Reviews

sweet seaside romance

Overall: a refreshing seaside romance series. 5 episodes about 20 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala.

Content Warnings: maybe something at the beginning with a side character but it didn't bother me at all, past death

What I Liked
- the characters felt realistic instead of caricatures, how both of them were confident in some ways but guarded in other ways
- flashback that hinted about why Amane was jaded about love and then the reason was shown in episode 2
- caring/sweet moments
- how Ryuji sought communication
- that Amane took risks to stay true to himself/what he wanted
- production value

Room For Improvement
- don't think physics would agree with what happened around 10 minutes in episode 1 lol
- it was only 5 episodes we definitely could have used more

Leggi di Più

Strong start, lackluster finish

* Editing this because I focused SO much on the negative so I would just like to add that I love Lu Shiyi. He is a very passionate and loyal person. He was dedicated to sports but that didn't stop him from improving his studies and he never lost sight of his dream of becoming a doctor. He went out of his way to comfort, love, and protect his friends and family. He wasn't afraid to apologize when he hurt someone and he never stopped giving his all. I just wish the writers didn't throw the Lu Shiyi we loved out the window in the last few episodes and replace him with an overly jealous and obsessive jerk*

The show started off pretty strong. With interesting characters and funny moments that led to beautiful friendships forming it was building up to be one of the best school love/friendship stories I have watched. The only qualms I had in the beginning were that they rushed the high-school portion and sending BaoBao off was way too random + I almost thought they were going to make it the cliche "cold, rude boy bullies the girl and she falls for it" but they didn’t. Shiyi teased Xiaoju and they bickered a lot after getting off in the wrong foot BUT Shiyi quickly changed his ways and they became great friends. They both stuck their necks out for each other and grew close. Once they became friends and before Shiyi even realized his feelings he still went above and beyond for Xiaoju.

Everything seemed great and despite the looming love triangle and every day struggles the group's friendship was the one strong standing thing. However for some reason the writers decided to scrap that and ruin practically every character.

The thing I liked the most about Shiyi was that even after he found out how he felt about Xiaoju, he didn’t want to force his feelings on her or lose her and decided that he would be happy if she was happy and wished she wouldn't get hurt in her own one-sided love. He was always there for her and did whatever he could to make her happy. Even after he found out that Xiaoju liked Cheng Lang, he was upset but he didn’t take it out on her and instead helped keep her secret and do his best to comfort her and protect her heart. He tried to muster up the courage to confess quite a few times but Xiaoju was always wrapped up in her feelings for Cheng Lang so he pushed it off to comfort her instead. Unfortunately the writers through all of this out the window by introducing Chang Le or whatever the class monitor's name was. They made Shiyi turn super jealous and obsessive. Then after he confessed his feelings he kept practically harassing her, tricking her, and using tricks to make her pretend to date him (the entire fake dating thing was ridiculous, if they were gonna use that extremely overused trope they at least could have done it right). Suddenly all he cared about was chasing her around. On top of that out of nowhere he returned to his high school self and started insulting Xiaoju nealry everu time he interacted with her because of his jealousy.

As for Xiaoju, she was a good headstrong character. She worked hard in her studies and was a loyal friend. However the writers ruined her character after Shiyi's confession. Suddenly the Xiaoju we knew who was kind and got upset at Shiyi for always being mean turned downright nasty to Shiyi. She called him crazy for confessing and just kept hurting his feelings despite explicitly saying that she was turning him down so he wouldn't get hurt. I get being confused about her feelings but she would fully disregard his feelings in general. At first she said it was because she didn't like him like that but then she switched up and just insisted that it isnt right and that they should ONLY be friends. She kept switching up one moment she would be rude to Shiyi but then realize she was too mean and would apologize and give in and basically confess her feelings but then when he would say she likes him and they are together she would shove him away and run off. She did this a MILLION times until one day she decides she is confused and MIGHT like him. Literally everyone in the world could tell she actually liked him now EXCEPT HER. It takes her bag being stolen and Cheng Lang pointing out to her (for the 100th time) that she likes Shiyi and then she FINALLY admits it and confesses her love for Shiyi...TO CHENG LANG

Cheng Lang who was kind and very down to earth just grew boring and I felt almost zero chemistry between him and Lin You. He became a side character and I couldn't care less about his love story with Lin You until they had such a ridiculous ending. Personally Lin You had the personality of a piece of paper and they ruined her character even more by her breaking Cheng Lang's heart not once but THREE TIMES. Cheng Lang was clearly very interested in her and they stayed up late together and he did lots of chivalrous things for her but not once did she mention she had a boyfriend until he confessed. Then her bf dumps her and Cheng Lang helps her heal and before he can confess SHE makes the first step towards him. She then becomes the jokingly clingy gf telling him not to flirt with other girls. They date and are in love for almost 3 yrs then the writers decide to bring her bf back and have him beg to get back together. Then they reveal that oops! It was a misunderstanding and he got in an accident and lost everything and thats why he dumped her. But still she cries and says she loves Cheng Lang. But then its revealed that her mom forced him to lie and break up with her for no reason and then that leads to a whole mess of her defending her ex in front of Cheng Lang and then eventually choosing him and going to study abroad. The writers then decide its a great choice to make Cheng Lang become successful but still make him heartbroken and long for Lin You and then end it with him seeing her back in China and excited to talk to her only to see her with her boyfriend that ISN'T the man she left him for. Thus rubbing it in his face that not only did she leave you and run back into her ex's arms, she dumped that guy too and STILL didn't come back to you.

As for TaoTao and Huang Jun the writers ruined their cute relationship. They randomly through in Menglu who purposely tried to break them up. Huang Jun faltered and lied to Tao Tao even after she gave him another chance. Then when she fully breaks it off he goes on to date Menglu only to still fawn over TaoTao and complain about Menglu not understanding (which serves her right because how is she gonna break them up and then complain because he still cares about her and act like he wouldn't cheat on her). 2 years pass since their breakup and only then after seeing TaoTao happy Huang Jun decides to become possessive & pathetic and never leaves Tao Tao alone despite now being with Menglu. He even begins ignoring her calls without breaking up her. He harasses TaoTao until the end until finally he sings a last song for her and she agrees that one day they can be friends and that she doesnt want to be enemies even though she still hates what he did. He cries, and holds onto her hand and she takes it away and he wishes her happiness. I'm glad Tao Tao got a happy ending and I'm glad Huang Jun suffered and BaoBao came back but everything was too random and thrown together. Why did Tao Tao keep their relationship a secret from Xiaoju for YEARS. We were led to believe she was just chatting with a stranger and thats why she was so secretive. Then years later she announces her marriage. I started suspecting it was BaoBao but it seemed so far fetched and laughable. BaoBao appears and apparently Shiyi knew this entire time. Nothing is explained on what he has been doing or how he and TaoTao got together. A random party is thrown and they get married.

The entire last 2 episodes were ridiculously rushed and made no sense. It was clear that Shiyi's "girlfriend" was going to be Xiaoju and that he was just playing a dumb trick on her. When she finally does realized she goes to the beach to wait for him and we are led to believe he is going to do the confession he planned for his "girlfriend" but nope he gets a work emergency and Xiaoju doesn't believe him. She then ignores him at the party and they both act childish to each other all the way up until the ceremony (but not before a drunk kiss initiated by wasted Xiaoju followed by a hinted possible hookup). Then once the ceremony ends and Xiaoju catches the bouquet, Shiyi confesses (IN THE MIDDLE OF TAOTAO AND BAO BAO'S WEDDING) and Xiaoju ask about his gf and he says she is the only one 🙄 then he PROPOSES and they kiss and boom The End.

Yep thats it. We get a random time skip and zero explanation of why Shiyi never contacted her but suddenly everything is okay and they are ready to marry each other. We also get zero explanation on TaoTao and BaoBao's relationship and Cheng Lang and Lin You's relationship is resolved with Cheng Lang never stopping loving her and having to see her on the street with ANOTHER guy.

36 episodes ended randomly and rushed as if the writers just threw darts at a wheel and went with it. 36 episodes and we never get to see Shiyi and Xiaoju as an actual couple and the only kisses we get are all within the span of the last 10 mins of the show. So many things built only to be thrown away completely. I wished the show would have stayed focus on the groups friendship but by the end the bond didnt feel as strong.

I would say give it a watch if you are bored but 36 episodes is A LOT and no amount of skipping would make it more bearable. Super bummed it turned out this way.

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It’s very difficult to talk about Night Light. A very unique and uncommon drama than what we’re used to in kdramaland, it almost feels completely foreign in a land of romance melodramas and romantic comedies.

Story
Welcome to the ugly side of the business and enterprise world. The drama talks strictly about the ways CEOs and company presidents try to multiply their revenue, manipulating each other, using and abusing their power and money in order to achieve their goals.

In its core the drama wants to express how in such power games there are no friends, presidents are ready to form alliances to destroy their opponents and then turn their back on their “friends” to become the winners. It is a constant, never-ending battle for power filled with dirty scheming and despicable plotting. Therefore the drama ends up being quite unfulfilling and frustrating as it makes us feel like it goes nowhere.

Night Light focuses on a female ceo who wants to become the richest woman in Korea destroying her opponents, having no friends, using and throwing away people in order to accomplish her ambitious goal.

The drama does not offer any comic relief, no side stories, no romance at all, no sad backstory, nothing. It is firm and brutal staying in the same strict line of corporations.

Best thing I could mention about the drama was the constant turning of tables, the winner never stays the winner for more than 1-2 episodes while the alliances between the power people changed all the time depending on their interests.

My favourite thing however was easily the amazing underlying chemistry of Lee Yo Won and Uee in their roles. Usually in kdramas the female leads are enemies or frenemies at best. Here on the other hand, the chemistry was off the charts and the relationship was a lot more fluid which made the drama very interesting and kept me going. Moreover, i feel inclined to mention the incredible clothes fashion by the main cast that was a pleasure to watch as well as the spotless background music instrumentals that made most of the drama pretty atmospheric.

At this point i feel inclined to talk about the girl power in the drama. The drama is all about female empowerment. We get a female lead who is vicious and strong beyond imagination. Saying something sophisticated and memorable whenever she opened her mouth, slaying men, scheming and plotting, destroying them in their own game. If this isn't stimulating and exhilarating in a sea of weak female characters in kdramaland, i don't know what is!

The first half of the drama was more interesting for me as there was some background story and the relationship between the main characters was quite intriguing as well as the drama talked about relatable stuff like the importance of money. That being said, the second half of the drama focused almost completely in the subtle battles between the companies and that in combination with the characters being completely difficult to empathize with and the situations being thoroughly unrelatable made the drama very difficult to keep up with and rather boring.

Acting
I read quite some viewers had issues with the acting, but I beg to differ.

I could easily say that acting is the best part of the drama mainly because of Lee Yo Won. Her naturally cold aura fitted perfectly with her strong, cold-blooded and ruthless character. I was utterly impressed by her performance from start to finish. Best and most vicious character I’ve seen in a kdrama and best portrayal of such character!

Uee has a lot of haters but I think her acting was equally as good in a very sweet but determined character. She stood well next to Lee Yo Won and in a very weird but beautiful way they complemented each other. It was a blast seeing them on screen together hope they can work together again.

Jin Goo’s character was rather weak and a pushover. I think he didn’t suit the character well at all, it was almost annoying seeing him act but I can’t say his acting was bad per-se, he just wasn’t a good choice I think.

Recommend/Rewatch
The drama is difficult and not for everyone. If you want romance, melodrama, comedy or anything usually found in kdramaland, this is not for you. This is strictly a business drama only for lovers of the backstabbing and the fluidity of such situations which is the beauty of them. I will never rewatch this.

Leggi di Più

I want the main leads together in another show!!!

This is was great show. I wish it would've been longer than 12-13 minutes. The ML is an asshole but it's been so long since i have seen such characters in dramas.. it's my guilty pleasure😝

The Acting was GREAT. The cast is top notch. The chemistry between the main leads is the main thing that keeps you watching this drama till the end.

i LOVE the OST.

The ending scene of two years later didn't even make sense so i will pretend it did not happen. But i wish FL would've known the truth about the actual culprit of her family's death and the true villian is zhou zichen. BUT THEN AGAIN, she would've been guilty of killing the ML and kill herself out of guilt rather than loving ML too much to stay alive. So i guess it made sense for her to die first.

And this way... FL actually is the one that kills ML... and i so wanted this to happen. ML deserved to die from FL's hands!!!!

I hope we get to see both main leads together in another show, probably a modern day office romance drama! Their chemistry is reallyyyyy good and they'll look even better together in Modern day dramas!!!

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The basic premise does not stray from the power politics Korean crime dramas habitually highlight, but what sets Confession apart is its execution.

From the get-go, Confession was promising. The first case was exciting, given the unpredictability of the suspect. And so that path led the characters to other, overlapping ones, and they led to the final destination. The writer gave liberty to the audience to explore various scenarios along with the characters. Next thing you know, you are invested in the plot. My favourite occurrences happened in the court - it was a pleasure to see Choi Do Hyun / the lead cleverly handle affairs. Sometimes, particularly in the first half, you would expect the plot to go another direction, and may even want that to happen (like myself), but the second half ensured me that the writer knew what they were doing. The pace was maintained - it may have slowed in the middle, but not unnecessarily. The characters had connections with each other due to a single event - it's nothing new in kdramaland. yet it was impactful. I had a few complaints with regards to how distant the characters felt, but my worries were eased by episode 11.

I was torn about how I should rate the acting. The actors were not given roles that were complex, but they were not simple either, so I was satisfied but not won over. I was about to settle with 8.5, but one performance stood out to me, and I believe I will not do the actor justice by being greedy. He had a small role, but it has left an impact on many, including me: the suspect in the first case, played by Ryu Gyeong Su. He stole the spotlight. He was the character I was most drawn to, and I anticipated his appearance each episode. Of course, the main cast did good with what they were given. Lee Jun Ho was persuasive in his composed portrayal, and others stayed true to their respective roles. What I appreciated was the female leads' harmonious teamwork, and their guts, especially Ha Yoo Ri.

I liked the instrumental they used. It could be loud in certain instances, but I liked how it added to the moment and nature of the drama. The OSTs were not played, so I have no comments on that.

I am not sure if one would rewatch it, knowing all the progressions in plot. If you are someone like me, you might want to watch Choi Do Hyun being a smartass in court.

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STORY
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Episode 1 shows that one can not judge a person not unless you have walked in his/her shoes. And this specific episode, took it in the literal sense which made them both appreciate the sacrifices they had to make just for the other.

Episode 2 shows that you should not wait for a potential rival to profess your love to someone. If you feel it, say it, show it and be true to what you feel.

Episode 3 shows that it is not good to test your partner specially if you are not ready to accept the result or you might regret it.

Episode 4 shows that being "in" a relationship is not always enough. You need to spend time together, experience things together and do not take your partner for granted.

Episode 5 solidifies the concept of if it is meant to be, it will happen and will end up together. To stop worrying and be with the person you hold close to your heart every waking moment because who knows, you might wake up without your partner by your side.

It is nice for GMMTV's approach about this special. They made it in a way that it is can stand alone with little reference to the series where their respective relationship started for Episode 1-4. And I am not really surprise that they did an extensive flashback on Episode 5. After all, among the 5 series here, it is SOTUS that is most successful, beloved and widely recognize.

However, for episodes 1-4, one can appreciate the story even more if they have watched what each couple went through. What they went through and it feels that their pairing will end in this. For episode 5, it was a clever move so viewers who like to rewatch SOTUS, or watch it for the first time. I know it moved me to watch it again. GMMTV made it in a way to tease the viewer.

I have this sense of accomplishment, a closure if I may say so, as far as their respective relationships is concern and it is hard to see if it is going to anything else other than how each episode ended. What I am trying to say, it is the end of the road for their relationships as it ended happily. Except of course for Pete and Kao as they will renew their respective roles in Dark Blue Kiss.

ACTING
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Episode 1:
Off - I have always seen him as the goofy not serious, the clown of the gang. So when he played the role as Rome, it was nothing short of my expectations. He transitioned quite seamlessly.

Gun - I must admit, Gun have his work cut out for him. Knowing in the series I have seen him, Puppy Honey and The Gifted, I see him as the serious type guy and taking on a role as Pick will be hard for him as it demands to be more relaxed, not up-tight, joyful and full of confidence. In his episode, I felt that there was some instances that he needs to loosen up a bit but did not quite fulfill my expectations.

Episode 2:
Chimon - Seen how he improved his acting from My Dear Loser to The Gifted, which is the opposite ends of the spectrum. As Sun, he is the reserved, shy, ever polite kid, weak and vulnerable. And as Wave, he is the determined, confident and projects an antagonist aura quite well. And his role as the young Pana in Happy Birthday, which I see him as the loyal friend where you could actually seem him happy. I knew then that he is a versatile actor that can take any role that is given to him. He played Sun in this special with confidence, stares at In is believeable, retains his sweet and vulnerability and his happy smile is quite genuine too.

Pluem - Started as In in My Dear Loser, one can easily see that he can be bossy and the next, a defender of the weak. Playing as Tonmai in Happy Birthday, I saw him cries quite well too as it shows that he can be vulnerable. As he reprise his role in this special, the character needs to be with a degree of assertiveness and at the same time scared. Nothing to say other than praises for his acting here.

Episode 3:
Frank - The biggest improvement among the 10 main characters here as he was able to show that he is more relaxed, can respond appropriately, receptive of Frank's sweetness. Unlike in My Tee/Cause Your My Boy, you can clearly see him thinking what to say or act next; not to mention when Frank kisses him, it was a stiff reaction for me.

Drake - I have always seen this guy as the bold/daring one. A big transition from his role in Slam Dance to My Tee/Cause Your My Boy. In this special he is more affectionate towards Frank and more natural and not forced.

I could see these two to be in a Romantic-Comedy theme series. And they can definitely pull it off.

Episode 4:
New - In all the series I watched with him in it (SOTUS, Water Boyy the series and Kiss Me Again), you can tell that he is good being as the underdog, can be easily boss around, unsure of himself. Meanwhile, as he renew his role as Kao, you can see him as the puppet master, pulling the strings, bossing Pete around is nothing but extraordinary. Beyond that innocent and sweet face, he was able to project that role quite amazingly.

Tay - who said a boss can't be a follower? Tay showed his vulnerability side in the episode. Like a dog following his master, or should I say, the love of his life. And was able to showcase more of his playful side and not just the up-tight guy.

Episode 5:
This is the episode where I expect for Singto and Krist to be consistent with their acting. And they are! Plus, I see Krist being more comfortable with Singto and his affection towards Singto is much more natural. And did I say he cried better?

SONG
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Two songs... First Kiss from Episode 3 and the flashback in Episode 5. Brings back memories! Unfortunately for Ep 1, 2 and 4, there is no song that stood out for me.

REWATCH VALUE
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If you miss the sweetness of one of the couples, you would actually re-watch this. But I have this lingering feeling that only Tee and Mork would have a future series, after all, My Tee/Cause Your My Boy was excellent at the beginning but somehow loses it direction in the middle.

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fun premise but… why are the ex’s family STILL here??

This show had so much potential but the biggest problem is 100% the ex’s family hanging around way past the first act. Like… why are they still in every conflict? Why do they get THIS much screentime?? People keep saying the leads lack chemistry but honestly they don’t; the show just wastes all their moments by stuffing in secondary characters who don’t matter to the actual romance. Every time the leads start building momentum, boom: unnecessary side drama. It could’ve been a tight, cute romcom, but the pacing drags because we’re stuck watching plotlines that should’ve ended 10 episodes earlier.

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This series is everything I ever wanted to see and so much more..

Bad buddy as the title goes it's about two individuals not exactly buddies but well they were kind of buddies in high school just that they didn't actually put a label on it. So anyway two buddies separated for three damn years, due to the rivalry between their parents, cross each others path yet again in university and that's where everything begins. It might seem like those dramas of typical high school setting at first but honestly it isn't. It is much more than that and better in every way.

"From two people who shouldn't be friends to two people who cannot be just friends anymore." trope done right. It's a basic plot done so right that it's too mesmerising.

And let me tell you this series is breaking stereotypes and I love it so much more for that. Especially the wife thing. They are clearly both husbands. Why use wife? This series voicing this out feels great. And them saying I don't mind the gender instead of I only like him. Now that's how it should be voiced out. Being gay, lesbian, bi, pan, trans isn't wrong. Some series overusing the sentence 'I only like him' low-key tells how they disgust the idea of loving men being men. But well bad buddy broke that stereotype too.

In the begining of the series many complained that the fights were not realistic but no, it's realistic. As someone who has been a witness to such petty gang fights, I know it happens. The whole university might not be aware of it but those who are aware pretty much know how those fights are and sometimes even how childish the reasons for the fights are especially in such an age group. So it's not exaggerating.

The series is everything I ever wanted to see and so much more. It just keeps getting better and better and the actors make it so much more better. Pat and Pran have the best chemistry out there.

This series makes my heart leap up with joy and then again it does not fail to inflict my heart with stinging pain. Definitely recommending this series.

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This show made you excited in the beginning, then you wonder halfway "How did they miss the mark?"

Head over Heels is one of those dramas that leaves you asking for so much more. It had a dynamic storyline with something new in every turn. The casting was great all around, and the plot gave such a dopamine hit when reading about it. I even digested and waited till I reviewed this one, simply because it was like a climax dream that you woke up from halfway in.

I’m not entirely sure if it’s because of the westernization of dramas through Netflix or what, but while the story offered a lot, it didn’t deliver enough emotional pull for all the characters, only for the main female lead. It missed the mark when it came to fleshing out the other side characters, and it also left you confused as to why major plot points were introduced at random peaks in the story. It wasn’t like these additions brought a new dynamic that changed the direction; it felt more like, “Well, we only have so many episodes, so let’s just slap this important information here now so viewers won’t be left questioning.”

The drama had so much potential with its story, actors, and viewership. It simply left me feeling like, Damn, this would be so much better as a novel or with a full, well-developed script that included emotional plot points to draw viewers more deeply into the entire story.

Don’t get me wrong—it was okay. But it had so much room to be something truly great. It kinda missed the fullfilment of fans for these drama types, honestly.

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This drama was such a contradiction.

The first half was so poignantly and beautifully written while the second half was just plain bad writing. The music was phenomenal with stunning instrumental and heartwarming lyrics, yet the drama used those songs so repetitively that I got sick of them a little bit by the end. The acting was unbelievably amazing and yet, there was a lot of over done theatrics.
I cried, laughed, cared so much, and yet there were times where I was bored out of my mind.

It appeared quite sunny and cheerful on the surface but it had a lot of deep, dark psychological elements to it. The main character Ha Rip (Jung Kyung Ho) is goofy, sexy, mean like a feral kitten and oh so adorable and yet his actions were greedy, desperate, selfish and downright awful. It's painfully slow at times and yet it moves so fast in others. It's horribly predictable in one episode and then there's mind fuckery waiting for you the next.

It's both so good and so bad. Depending on which you choose to focus on, the drama will become that for you.

Despite all the bad, I personally enjoyed my time with it. I forged a connection with all the characters and felt so sentimental in almost every episode. I wish it was better written and all the unnecessary draggy parts to stretch the episodes weren't added but I felt like the cast did their best with it and it showed.

P.S Jung Kyung Ho. Enough said.

Leggi di Più

I like this drama.I laughed a lot and cried.I don't like long dramas,but now I would welcome even more episodes.
Nuan Nuan and Han Che was completely in tune.I like their emotional scenes.
Even the songs would be absolutely great.Even the music itself gave the scenes an atmosphere.

The second couple also had chemistry between them. Well-crafted drama.There weren't annoying scenes for which you were set up and you want to skip them to the part that interests you.The story shows when you want something. Go for it!As you hesitate, you don't have to get another chance.
I will definitely look at the drama again?

Leggi di Più

Brilliant potential, if only … but still worth watching overall. Great minister characters.

To give a general sense of this drama, I would describe it as something that falls between Six Flying Dragons and Empress Ki in terms of tone, themes, characters, and storylines. It had a strong start, and I absolutely loved the politics in the early episodes, but as it went on, there were aspects that began to lessen my enjoyment considerably. I do think there were elements that were great throughout, but this drama didn’t fully live up to the potential it had.

Perhaps the best thing about this drama is the way it re-explores the themes that dominate sageuk politics. There are a couple normative principles that generally underlie the hero-villain dichotomy of the vast majority of sageuks. 1) Strengthening royal authority is good. 2) Revenge is a justifiable motive. (The former is more deeply enshrined than the latter.) This drama throws both into question. So while the initial set-up might seem like a standard plot in which a weak monarch fights back against a minister whose power eclipses that of the throne, this is not necessarily the stereotypical storyline you’ve seen many times before. Despite some major shortcomings in the plot of the second half (more on that later), I’d still say it’s one of the better political historical dramas I’ve seen for the parts it did well and for the way it casts a familiar subject in a different light. I also enjoyed the fact that, while it is not recounting any true historical events, it is more authentic to the period than many historical dramas.

Another major positive point is that all the characters, including the supporting characters, have their own unique motivations. This drama isn’t populated by cardboard cutouts who are scheming just because. So there’s really a good cast of varied and interesting characters in this drama. Some of the characters are virtuous and dutiful idealists. Some are ruthless pragmatists. Some would sacrifice anything for their principles. Some want power for the sake of power. Some see power as a means to an end. Some want to do the right thing, but are concerned with their family first and foremost. Some don’t care much about politics at all and are entirely motivated by their personal relationships. Some seem righteous, then ultimately flinch, while others manage to stay the course. There are individuals possessed of unfailing loyalty, as well as those that switch sides multiple times. Characters who are in over their heads. Characters who maintain their calm in every situation. People who are abide by custom rigidly. People who will bend custom, but not break it. And people who are willing to throw custom right out the window. I could probably go on … Shout out to the Minister of War, Park Gye Won’s wife, and Park Gye Won’s son — my favorites among the supporting characters.

As for the leads … I found Lee Tae quite compelling in the early episodes, but by the halfway point, I was starting to feel that his characterization was rather all-over-the-place. I wasn’t sure if he was suddenly acting out-of-character, underwent sudden character development, or what, but whatever it was, I lost most of my investment in the character. I was able to predict where the character’s arc was headed, so it’s not as if what the drama was doing with the character was completely incoherent, and I actually think it was a great idea; the execution just needed to be improved significantly (see points 1 and 2 of my second to last paragraph). I think Jang Hyuk stole the show. Compelling character. Compelling actor. I won’t say too much, because I think uncovering the layers of the character was one of the enjoyable aspects of the drama. I liked the female lead overall, and although Kang Han Na’s portrayal did not make as strong an impression as Jang Hyuk’s on me, I thought she was good. I will say that although the female lead had a number of qualities I admired (she’s committed to her principles and devoted to those she cares for), I didn’t necessarily find myself rooting for her. I think this is partly because, unlike the two male leads, she doesn’t have clear political ambitions to get behind and partly because the drama sometimes failed to portray her internal thoughts and emotions sufficiently clearly or give her relationships enough weight (I place the blame on the drama’s storytelling more than the actress).

I wouldn’t really recommend this if you’re looking for a romance. It’s primarily focused on the politics. I do think the romance in the drama is interesting in the sense that it isn’t predetermined that the characters will make their relationship their top priority, as is the case with most dramas, but I can’t say I was ever deeply invested in the relationship. This isn’t a drama where you get to watch the characters fall in love, and though I could still understand the connection, I began having issues with how the drama portrayed Lee Tae, and it’s hard for me to get behind a couple, if I don’t care much about one half of the pairing.

Although there was drum instrumental that I sometimes found to be a bit over-the-top as well as some blatantly anachronistic Beethoven compositions, I enjoyed the soundtrack, especially the instrumental music. It’s more on the minimalist side, in accordance with current trends. I definitely think it added to the atmosphere and gravitas of certain scenes. Every visual element of this drama (cinematography, scenery, costumes, props, etc.) was gorgeous. On the whole, it’s a well-made drama with well-directed scenes, convincing performances, and great production.

I think there were really four primary issues with this drama, which unfortunately detracted from its quality significantly. 1) The drama favors dramatic reveals over allowing the viewer to follow the characters as they make important decisions and execute their plans. This was one of my initial little complaints early on, but it became particularly egregious in the second half. The writer seemed to think this made for exciting twists, but really it just robbed the viewer of the ability to relate to, understand, or get behind the characters while the action was happening; instead we got to hear about it after-the-fact. Plus, the reveals felt rather cheap; it would have been more exciting to be held in suspense, knowing what the plan was and wondering whether it would play out or be foiled by the characters’ opponents, or perhaps even questioning who we want to root for. 2) A couple major characters (Lee Tae and the Queen Dowager) have very bizarre character development. I think if the drama had been longer, they perhaps could have made this feel more natural with some proper build-up, but with what we got … some of it felt very out of left field. And in one case, it seemed like they were developing Lee Tae in one direction (very suddenly and not very convincingly, but still) only to totally drop that as if it never happened. 3) There is one plot arc in the second half that is just poorly written. Some of the issues are related to the former two points, but it’s also just a real drop in the quality of the politics, where suddenly everything (including the way certain characters are behaving) is very “convenient,” and if you stop to think, it doesn’t make much sense. It was quite a disappointment, since I initially loved the drama’s politics, and suddenly I just couldn’t take it seriously. 4) This drama probably should have been longer. I think certain developments in the storyline and characters could have been done more believably or given more weight if they happened less rapidly. I also think it could have helped to increase my degree of investment in characters or relationships, assuming they used the extra runtime well.

This drama had so many great things going for it, which almost makes me more upset about the aspects that were done poorly. Still, although it’s really too bad this drama didn’t live up the great potential it had, I would generally recommend it, since it was a largely enjoyable watching experience for me, and because it’s worth watching for the way it deviates from the standard idealistic Joseon prince/king storylines. In any case, I don’t think I’ve seen a drama with such good minister characters since Six Flying Dragons.

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Ok... Don't freak out... and don't kill me... but i think... i think i like this version more than the 2007 Japanese one (I don't count the 2011 version... ever... so let's just pretend that it didn't happen, ok?). DON'T KILL ME! It's going to be ok! Everything is gonna be fine... Don't get me wrong, i LOVE the Japanese version... but to me Horikita Maki just couldn't pass as a dude... Ever... and that is not because i have a strange female crush on her (Ok it might be just a little bit, but you've gotta admit...she is ridiculously adorable). Ella on the other hand... if I didn't already know... i would've never guessed that she was a chick. I mean sure she has got some female features, but overall she is very boyish in this drama (and it works for her, because she is still pretty).

The story is actually very good, and very different to the Japanese version, which makes it easier to watch. You don't feel like you are watching the same drama at all, and that is nice because then it is easier not to compare the two. even though it is not a spoiler really i'm stil gonna write this SPOILER!!! SPOILER!!! The ending is shit. which bums it a bit in my book... I know that there was supposed to be like a seaon two or something but still...

The acting: Again, as i said, Ella was a really good choice for the role. A lot of people bash it for being too over exaggerated, and i can kinda see where they come from, but personally i don't mind it at all... i think it kinda adds to the charm of the whole show. and as for the guys acting... let me just get this out of the way... HotHotHotHotHotHotHot!!! oh and their acting is good too, but it's kinda hard to concentrate on... Did i mention that they are really hot??

Music:I LOVED the intro tune... but aside from that... can't remember any other songs... But the intro... So good!

Overall i really liked the show it was cute and funny and all that jazz, but it is very much a chick drama. And if you're like me and you love that sort of thing i would recommend you go check it out... In the very least it is a laugh.

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For starters, I am very picky with my dramas and I'm hardly able to sit through most of them if they don't have my fancy. However I do checkout a lot of new dramas and when I read the story and cast for Catch the Ghost, I immediately knew I would binge watch the whole show in a few days. And that is exactly what happened lmao. I waited for the show to be completely aired so that i could watch it in one go but couldn't help myself so I started watching it when only 2 eps were left to be aired in Korea. Somehow I still ended up having to wait for the last two eps as I watched the 14 eps in 2 days. The wait killed me...
Now for my review-
So the things I absolutely love about this drama:

Acting: Kim Seon Ho and Moon Geun Young!
I was so happy with both of their performances. Kim Seon Ho is such a good actor and he had my fancy ever since I saw his mini drama called You drive me crazy (another amazing drama) and he did complete justice to his character of a man who always tries to stay out of trouble, but finds his sense of duty after meeting Yoo Ryung.
Do I even need to say anything about one of Koreas most prestigious and critically acclaimed actress's, Moon Geun Young. She plays both Yoo Ryung and Yoo Jin really well and sometimes you'd feel like theyre actually being played by different actresses because of her versatility in both roles. The chemistry between KSH and MGY both in reel and real life is out of the charts for me, I had a LOT of butterflies, however dont expect a lot of skinship because there ISN'T a lot. (Side note: watch their interviews and the BTS of the drama, they're really cute uwu) The other subway officers are hilarious too. The "villains" acted well too and had us fooled for a good amount of time.

Story: For me the writing did get a little shabby at times and was sometimes stretched, but i find that to be the case for most investigative dramas. Catch the ghost is a breath of fresh air in terms of crime and investigative dramas as humour is also a huge part of it. Even if you're not impressed by the story, you'll forgive it as the humour makes up for it and doesn't leave you bored at any point. There are a lot of twists and turns so it's never monotonous at any point. The drama is very gripping towards the beginning and the end, although the few eps in the middle feel a little dragged

Music: The ost's are pretty good although none of them leave a huge impact on you. In saying this I dont mean theyre not good songs, I have a few of them in my music playlists too, for a matter of fact. The bgm isnt over the top which is also good.

Rewatch value: I would watch it again but maybe not for the story as the cats already out of the bag and I know the killer, but for the acting, humour and the chemistry between the leads.

Things I didnt like too much: The side characters like Ma Ri, Woo Hyuk and Won Chul (the PR rep of police) never caught my interest and were really good at making me annoyed. I didn't care for Ma Ri and her side story and was not able to sympathise with her. Sometimes, the characters did really stupid things and had the suspects escape multiple times becuase of their foolishness, which was very annoying. The metro team in general was so incompetent and it seemed like they were only able to crack the case because of Yoo Ryung. In the 2 years they solved the subway ghost case, they didnt have ANY strong leads and quite frankly did absolutely nothing towards the case, while the subway team solved it in just a week...

But overall I will recommend it to anyone looking for something entertaining with good acting and a new story. 9.5/10

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I enjoy action/adventure stories, that's what initially made me interested in this drama but... I have to say it's a complete mess.
The story on its core it's a really interesting one, with plot twists, intriguing characters, interesting old history but... It's so badly executed! And I don't mean the production, which is pretty good for a chinese drama. The script is a mess... I'm sure the books are really great, but there are lots of times in this drama when you have no idea why something happened, or why the characters are doing what they are doing. I know that some things are left unexplained simple because this is intended to be an 8 part series, but I mean things like: one of the main characters appears out of nowhere, nobody knows who he is, he doesn't speak, he joins the party and everybody plays along with that. I don't know, maybe I'm too picky, but I think this had the potential to be very good and instead it's nearly mediocre.
On the bright side, I'm really interested in the books right now =P

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