Reviews

Averagely Above Average

Idk how to describe this but somehow it was an average series with a twist. It wasn't too cliché or basic and I didn't get bored. It did kinda get stretched out a bit but nothing to steer me away. It's a simple show, but nothing you should dismiss. I wanted to smack Jin a few times, but what's a drama without some emotion? lol I think all the cast has potential to succeed and this show was a great start! It's pretty underrated but please give it a watch. I'd recommend to anyone new to BL as this isn't too cheesy or dramatic with pretty decent visuals. There's one ship I wanted to set sail but it failed which is ok (I guess).
Enjoy...

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It has been a while since I watched a drama, especially a melodrama, that has took my emotions and break my heart over and over again. I was truly invested in the drama's world and characters. You will need to tissues, a pillow near by and a certain mind-set since this is a true melodrama (and it can be depressing at times). Definitely my top 3 dramas of 2018!

Story: This story was very interesting about two people from different backgrounds connecting to each other mentally and emotionally after a few events and spending a lot of time together. The story was written in a way that was true to real life and can relate to either one or both of the leads in someway. One of the most realistic melodramas I have seen in a long while.

Acting: The acting was top-notch! I was speechless throughout this drama. I could not imagine any other people playing the leads. Kim Jung Hyun as Soo Ho was raw, real and intense with so much impact. This was the first time that I was truly invested in a male lead character in a melodrama (it usually takes time for me to get invested in them). I cried so many times because of his character. Seo Hyun as Ji Hyun was just as real, raw and intense as Soo Ho. She made me cry just as much too. . . Seo Hyun portrayed a woman who was going on with her life, but then, it just stops after a few events till Soo Ho show up in her life. The chemistry between them was so intense, electric, sad and sometimes sweet even. The other leads were people who you would love to hate so much with passion!

Music: Really hit the right spots for me. The background music was fantastic, and fitting for the tone of the drama. The best song in this drama is "Time" by Gaho. It is sad song that really brings the mood to the drama and fits the scenes that it was in.

Re-watch or Nah?: Would not watch this again because It was hard to watch. I scored a 8/10 because I did watch this twice. . . . I was hard both times. Maybe I would recommend a one-watch for people who are starting this drama.

Overall,
Do not let Kim Jung Hyun press conference controversy stop you from watching this drama! You would understand why he did what he did once you see this drama. You will not regret this. . . . The story is interesting, the acting is beyond expectation and the characters will hit you with so many feels that it is insane.

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This is an amazingly epic drama. I first watched this drama while it was on air and I loved it then but watching it again years later made me appreciate it more. Don't let 81 episodes discourage you from watching this wonderful saguek. I was thoroughly entertained by each and every one of those episodes. The story is fantastic, the writing, directing and acting is done so well. This drama really grabbed me from the first episode and then it took me along on a journey like I've ever experienced with any other drama. This is now my all time favourite drama.
I would highly recommend this drama to anyone who can appreciate a great story with action, romance, bromance and a great cause to fight for.

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Great acting, great plots, but should have been a series

I actually really liked this movie. A lot of people did not enjoy it because they found it confusing or peiced together weird, which I will say is true to an extent. I really liked all of the plot lines and how they connected, but it left me wanting more from each one. We got a snippet of each plotline basically. I definitely think it should have been a series rather than a movie, that way they could flesh everything out better, and make it a bit more cohesive. Overall I think it is well worth the watch, and will probably watch it again when it releases on Netflix with the official subtitles.

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Amazing..but where's the romance?

Love, love, love the drama. This is one is going on my list of top dramas that I have watched thus far and there is a lot that I have watched and love.

I am satisfied with how the game ended. Those who deserve to be happy, ended up with happiness and those who deserved to be punished, got their punishments. However, I am not happy with how the drama ended.

Let's start with the storyline - it's your typical storyline. The toxicity of the family, the corrupt offiicials, the romance. All of that is what makes a great story and this one delievered. The family dynamic really sonates with me as a modern girl because we see this all the time in real life. It's nothing to new to a lot of families. The thing that really pisses me off is how much they disregard because the oldest son is supposed to bring honor to them, but yet, he had failed them over and over and over again. He cheated and sold his family for pennies (not really, but you know what I mean) and yet, the family still believes him over and over again. Yes, he did receive karma, but even then, his wife and Hua'er still acted like they did nothing wrong and is mad at the family for not helping them when he went crazy. I mean, can they really blame the family for it? Where's the accountability? Why is it that the family have to always clean up their messes? The only person that I feel sorry for is Song Hai Long. The only did that he did wrong was marry Hua'er. I don't think he desrves to be living in poverty with Hua'er and her parents. I wish Shen Nuo would help him obtain a position in the court.

Characters -
I know that many people hated Man'er but I don't understand the hate. She's not greedy and she's not selfish. Yes, she's trying to make a living but can we really blame her? She's playing a character in a game who has a mission that she needs to do. She can't be giving all of her money to her family. I mean, how can you excuse the grandma and aunt for stealing her hard earned money and then call her a selfish pig? Like come on. She's not selfish either. Her wanting to split from the family because she only wants what is best for her little family. The way they treated her family warrants her need to split from them. Like, are those who calling her selfish condoning the things that her family has done? I can't even consider her selfish at all. First of, she helped Hua'er despite the fact that they knowingly and willingly sold her off to a dead guy as part of a widow burning. YET, she risked her reputation to help Hua'er escape her fate. Then she saved Ye'er from the toxic family. Not only that, she had helped the family over and over again. Even at the end, they still forgave them and gave them a place to stay. Time and time again, she had helped her family despite the fact that they treated her like she nothing.

Romance -
Where the hell is the romance?! There was some romance, but there was barely any too. Out of 26 episodes, there's probably like what 2 episodes where we see the romance. That's all I have to say about the romance part.

Overall -
I gave this a 9 rating overall because of the fact that there is barely any romance. The title is "Romance on the Farm," there's a farm, but very little romance. Another reason why I gave it a 9 because I was not happy with the ending. Sorry, but not sorry. I thought that it would at least end like Romance of Tiger and Rose, but it did not. I was not satsified. We didn't get to see Shen Nuo in real life. The "special ep" was nothing special. It only explained what we have already guessed. Shen Nuo is the creator of the game. But we didn't get to see his face. What kind of ending was that?!

I would def watch this again at a later date. Recommend if you can get past the toxicity of the drama.

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This show easily became my No.1 Drama

First of all: I am deeply in love with this show
it's funny, cute, mysterious, interessting and heartwarming.
I feel comfort warching this. It cheers me up.

Plot: The plot may seem easy at first but is very interessting and surprising as time goes on. The characters spend a lot of time discussing and theorizing so it is easy to follow and I felt like i was investigating right along side them, theorizing. The cases are interesting and memorable. I was never bored or skiped any scenes.
Cast: All of the actors portray their character amazingly. The chemestry between them all feels very close and they do act like a group of close friends or family. I am having a great time watching them interact and care for each other. The looks they give each other are hilarious.
Musik: The musik is not outstanding but they underline the scenes perfectly and set the tone. Be it funny, mysterious or emotional.
Rewatch Value: As previously stated, I love this drama. It is my comfort show and I will regulary rewatch it. A big part is the focus on the friendship here.

Overall: This drama is perfect.

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The story as older than world itself...
A man who doesn't feel anything and is not afraid of anything falls in love with a girl who feels everything too strongly and is afraid of everything... Both have a trauma, but the trauma is not that simple as it may seem when you read the plot.
First of all Nam-Soon (by the way, this is a girl's name and it's the name of the male lead in the movie, I'll explain why), a man who lost his family in an accident and blames himself for spilling the cola in the car and causing his parents and noona to die, after the accident he hasn't felt anything physically: no pain, no taste, no touch... empty being... but from the fist minutes I could see, that this man was not only frozen physically, but also emotionally. I sometimes thought he had been brought up by wolves, as he had no idea how to feel grateful, love, think about something else besides his empty everyday routine (which was not the most beautiful scene to watch, by the way...) but this is until he meets HER...She is his reflection, his perfect reflection, actually I think she's all the things he would like to be, but has never been able to... She's hemophiliac, so every little cut can be her last one... And suddenly he wants to feel, to taste, to touch... his opening up to her was so beautiful, I couldn't look away from the screen.
There lines at the end of the movie and you hear Nam-Soon praying to the God 'Dear God, I've never wanted to cry as I don't feel pain, but you know, when I see her crying my heart feels like bursting into thousands of pieces, please, make her not cry, even if I have to give my life for that'... These lines reflect her lines in the middle of the movie, when they lie near and she tells him 'When you want to cry next time, tell me, I'll cry for you'... Isn't this genius? They make each other complete and perfect... two broken souls come together as one...

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A journey on the bonds which connect friend to friend, family to family and lover to lover.

The story has us witness each character, especially the male lead's, journey and growth through the impulses of youth, his connections with those he grows to hold dear, a heartwarming love story and the gradual discovery of the revelations of his painful past. The male lead lead has been unfairly sacrificed too many times for what others believe as justice. While he is unjustly treated, he does inherently have a deeply rooted sense of good within him. The production team took the sad, but necessary sacrifices needed in order to bring the characters to the end of their journey. While the ending may be unsatisfactory and heartbreaking to most, there were necessary sacrifices that were needed in order for the characters to grow as people and realise themselves and their responsibilities in life. I would say Chengxiao's acting got better as the story progressed and she really has cute chemistry with Arthur Chen. Arthur Chen had a great and emotional performance throughout and really brought to life his character through balancing his representation of a charming, and deviously smart youth and a person who has suffered many times at the hands of others to the point of battling to understand who he is. The OST was just beautiful, it really complimented each scene and wrenched at my heart many times. Whilst the production was low budget, the story line really is lovely and its subtle complexity connects you to the emotions of the characters and in the end you end up really invested in their journeys and wanting to follow it through to the very end. I really recommend it. Be prepared however, for many twists and turns, and while it is not a bad ending, it is also not an entirely a happy one.

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When I say this is my favorite drama ever, I'm not lying! I had been putting off this drama for a while because the short summary didn't seem to interest me- but trust, I regret putting it off for so long. I don't think could write bad thing about this drama, everything was perfect! t had a well-devised plot, and nothing dragged on too long. It was well compressed into 24 episodes- I even wish it went on longer. The cast had great chemistry- and the acting was phenomenal. This drama definitely played with my emotions- from the butterflies that Seryeong and Seungyoo gave me, to the annoyance and irritation the Grand Prince gave me due to his greed for power. The music was on point, every track perfectly suited the scene/situation. I recommend this drama to anyone! I'm starting to miss this drama and it's only been 3 days since I watched it lol :'(

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The strong impact created by the 1st season was sadly gone from this season.

The good:
1. OffGun, need i say more?
2. Krist, its refreshing to see him as a loving character, someone who shows his feelings. I wish they used him more.

The bad:
1) i used to like the straight couple before but now they're just whiny little waste of screen time;
2) where are the dogs, its Puppy Honey wihtout the dogs???;
3) whats up with the 5-minute opening credits and 5-minute closing credits, the run is 8 episode and you waste 10min per episode just for unnecessary crap;
4) i almost graded the show higher for not incorporating villains in the show but then come the last episode and that shiity way they treated Din's character. I wish producers will give Sing a better character than just being in the background. This guy is cute;
5) i wanted to jump to the screen everytime the female actress falls or trips. Why are women treated like weaklings, is this what you call romantic trait of a girl? ;
6) everytime there is a fight (in all thai series, not just in this series) the guys always have bloody lips. Its the same in the first season. How weak are the lips of Thai guys? There are 4 or 5 instances in this series alone where the guy characters get beaten up and ended up with a bloody lips. It is just so frustrating to watch;
7) Each episodes felt stretched and they wasted so many time with the slow senseless talking, especially for the straight couple.

They should have transformed this into a full pledged BL series (a la DBK) and gave us 8 full episodes of OffGun cause the 2 main straight leads were just wasted here. The magic is gone from the first season and what used to be a fun series became a sloppy slow soap that you wish would just fast forward and end. It would also be more believable if Emma ended up with Night and Porsche just ended up with Friend.

Would i rewatch. Probably not, not even the BL parts. Tired of seeing conservative BL guys in BL series. Do these producers seriously think that gay guy couples dont have sex and intimacy when they were dating for 3 years already?

Overall im giving it 6.5 but without OffGun would probably rate it lower.

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Can't believe I haven't written a review on this gem! Here we go....!

Story: Simple, comical, romantic and to a point - mature. Love the 4 dudes and their antics. If "I Need Romance" is the female equivalent of "Sex & the City", then this here is the male equivalent of "101 ways of how to get under a woman's skirt - the blokey guide".... minus the emphasis on sex, of course. I love the little 'prologues' at the beginning of each episode. They are proof that men are just overgrown boys and they will always be up to something naughty! A well put together drama that ends well for everyone.

Acting/Cast: Whatdaya expect from veteran actors & actresses? Quality and believable acting of course! Even the young idol actors are not too stiff, but I must say that I am very relieved that they are not the main focus of this drama. They add a comical dimension to the drama without looking as if the writer was trying too hard on the comedy part of things. Well done!

Music: Nice OSTs worth downloading.

Rewatch value: High - simply because the episodes can be stand alones but they all contribute to the overall picture of the story. So, if there is a favourite episode or scene that you want to replay over and over again, you can! Furthermore, this drama gives off a nice relaxing feeling and a venue for women to nod their heads off in agreement at all the silly things and behaviour men engage in! Definitely a keeper!

Overall: Full marks. Highly recommended. Time to fall in love, people!... unrequitted, of course! ;)

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What A Satisfying Ride!

I have seen dozens of BL shows, but the experience of watching My Stand In was top-tier. Whether it was watching it or turning to social media, My Stand In kept me in a 12-week choke hold. The way I felt about the characters in episode 1 was not how I felt about them at the end of episode 12. There was so much drama, but also so much character growth. I hated Ming at the beginning of the series but loved and wanted the world for him by the end.

I've watched many toxic romances, but what set Joe and Ming's story apart is that the viewer watches events happen and those events change the character. Relationships that began like the Manson Family ended like The Brady Bunch. Every turn and twist was earned and felt. The chemistry between the main couple is electric. Even as you wish they would stay away from each other you understood why they couldn't.

Action, sex, messy emotions... it's got it all. I highly recommend My Stand In to everyone, it's that good.

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Alright...Let's break this bad boy down!

Story: What a story! The writer/s of this drama know how to write! This was action, adventure, revenge and romance done right. As you watch this drama, you notice it is almost like riding a ride. Some of the episodes are packed full of dramatic tension and zip by so fast that when the credits roll you sit there thinking "The hour is over already?" There is a depth and smartness to how the characters are written and for the most part, the pacing of the 20 episodes is framed very well. All good stories need moments of 'set-up' and because there are so many bad ass episodes when the action calms and there is a need for some exposition you don't mind...you understand that its necessary and it builds up the tension for the next stage of "The Plan". There are surprises around so many corners, moments where you suck in your breath. There are times when you want to pump your fist and times when you want to sob your heart out. There are well timed comedic moments that will have you laughing out loud. Pulling these physical and emotional reactions from the audience is the mark of great story telling. It's the best praise and prize a writer can get and the writers of City Hunter certainly got it from me.

Characters: Again, the characters are written so they are not dumbed down for the audience. They are fleshed out so well that you end up having sympathy for a character you know you ought to hate...who deserves your disdain and yet, you feel their pain. Or you may find yourself loving a character that is on a dogged search for and could just bring down your beloved hero. The character of Yoon Sung (City Hunter) is a flawed and fallible hero but he's smart and ultimately good and I found myself behind him and his cause. You get to see so many moments of kick-assery but you also get to see the price he pays; whether it is his body or his psyche. Also, those he's fighting aren't stupid either so he has got a fight on his hands. I like that the writers didn't make the antagonists stupid and they weren't always easy for City Hunter to catch. It made this show a delight to watch.

Romance: While I am all for some loving, hugging and kissing...I like that this drama knew when to quit. They didn't sacrifice the story to serve up the audience lots of drippy, gooey love. Yes, the love is there and the story shows the discovery and build up of that love but City Hunter has a mission. He's got stuff to do! We get to see how that love changes the City Hunter, puts the "true North" to his moral compass, gives him a reason to want to live beyond revenge and that is a beautiful thing. But thankfully, the writers weren't afraid to place that story on the back burner. Not only because it made sense in the framework of tale but also, they didn't pander to us mushy romantic types and force more into play.

Acting: I could go on and on (I know, I already have) but I'll just say t his. Lee Min Ho does a fantastic job. I was not a huge fan of his prior to this drama but now I am. And I would add that there isn't one actor in this whole drama that does a bad job. The main characters were cast well for their roles. There wasn't a time as I was watching this where I cringed or felt cheated that the actor wasn't serving the story or phoning in a performance. Lee Joon Hyuk (Prosecutor Young Joo) was amazing. Park Min Young (Kim NaNa) was often luminous and pretty bad ass in her right. Kim Sang Joon played (Jin Pyo) so well I hated him and had real moments of sympathy for him. Kim Sang Ho (Ahjussi) ~ I love you! I want to buy you an American Express Black card and let you home shop to your heart's content!

Season 2: When the 20 episodes are over...chances are, you are going to want one! Watch this if you are hesitating. There's a reason why there's about a thousand reviews of this Drama.

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An interesting, thought-provoking, but somewhat unsatisfying love story

The writer tries to show us the stages of a relationship, but doesn't go far enough. The first half is beautiful, how it shows the development of the relationship between the two leads. The way their communication is portrayed is relaxing and nice to watch. When signing to each other or writing messages through their phones, it felt like they were completely attentive to what the other was thinking and saying. Those scenes were the most romantic to me. As the FL says, "it feels like we're having a silent conversation that never ends in a quiet world of our own".

But part-way through, that conversation seemed to end, and the relationship unravels. Of course, it's realistic for relationships to change after an initial honeymoon stage. The FL has anxieties that come from a reasonable place, her position is understandable. But the sensible thing to do is to talk those anxieties out, to confront each other, to demand explanations and get everything off of your chest. It feels like the FL unilaterally decides to stop communicating, and that's the death knell for any relationship. There are moments where it feels like she has fallen out of love, although you could see it instead as her being overly melancholic or prone to insecurity.

In other words, we see the honeymoon and uncertainty stages of a relationship, but nothing else. There's no sense of recommitment, or really any solution to the problems raised in this relationship. The leads reunite at the end, but it doesn't feel satisfying, it's unearned because none of the problems were resolved. For a drama that dedicates so much time early on to idealizing communication, this is a big misstep.

Character-wise, I think the FL is the most fascinating character in the show. I think people can debate her motivations, the changes in her feelings, whether she's 'realistic' or not for a long time.

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