Completo
My Girlfriend Is a Real Man
39 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
ago 4, 2025
12 di 12 episodi visti
Completo 1
Generale 4.5
Storia 4.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Musica 6.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 1.0
Questa recensione può contenere spoiler

Started Off Dull, Got Funny, Then Fell Apart: A Drama That Lost Its Way

**Episodes 1–4: What Did I Just Sign Up For?**

My Girlfriend is the Man had promise, but instead of the comedy/bromance I was promised, I got an emotional rollercoaster. The trailer lied—talk about a bait-and-switch.

The plot revolves around Ji Eun, who transforms into a boy (Ji Hun) and switches back and forth due to genetics. The main conflict centers around her boyfriend, Yoon Jae, who struggles to accept her transformation. Instead of comedy, Yoon Jae goes on a constant nostalgia trip every time he gets close to Ji Hun, remembering his moments with Ji Eun. This emotional reflection kills the comedic timing, leaving us with more sappy moments than humor. The bromance is practically nonexistent, and while there are a few funny moments (like when Yoon Jae gets drunk), they’re far too few to make any real impact.

Yoon Jae learns more about his girlfriend as a man and falls more deeply in love with her through these challenges. His love for Je Eun transcends her physical form, and he's willing to stay with her even if she changes (remember, he’s straight).

Ji Eun's friendship with her best friend is annoying, and the 'spoon woman dance' that's supposed to be funny just feels awkward. Meanwhile, the second female lead, who likes Yoon Jae, is arrogant and rude, and his constant pushover behavior gets old fast.

The series spends too much time on side stories, like the parent-child bonds, sibling romance, the café part-timer, and the building owner. They feel like a filler, and I found myself skipping through them, especially when things got too sappy.

**Episodes 5–8: Unexpectedly Hilarious (Finally)**

This is where things started to pick up. The drama goes from overly sentimental to chaotic and funny—and I was finally entertained. One of the funniest moments is when Ji-hyun gets involved in her best friend's romance. It’s hilarious when she kisses her best friend, and the boyfriend is just standing there, thinking, “Why am I watching this?”

Another funny moment is with Yoon Jae’s study friend (Chuu). This friend makes Ji Eun (Ji-hyun) so jealous, and it’s just hilarious to watch. Then this friend moves next door to Ji-hyun, becoming even more entangled with them.

I also find it sweet and funny how supportive the sister and the part-time café worker are of Yoon Jae and Ji-hyun's romance. They’re totally okay with the two men being in love because they can see how much they genuinely care for each other. (They don't know that Ji Eun can change into a boy)

That said, I still don't like how much of a pushover Yoon Jae is.

**Episodes 9–12: Chaos and Disappointment**

I finished the series… and honestly? I kind of hated it by the end.

While the middle episodes were funny and entertaining, the final arc just became a mess. I started skipping scenes just to get it over with, and that’s never a good sign.

However, I felt like there were too many side characters and subplots thrown in. The love triangle between the three adults (the sister, her first love, and the café owner), the café part-timer, and the best friend—was that really necessary? There was barely any screen time for them, and it felt underdeveloped. Then there were the grandparents, Yoonjae’s parents, and even Yoonjae’s sister—all of it felt haphazard and rushed. Nothing was fully fleshed out or wrapped up properly. Yoonjae’s sister, in particular, seemed to exist just to gush over her brother being gay, without any real depth or contribution to the plot.

One thing that really bothered me, though, was how the mother handled everything. Why didn’t she just explain the situation from the start? Waiting until she got caught and then finally revealing everything felt unnecessary and frustrating. Like, okay—it runs in the family, but wouldn’t you think something that major deserves an honest conversation with your daughter from the beginning? For example, explaining how her grandpa is actually her grandma, or that she might remain a guy forever, or that she has to keep changing genders.

And to be honest, Ji-eun and Ji-hyun felt like two completely different people. They didn’t feel like the same person at all, which made it hard to connect emotionally with the main character’s journey.

The plot also kept going back and forth too many times, which made the pacing feel messy and inconsistent.

That said, I appreciated how Yoonjae finally came to accept his girlfriend at the end, regardless of whether she was in a male or female body. It really emphasized the idea that love knows no bounds. He worked through his own issues, and that development felt real.

**FINAL THOUGHTS**

My Girlfriend is the Man had a great premise, but completely fumbled the execution. The first few episodes were slow and overly sentimental, the middle episodes were genuinely funny and engaging, and the ending fell apart under the weight of too many characters, side plots, and inconsistent pacing.

But overall? This drama was sloppy, chaotic, and full of wasted potential. I wouldn’t recommend it, and I definitely wouldn’t watch it again.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Legend of Lu Zhen
80 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
ago 17, 2013
59 di 59 episodi visti
Completo 3
Generale 9.0
Storia 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Musica 7.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 7.0

Strong female lead

I started this drama because i like seeing strong woman in historical dramas working hard for her position.

Half the drama is exactly this. So what differs dramatically from others drama of this kind is, that the main girl is not totally good. I hate this part in most historical dramas, that the main girl always saves the bad people and don´t get justice herself. In this drama she will take her revenge and doesn´t prevent that the evil will be punished.

The other half of the drama is the love between her and the prince. Don´t let you misguide from the synopsis. The drama is full of romatic scenes between them.

The story was not really unique. Many things were like in all that other dramas i watched, but there were a few scenes that surprised me. I couldn´t stop myself and watched this drama in only a few days.

I would recommend this drama everyone who likes romance with a strong female lead that goes her own way.

If you think 59 episodes are too much, i need to say here that the runtime of each episode differs. It started with 40-45 min per episode, then it got to 30-35 min and the last few episodes were only 20 min long. It was really easy to watch this drama.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Kiss Six Sense
80 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
da Moni
giu 29, 2022
12 di 12 episodi visti
Completo 2
Generale 7.0
Storia 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Musica 9.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 5.5
Questa recensione può contenere spoiler

Wasted potential

I was absolutely whipped for this drama when it first started. The chemistry between the FL and ML was terrific. I used to look forward to new episodes. However, I wasn't a fan when the ML and FL started dating and their personalities changed a lot. ML, who was known for his cold gaze and strict behavior suddenly acted like a schoolboy. I would've been happier if their dating was written differently...more subtle changes rather than throwing it all the at viewer's face.

Another thing I don't understand is the recent trend of inserting murder mystery and/or crime into a storyline. It felt out of place and absolutely unnecessary, especially for episodes 11 and 12. The story would've be so good if it was 'just' an office romance with a sparkle of supernatural. The last two episodes made me feel like I was watching a completely different drama.

I still liked the drama as a whole but the more episodes I watched, the more my interest decreased. The writing had a lot of potential in the early stages but somewhere around episode 7, it started to go downhill. Overall, I hate to say it's an okay drama. The ending felt rushed and could've been executed better.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Solo Hell
85 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
da Kate
gen 8, 2022
8 di 8 episodi visti
Completo 11
Generale 8.5
Storia 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Musica 7.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 7.0

Dating show with k-drama plot quality.

The show was weirdly addicting, even though it was far softer compared to western dating shows. The focus on the feelings and not just sexual attraction made the stakes higher, even though I knew it’s all over the top behavior. They knew each other for 8 days, how much in love can they truly be?

The aspect that was for me as interesting as the show itself was the audience reaction. The double standards we had were strong, and it has been just hilarious to watch. JiA playing all the guys? Queen. Jin Taek showing interest in someone else, because he was not sure about the feelings for his first pick? Trash. So Yeon being true to her feelings and saying what she wants to say: honest and caring. Se Hoon being true to his feelings and saying what he wants to say: egoistic and selfish. And the same story happened with a lot of male and female contestants.

Truth is, the female contestants are not unproblematic queens that deserve better. They were all just normal people, who barely knew each other and had no obligation to stay loyal to anyone just because they picked them once. They guys were not trash, there were no red flags, we are all just hypersensitive about the most basic and normal behavior.

As entertaining as the show was, I had few complaints. First, it was way too short. I would say adding at least 2 more episodes would be better. Keep the 8 days format, but getting 2 episodes per day would be ideal. It would make it easier to understand the relations between contestants and understand their choices. I feel like sometimes we just missed the context, because it was never shown on screen.

Another thing was adding new contestants so late. If they decided to stir the pot, they should have added them after the first date - long term it would create more tension that they wanted, and not last minute cheap “twists”. Not to mention the idiocy of casting Cha Hyun Seung, when he knew few contestants, which goes against everything these shows are about (and the “not knowing each other's age and profession).

Overall, I had a lot of fun. My favorite person was An Ye Wow - the only one who took the show for what it was: a little bit of fun adventure. Everyone was so serious, as if they were about to get married the moment the program ended, while she was just having fun meeting new people and enjoying herself. The best chemistry for me was between Hyun Joong, So Yeon and Se Hoon - these three were such an underrated comedic trio who radiated best friends vibe, I wish we could just watch them chilling and joking around a bit more. Best thing was: I did not really feel bad for anyone. Picking extremely good looking, popular, successful people makes me take their love hardships less seriously. “Oh no, this hot dude in his mid 20’ just got rejected for the first time in his life, what a tragedy”.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
The Legend of Hao Lan
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
feb 28, 2019
62 di 62 episodi visti
Completo 0
Generale 9.5
Storia 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Musica 9.5
Valutazione del Rewatch 10

Excellent Production

[Note to fans of Yanxi Palace: Please treat this drama as a separate story from Yanxi. If you have seen production spoilers on the internet, please ignore them. It's best to view this drama FRESH.]

The story takes place around the end of the Warring States Period in China (475-221BC) and it highlights the conflicts between the Qin and Zhao States. The three main characters enter the story as Li Hao Lan (born to the imperial censor in Zhao) is banished from home and sold to the merchant Lǚ Bu Wei. Later, they meet the prince from Qin who is kept as a hostage in Zhao, Ying Yi Ren. With their help, Ying Yi Ren escapes Zhao, becomes the King of Qin, and later passes the throne to his son and heir, Ying Zheng (later known as Qin Shi Huang -- the first Emperor to unify China). Li Hao Lan is Ying Zheng's mother and she later becomes the Empress Dowager.

This drama is high-quality and unique: story, cast, costume, setting, music, etc. The characters are complex and have layers/depth. The story is for members in the audience who enjoy thinking about the story and characters , long after the episodes reach their conclusion. This drama has several complex hidden messages for the viewers. Each main and supporting character has their own lessons to share. The main story and its deeper meanings are clear for everyone in the audience to interpret in their own way...

There are many memorable characters in this drama -- main and supporting roles. Their story lines and subplots are highly enjoyable!

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
When a Snail Falls in Love
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
dic 1, 2016
21 di 21 episodi visti
Completo 0
Generale 9.0
Storia 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Musica 9.5
Valutazione del Rewatch 7.5
This was one of my highly anticipated drama for 3 reasons: love me if you dare, the chinese novel, the pairing of Wang Kai and Olivia. All 3 that i enjoyed.
Im happy to report the opening two episodes i was swept away. The opening theme is one of the best ive heard in awhile (its a trademark sound similar to CSI) and the cinematography was so nicely done. Those drawings adorable and gorgeous. Finally i now couldnt imagine Ji Bai as none other than Wang Kai and Xuxu none other than Olivia. They both suited the roles to a T.
Yet there is a but after putting out these praises. Of all the 3 novels from Ding Mo i find the love relationship in When Snail falls in love to be the cutest and sweetest. And just the right balance with the crime solving bit. But the production crew in this drama has opted to tip that balance and scale down the romance. I understand roles get magnify or diminish and plots do change in adaptation. But i cant really agree its for the better with some of the changes. Nevermind that its more centric on police detective skills, crime solving and profiling and character growth for Xuxu.
Just to name a few: Xuxu's pursuer was scraped off. Xuxu as the solo disciple to Master Ji scrap off. The JiBai pursue first got a 180degree treatment. The reason why JiBai went to Myanmar changed. Yao meng character changed but since its for the better im ok with that.
Lets just say cause i read the novel there were certain things i was waiting for and came up empty waiting and watching from beginning to ep 15. Nothing. Then we go from nothing to suddenly 75% in their romance development. I get it thats its snail" but that sudden development didnt have time in earlier episodes to plant and bloom properly.
Then episodes 18 to 21 was so epically good and bolstered up by such commendable acting from both our leads.
This drama could have been a solid 10. All the more cause we know the chemistry between our leads is powerful and that i felt was not fully unleashed. Ive been left in vain wanting that bit more for our lion and his snail. To the point i wish theres a special episode to see more of them as an item.
Il definitely miss Wang Kai as a detective n that man rocks the white shirt blue jeans look. Again want to note awesome casting of him n Olivia. This among the best C dramas have to offer in 2016. DO WATCH and if you love more romance development Do READ the novel.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Lucifer
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
ott 15, 2012
20 di 20 episodi visti
Completo 0
Generale 10
Storia 10
Acting/Cast 10
Musica 10
Valutazione del Rewatch 10
Questa recensione può contenere spoiler
OK I am not 1 that goes all 10's on any drama. There is usually something that I don't like, but this drama just hit my top 10. I was so blown away by how it kept me guessing the whole time. It was amazing. I loved every part about it. The acting totally killed, the music was exactly right, loved the story, & I will watch it again just b/c it was that good!

There is a big red tip here that says not to post spoilers. So I won't, but man let me tell u I was soooooo not disappointed by any part of this drama. I enjoyed all the main actors & loved the ending. It was exactly how I would have ended it. I think that even if u don't like melodrama's that this 1 would change how u think about them. It was totally killer.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
City of the Sun
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
da ashesinthewind Finger Heart Award1 Flower Award1 Clap Clap Clap Award1
gen 3, 2026
15 di 15 episodi visti
Completo 0
Generale 10
Storia 10
Acting/Cast 10
Musica 10
Valutazione del Rewatch 10
Questa recensione può contenere spoiler

A great adaptation of an extraordinary story

I've read the novel several times and have rewatched the series several times, this is how obssessed I am with Fan Xiao, You Shulang and their story.

This is the BL of 2025 for me, no competition. We had two interesting, real, complicated, multilayered main characters who actually got to shine in their own story without any side plots and distractions, great chemistry, good production, tight script, and, as far as I'm concerned, a very good balance between angst and sweet moments, although I still wish they'd adapted the entire main story until chapter 106. My favourite episodes are, after rewatching, everything between 5 and 8, and episodes 10 and 14 for the angst.

Here's my take (aside from being a novel reader) about why I was rooting for You Shulang and Fan Xiao to end up together:

1. You Shulang's character. I think he might be one of my favourite fictional characers, like, ever. He's smart, strong, competent, resilient, has strong principles and fights, despite having had a hard life and being surrounded by people who are basically using him. I never stopped being impressed by him. He's also the only one capable to manage and deal with someone like Fan Xiao and bring him to a point where he wants to change by himself. He accepted Fan Xiao back at the end at his own terms and did not forgive him easily despite never forgetting him.
2. Fan Xiao understood that loving You Shulang means having to let him go, even if it took him a while. It was a slow and painful process, but considering Fan Xiao's upbringing and beliefs, it made sense that he needed time to get it.
3. They were, aside from what happened, a great, compatible, well-matching couple and had that special connection from the beginning nothing could break, not even Fan Xiao's toxicity and madness. I think this gets overlooked sometimes, obviously because of the way Fan Xiao reacted after Shulang left him, but throughout the series, whenever they were shown together during their happy times, they were harmonious in ways I've rarely seen.
4. Last but not least, You Shulang loved the crazy psycho despite everything, because he saw something in him no one else did. It's true that his love didn't save Fan Xiao, but it was the beginning of Fan Xiao to want to save himself and become a better person. Of course, Fan Xiao will always remain obssessive, possessive and manilupative, it's his character, but at least he's doing a conscious effort to be better and Shulang is not blind to his faults.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Forgotten
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
mag 29, 2022
Completo 0
Generale 5.0
Storia 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Musica 8.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 5.0

Meh

Plot: First half had me guessing, like what actually happened and it had some mystery and horror aura but then felt flat on the last 30 minutes of the movie. Many unanswered questions that will make you confuse as to why was the ending like that, especially to the victim. Didn’t make sense to me, honestly. He was supposed to have this strong personality plus he had to go through all the trouble just to find out the truth but then ‘bam’. Would have been nice if they added something to the ending apart from their ‘supposed’ destiny. It was supposed to be the icing on the cake but turned out to be a styrofoam.

Acting: All did great and convincing.

Music: Pretty appropriate and creepy especially on the first half of the movie.

Rewatch value: I don’t think there’s something to rewatch.

Overall: 5 for acting and great suspense of first half. They didn’t maintain the momentum and ended up with a disappointing ending despite the so-called ‘twist’. It wasn’t predictable but it didn’t have the ‘wow’ factor too. I guess I watched and read too many psychological/mystery dramas and movies already.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Oh My Assistant
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
dic 1, 2022
8 di 8 episodi visti
Completo 1
Generale 7.5
Storia 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Musica 8.5
Valutazione del Rewatch 5.0
Questa recensione può contenere spoiler

promising start that fell apart

Overall: I laughed several times in the first episode but the plot just fell apart as it went on. This is based on a web comic (of which I read the beginning). Aired on Viki and GagaOOLala (SE Asia). Eight episodes total, about 15 minutes each.

Content Warnings: manipulation, non con kiss

What I Liked
- the sense of humor and funny moments
- good intro credits
- the female editor was funny and I was okay with the fiancee as well
- that they re-cast the glasses guy and re-shot stuff

Room For Improvement
- they changed something from the web comic and it makes no sense here, why would the assistant make all those demands if he really wanted to work for the artist??? Wouldn't he have zero demands and just agree to whatever working conditions the artist wanted? Why would him acting cold make the artist fall in love with him???
- way too much of the short screen time was spent on the "friend" with glasses (who can't recognize his feelings for 10 years??) speaking of dumb dumbs
- that assistant was super stupid, why didn't he ask the artist what his relationship was with the editor? Even after she was giving them finger hearts and left them alone he thought they were dating????
- in episode 7 the whole confession felt really stiff and the artist was looking in the wrong direction
- bad kissing (aka dead fish lip presses)
- they were dating, since when? the final episode really jumped/skipped around
- I dislike silent simp characters so that letter actually made me mad
- the stereotypical effeminate/trans character at the bar in the beginning (this did not add to the story at all and they could have used that time elsewhere)

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Nakark Kaew
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
da kath
feb 10, 2019
23 di 23 episodi visti
Completo 4
Generale 10
Storia 10
Acting/Cast 10
Musica 10
Valutazione del Rewatch 10
Hands down one of the best thai dramas I have ever watched. Good thing I was bored one day and decided to watch this with no expectations at all. I was hesitant to start this given the synopsis - it seems complicated and I am not ready for a dramatic lakorn. But in any case, I still gave this a try and wow, I indeed found a gem!

The plot is heavy so I did doubt if the writers could wrap this up well. And oh boy they did. Every problem was taken care of and they really did give justice to every character. I was only planning to watch this until the main guy figures out that she’s not the real Lookaew (because as I’ve said, I’m not ready for too much drama). But guess who got hooked and can’t stop instead???

What I like about this the most is how we got a super smart lead who literally talks about everything to his dad (this is something we don’t usually see in a drama, because parents tend to be those villains who contradicts their children). I like the dad-son combo and how they teamed up to connect all the puzzles together. There’s so many twists that I can’t even predict what’s going to happen next.

Overall, Nakark Kaew is an addicting masterpiece that you can’t stop watching. This drama hits all the good parts. Just when I thought something's going to happen next, it continued to surprise me and gave me a better scenario instead. I must say the plot is EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD! Yes, it has a heavyyyyy plot but I love how everything fits together and how it got solved in the end. I am usually for the romance, but in this one, I got hooked with both the storyline and romance. I didn’t even skip one bit and towards the end, I was always at the edge of my seat. Highly Recommended!!

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
My Holo Love
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
feb 11, 2020
12 di 12 episodi visti
Completo 1
Generale 7.0
Storia 6.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Musica 9.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 6.5
I wasn't expecting much from ''My Holo Love'' but the drama was quite a nice surprise. Even with his cliche plot, it is somewhat unique and different. And, to be frank, very addicting which makes it perfect for binge-watching!

I like how fast paced the drama is, or at least the first half. When I watched the first two first episodes, I wasn't really into it but as I continued watching I began loving it. Each episode ends with a cliffhanger and it makes you want to watch more. I still wasn't the biggest fan of the last few episodes -- I think some things could have been resolved without getting too dramatic which could have prevented the drama dragging out too much. Well, 12 episodes are not too many and I think they would have been perfect for the drama if they focused more on some things and avoid others.

I wanted to see more romantic scenes between Nan Do and So Yun. Yeah, you probably think I'm a romance enthusiast and I watch dramas only for the romance, but no, it's not like that. But with a drama that has a mediocre plot, the romance should be there to save the day. I really loved Nan Do and So Yun's chemistry, as well as Holo and So Yun's. I'm glad that they made ''both'' main leads likeable even though they were completely opposite. The second couple was also very cute and I enjoy watching their scenes. I wanted to see more interactions between Nan Do and Holo too, I loved their conversations.

The ending was satisfying for sure, especially the last scene! It was very cute and it made me glad that I watched the drama.

The acting was quite decent. I like Hyun Min and he did a good job with portraying two characters, but he can do better for sure. Go Sung Hee was amazing as Han So Yun, I believe this role perfectly suits her.

So overall, ''My Holo Love'' is a nice drama and I recommend it if you want to kill time. It's perfect for binge-watching as I already said, it's cliche but it's well-done -- with good CGI, decent acting, some cute romantic scenes and amazing OSTs.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Blueming
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
da Kate Finger Heart Award1 Coin Gift Award1
apr 4, 2022
11 di 11 episodi visti
Completo 10
Generale 9.5
Storia 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Musica 8.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 10
Questa recensione può contenere spoiler

“I had to be flawless not to be looked down on.”

One’s in love and one is clueless - probably my second favorite trope right after enemies to lovers. Both create many opportunities for funny scenes and interesting interactions with the proper amount of angst to spice things up without breaking my heart.

The plot is rather simple, giving a nice slice of life sentiment, tackling various issues young people might face, while also telling a compelling love story of two interesting characters with wildly different backgrounds, pasts, personalities and behaviors.

Cha Si Won was a deeply insecure boy who needed a lot of external validation. From the start we get a good glimpse into who he is - craving the attention, enjoying people praising his looks. He takes appropriate steps to make people look in his direction. He feels anxious when there is someone equally attractive as he is - feeling the need to work even harder to stay at the top of that social ladder.

On the other hand Hyeong Da Un seems to be born with good looks and does not need to work hard to get the attention Si Won wants so much. That said, from the start I could clearly sense loneliness and sadness about him. That emo vibes creeping in. We did not get to understand who he is from the start, but the writer dropped hints that his life might not be as sweet and perfect as Si Won assumed, for example when his smile dropped after hearing the door from his house opening. To quote Shrek - Da Un is like an onion and the writer was slowly peeling off the layers of his personality and struggles as the drama progressed, showing who he is as a character and making me cry the tears of pain in the process.

So how did their relationship start? Cha Si Won just had no idea how to act around Da Un. He wanted to make sure Da Un knows he is this confident guy, but it turned rather awkward, and the small lie he told to create that persona was exposed rather quickly and concluded with one simple “맛있게 먹고”.

At the same time Da Un tried to get close to Si Won, joking around and showing real interest in him - which was at first taken as teasing and a sign of him acting superior. Poor boy, to be this misunderstood by your crush, when he just wanted to spend time with him and get to know him better.

Si Won’s whole drunk monologue in episode 2 was a new level of 2nd hand embarrassment, and yet Da Un thought it was endearing and funny. Si Won was literally trashing him saying there was something fishy about him, and Da un was just smiling about it - he was already gone into the love land by that time.

Si Won’s insecurities led to misunderstandings, but thanks to the god of kdramas, these two boys were forced to work on different assignments together, which created many opportunities for Si Won to see how his initial judgment might have been just a misconception. And the sweet love story slowly developed.

The plot line that got me extremely interested was the contest and the aftermath of it. From the start Si Won was not confident in his writing and the script, not to mention the work was autobiographical which would mean being vulnerable about your past in front of many people.

He feared it’s not strong enough to be picked, so even though he was tempted by the opportunity, he alone wouldn't take it. After his sister did it for him, resulting in him winning the first place he felt conflicted. From the start he believed the rumors that he only won thanks to Da Un’s involvement, but at the end he decided to believe in Da Un’s denying it. His words of assurance that the scenario was good and worth the award gave Si Won the confidence to share it with the class…

…and then he found out it was all a lie - the fear of not being good enough became a reality. At that point though, his priority and what he cared about changed. He loved Da Un, he was more angry about him not being honest than the actual contest.

It’s also interesting from Da Un’s perfective. From the start he had an instinct of taking care of, helping and protecting Si Won. From serving him food on the night out with other students, taking him home when he was drunk, going after him after he ran away from the book cafe. His priority was making sure Si Won is fine. Hence when he found out Si Won submitted his work for the contest, he feared not winning would hurt his confidence even more - he wanted to protect him from that disappointment. His good intentions led to misguided actions and awful aftermath. He feared Si Won would be disappointed in himself after losing, but at the end he led to Si Won being disappointed in him.

Except for the personal internal issues the male leads have and their relationship, the drama does quite a good job at showing how bad parenting can hurt the child - be it putting too many expectations on them, or neglecting them assuming they will do well on their own. Both can create trauma and scars that are hard to heal and can carry to adulthood. Both leads struggled because of their family relations and it influenced how they behave now - one feeling the constant need to prove himself, and the other struggling with truly opening to others.

Presentation wise, I loved how Si Won’s family issues were often present in the background - we could hear his mother badmouth their father to Si Yeong, questioning if she likes her father, guilt tripping her into admitting she does not.

Another interesting side plot was Yun Jeong and how she had to deal with the sexist senior - from inconsiderate remarks about her looks to situations where she truly felt uncomfortable and even threatened.

It would be a crime not to mention Si Won’s sister Si Yeong and her adorable crush on Yun Jeong. The cuteness that the character radiated was just amazing.

The acting? Really good. Jo Hyuk Joon just broke my heart with his sad puppy emo eyes, and Kang Eun Bin made me want to die from embarrassment quite a few time with his perfectly delivered lines based on his misconceptions and misunderstandings of people and situations - he was so confident about all the things he was wrong about. At the same time he managed to deliver the more emotional scenes. The scene that impressed me the most was his argument with the mother and them crying in each other's arms - the pain was real.

Production quality for such a small show was great. I also liked the directing that emphasized the characters current situation. For example, how they showed Da Un sitting with his back to the camera when his family was mentioned. It gave an even stronger impression how lonely he is, how he is unable to show his pain to others and he deals with it alone. And then, to add by the end of the show a shot of his and Si Won’s back, sitting next to each other telling us, he is not alone anymore.

Another great example would be how in episode 5 during one of the classes the lecturer talks about the magic/golden hour in photography “This magic hour is called the time between dog and wolf. When seeing a man walking toward you at that time of a day, you’re not sure if it’s a dog by your side or the wolf of your enemy”. Then in episode 6, after Si Won asks Do Un if his parents had anything to do with him winning, we can see a shot of Do Un filmed in that “magic hour” which could be seen as foreshadowing his involvement in the contest behind Si Won’s back. And then later, the whole episode 10 was titled “The time between dog and wolf” when the truth came to light. I appreciated how some references were coming back in different forms and times to tell the story.

Was the production perfect? No. Some scenes were dubbed (if the characters were sitting or walking far away), but it was still clearly visible the sound did not match what the actors were saying. Sometimes some shots seemed blurred and the colors were not sharp enough compared to the previous scene, but honestly, all of these things I only noticed while rewatching the drama.

Surprisingly, this show gets better on the second viewing. Some lines just hit differently when you know the whole story and context. For example Si Won telling Da Un “you were born with everything at the tip of your hands and loved by your parents so much” in episode 2, which could not be further from the truth with how he grew up emotionally neglected, receiving close to no love and attention from his parents who were always busy with work.

Overall, not sure why this show feels so special to me, but it does. The second viewing made me love and appreciate it even more. I would recommend it to everyone, as it delivers nicely written characters that are easy to sympathize with and relate to, soft commentary on some personal issues we might face in our lives and a truly sweet romance with great chemistry that will make you feel lonely like never before.

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
The Queen of Office
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
giu 22, 2013
16 di 16 episodi visti
Completo 2
Generale 9.0
Storia 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Musica 8.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 8.0
First I'll start by saying this... I don't know how on earth this drama isn't one of the top dramas in MDL !!!! what's wrong with Asian Dramas fans?? how come the number of ppl who watched it is so little?? I really don't understand... :(

Story: Though it may seem your typical 16 ep romantic comedy k drama but it's really not, it is definitely not a typical K drama and that's one of the reasons why I loved it. For once no evil characters no crazy insanely jealous characters no annoying love triangle and clingy characters... The story points out something very important in Korea "contract workers" and work environment... though the topic is serious they brought it out in a very comical way this drama was so funny I couldn't stop laughing not a single episode was boring... it's my first time finishing a romantic comedy drama in just two days because I watched none stop. They presented the story in a way that you understand how hard work environment while also laughing it out. I loved how they put it in a really funny amusing way I'm not a person who laughs so easily but this drama never failed to make me laugh out loud in each and every episode.

Acting: I'm totally in love with Miss Kim (Kim Hye Soo)... I've never seen this actress before but let me just say she really deserved the 1st place in critics evaluation for best actors... Miss Kim is my favorite female character ever made in K drama !! FOR ONCE not a push over weakling and a doormat for everyone character but rather strong, independent and super cool female character. This just proves that Queen of The Office is really not your typical K drama and Kim Hye Soo (Miss Kim) is worthy of your time trust me !!

Finally I would say it's a complete loss to anyone who haven't watched it yet and I do mean every word !!

Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?
Completo
Love Affairs in the Afternoon
44 persone hanno trovato utile questa recensione
da vee
ago 29, 2019
16 di 16 episodi visti
Completo 0
Generale 9.0
Storia 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Musica 9.0
Valutazione del Rewatch 9.0
I'm glad I have come across this underrated gem!

I didn't watch the Japanese version, but I felt that this drama with its storyline alone was good enough. The plot was spot on, it didn't go too makjang overly dramatic, nor too bland and therefore Love Affairs in the Afternoon was just the way I liked it! The little sweet/ romantic moments thrown into this drama made it even more worth the watch!

The first episode alone was very precise with the introduction of characters of Son Jieun as a quiet and average woman who felt trapped and lonely with her routinary life, and Choi Soo-ah a woman who never felt love but is constantly seeking for it through meeting other men. The cinematography, setting, and even the OST's used also added to why this drama is worth the watch. It helped give us a vivid view of the mood and theme of the drama which is light and romantic however sad.

In addition, what drew me in the most with this drama is the bittersweet storyline of the lead characters.
Jungwoo and Ji Eun were both quiet and seemingly honest characters. They knew being in an affair is not the right thing to do, especially Ji Eun so she tried her best to avoid him but when they are with each other, it seems like their world has fallen into place. Together they were able to express themselves better, were happy, and was able to experience that heart shattering love that they couldn't with their partners. Jung Woo and Ji Eun, because they were too kind to others to be selfish they got married to their other halves too hastly, leading to their pitful lives. So if you like star-crossed lovers type of drama this one might also be for you!

I also love the chemistry and acting of Park Ha Sun and Lee Sang Yeob here! Whoever casting director you are, you deserve a raise. They seem to both fit the introvert type of role, they were able to deliver their characters well, and both are hella good looking! They make a good couple. ^^

Overall, Love Affairs in the Afternoon was worth the watch! The love shown in this drama was so romantic it made me wish I could find a sweet and nice guy like Jungwoo. It also made my big fat crush on Lee Sangyeob even fatter. T_T It was a good deviation from all the murder-mystery Korean dramas that are being released nowadays. The good conclusion or ending is an even added bonus!




Leggi di Più

Questa recensione ti è stata utile?