly? If so then I could understand the woman giving up— Except I don’t think she actually witnessed those events? She had suspicions partially confirmed by her talks with others and seemed to have her friend’s accusation at some point but she barely interacted with the family (so I attributed the burning flashback to the rapist).
Barring this confusion I really appreciated the exploration of ageism, sexism, privilege and power, done in such a thoughtful way
This wasn’t horrible, though as usual I could have done without the prolonged sex scenes. I liked how the wife came to understand the student’s situation and even helped her out in the situation with her “brother” but then the student turned into obsessive lover for no apparent reason returning everything to B-movie mode.
The student’s tears while hugging the neighbor boy in the final scene suggested this was the first time she had experienced pure support from a male which was so sad! The sirens right at the fadeout also suggest the police are coming for her so I think justice will be served.
The husband was an awful jerk throughout with no explanation of why these women would care to fight over him (he’s jobless, useless, uncaring, unthinking, abusive and totally selfish). Maybe a general comment on how no matter the circumstances, men will always be automatically valued?
The end is so meta but also so sweet, felt like a wishful gift to inspire people to keep asking questions and seeking answers in film. I just wish I had seen all the movies used in the third part of the movie to better appreciate this one
This is more a supernatural comedy for teens than a melodrama as tagged
I was dissatisfied with the novel and had expected the series to bring more background and closure but instead the series seemed like a total departure, loading on unnecessary tragedy/situations that weren’t in the novel and completely changing characters (especially SFL and SML, FL’s fiancé was a new creation for the series) and motivations (none presented are suggested or explored in the novel). The work/office life aspect at NM was what I found most interesting about the novel and it was almost entirely absent
Also, the novel was entirely the FL’s POV and had a funny sardonic tone that the series did not reflect. I was surprised at the humorlessness. The one faithful thing (at least in part) was the stalker which seems to be what commenters found the least satisfying (as do I because his story was one of the things I was hoping to be explained in the series, which didn’t happen). I wonder how I would have appreciated this series if The Trunk hadn’t been alluded to at all (or if I hadn’t read The Trunk)
The daughter was such a gem and that child actress gave her all (ugh, that scene at the orange line!).
In a post-pandemic world seeing people masked up, hoarding water/TP and forced to isolate was strange to see. It also echoes the ways of many zombie movies and dramas which made me appreciate those works all the more
Felt bad for the mom, who was so Christian and had such faith in prayer that she didn’t recognize the real reason her daughter survived (the crane spirit entering her which repeats with the cop’s dying daughter in the final scene).
There is a review here suggesting the possession didn’t occur as if the movie was a criticism of religious fanaticism but there are many clear flags indicating otherwise (e.g., the crane)
Also it seemed she had put together that the rapist had victimized her friend, and in flashbacks we see the rapist’s in-laws angrily burning the proof of that previous accusation. Did I understand correctly? If so then I could understand the woman giving up— Except I don’t think she actually witnessed those events? She had suspicions partially confirmed by her talks with others and seemed to have her friend’s accusation at some point but she barely interacted with the family (so I attributed the burning flashback to the rapist).
Barring this confusion I really appreciated the exploration of ageism, sexism, privilege and power, done in such a thoughtful way
The student’s tears while hugging the neighbor boy in the final scene suggested this was the first time she had experienced pure support from a male which was so sad! The sirens right at the fadeout also suggest the police are coming for her so I think justice will be served.
The husband was an awful jerk throughout with no explanation of why these women would care to fight over him (he’s jobless, useless, uncaring, unthinking, abusive and totally selfish). Maybe a general comment on how no matter the circumstances, men will always be automatically valued?