Reviews

This series does not work...

I have hopes for all JBLs, but this one was a big disappointment. I don't care if the actors are straight, bi, gay, pan or whatever, but if you have intense material, you have to make sure they deliver. They did not. There are only dead-fish kisses, the nc-scenes are between akward and ridiculous. I doubt there was one queer person on the set. And of course they did have neither a workshop nor an intimacy coordinator.

We are lucky to have a direct comparision with "Fake Fact Lips". When actors really get into their roles, they can deliver even without any workshop. For sure "Fake Fact Lips" has the better script, the bigger budget but for sure also the much better actors. It does not mean that the actors in Fukami are bad, it's just they can't handle the intimacy this script and their roles require and so this series is a fail.

All good intensions, all good acting inbetween can't make up for the lack of intimacy and emotions. The story itself is not bad per se, everyone will easily understand it, but it should be a BL and there is no vibe of it at all. Of course 13 minute episodes do not help either to form a emotional connection, but this productions lacks even that. So for a japanese production this was utterly disappointing and you should not waste your time with it.

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I was intrigued from the onset with the bookstore. The actors, scenery, and pace is very watchable and soothing. This drama uses the unspoken dialogue as the dialogue. Thus the actors are filling in the spaces with their stories, lives and secrets. The bookstore business I the US is fading art yet this drama critically illustrates its importance in the lives of others. If you love books, mystery/treasure hunting and the voluminous quiet of a bookstore this is worth the watch.
Why watch? I confess, I own a bookstore ;) and yes we have all these kinds of characters enter our store&life;.

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Could've Been Great

Ditto (2022) had the main essence of the story down already. The casts were also good in portraying their roles. Especially the main lead, Yeo Jin Goo. He was able to flawlessly show the emotions needed; from falling in love, being paranoid, jealous, up to being broken. The cinematography was also brilliant. The usage of colors to differentiate timelines and create mood was perfectly executed.

The downfall of this movie was it's flow. It failed to show the relationship of the other characters to the main lead, Kim Yong. And these relationships are the backbone of the story. This is what would've make all the difference. These relationships are what'll make viewers invested to the story. Sadly, the movie focused on moving from past to present which led to very disorganized story.

As an example the past storyline:
The friendship of Kim Yong to Eun Sung. They were supposed to be best friends. But in the movie, it seemed like Eun Sung is the only one portraying best friend. Kim Yong was suddenly this overly jealous and paranoid boyfriend to Han Sol. Then his relationship with Han Sol also seemed rushed. We weren't given enough scenes to be invested in their story. We just see Kim Yong being really inlove with her, but on Han Sols part, there weren't enough scenes to staple or depict her feeling the same way. If the movie gave more light and exposure to their relationship, I think, viewers, such as I, would've felt more about their story.

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A story about two souls the universe wants to separate

Episodes 23 and 24 are superb. From what I've read from those who have read the original novel "Time Machine" that this was based on, the ending was changed in the TV adaptation, based on that information I could say that the director and writer did an amazing job in giving us a different ending--it was heart wrenching, lovely, and touching.

As with most adaptations with a different ending than its original source, it is rare that the new ending leaves an impact to the audience, most often than not the original ending is still better. Not in the case of First Love Again (2021) TV adaptation, their ending deserves to be an official ending too, especially since we are talking about parallel universes and time travel.

The male and female leads were a perfect match. They portrayed perfectly what many of us experienced back in High School and whenever we fall in love. The anger, the sweetness, being playful with each other, even the little things they captured it all awesomely. The same with the side stories with their friends, like the pain of being rejected or the unexpected surprise classmates no one expected will be together ended up getting married.

It is also worth mentioning that they effectively used all 24 episodes to tell us different interconnected stories. It was not rushed nor was it lacking. They also kept the physics of spacetime travel (yes, one word "spacetime") simple and to a minimum. If we are going to talk about how logical it was, at this point it is hard to say. In the latter episodes, there appears to be some leaps when it comes to spacetime travel, but since I have not taken the time yet to fully review and gather my thoughts about it, I can not say anything about it … yet. Regardless, the spacetime travel is overall good and easy to follow for the majority of the episodes. Those who are not keen with parallel worlds and time travel stories would find it easy to watch this.

And hey, the overall story, the romance between our lead characters, are more than enough reason to watch First Love Again (2021) even if the Science does not make sense. This is a story of two High School friends that not even the universe can ever separate. A story about two souls who will always find each other and fall in love again and again and again and again …

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I finished this drama last week and I really really enjoyed it especially:
-The friendship part which was so pure and beautiful between: Li Li, Shang Xuan, Li Jun and Daniel.
-Li Li's love for Migratory Birds (which actually was what I liked the most about the drama and also the reason why I got interested in watching it).
When I started 15YWFMB I didn't expect anything from it but I immediately found it pretty original especially Li Li's hobby, her love for the migratory birds and how it's linked with her love for Shang Xuan, so wonderful and subtle metaphors about love <3

First and foremost, I recommend this Chinese drama to everyone especially to those who want to watch a good Chinese modern drama with well written and developed characters, I've always wanted to find one which would impress me when it comes to character development and definitely it was a success for me. On the surface it's a pretty relaxing drama but as the story progresses I could see that it was more complicated than it first seemed, Ok I did guess at some extents how it would end but definitely I think it was well done. I'm just really disappointed by the ending or should I say the way they ended the drama.

Our leading lady really grew on me all throughout the drama, I could totally see myself in her and I had similar experience as her during my high school years (so it was easier for me to connect with her character), how she was bickering all the time with Shang Xuan, they did not start their relationship on the best terms but they ended up appreciating each other, and I'm sure many of us had a similar adventures during adolescence.
I love so much how their relationship is evolving in the drama, how since the beginning she loved him and kept her feelings for herself and how everything was developing slowly but surely in such a mature way , all of that was done so well. In a few words I would say LiLi is a really responsible, sensitive, smart, selfless and kindhearted girl (became a wonderful and elegant young woman for whom I only have admiration), she always stays true to herself and is always there for her dearest ones, definitely the best friend/family member we can ever have.

Shang Xuan is such a lovely and dependable man, he had his issues and sometimes he could be odious and all of that I understood it because he had his reasons to act the way he did but just like Li Li when it comes to friends and family he would do anything<3

I love other characters too particularly Qian Ren, sincerely this guy is such a sweetheart that sometimes I didn't know if I should ship Li Li with him or Shang Xuan, really too hard to choose only one. Two handsome, reliable, lovely men for one amazing and wonderful woman, I guess that for many other viewers it must have been hard to choose their side, at least for me it was hard <3

I truly loved both leading actors and oh why is Deng Lun (Qian Ren) younger than me just why ? Also I need to say that I'm not into Love triangle and I hate that so much but here so unexpectedly it was not exaggerated nor complicated maybe because all three characters (Li Li, Shang Xuan and Qian Ren are very understanding and mature persons).

Supporting characters were so adorable too and they had their own stories so that's a very big plus, it was good to see that the writer didn't focuse only on Li Li's relationship with Shang Xuan and Qian Ren and showed more of other characters like Li Jun and Daniel, both really caring, honest and loyal friends.

I read some comments about Han Yi Chen being a bit too mean or something like that but honestly I think she was a pretty fine rival to Li Li, I never hated her and thought she was too bad though of course as a rival she was very selfish and jealous of Lili. By the way it was kinda annoying seeing that they put so much make up on the actress's face to make her look older, actually it didn't work in my opinion as it seemed too forced.

As for my rating I decided to go with a 7.5 and it might sounds weird I'm not giving a higher rating when I enjoyed the drama this much however though it's a really great drama and I don't have complaints about it (well only on certain aspects such as the ending, some turn of events which did bother me a little bit but nothing too disturbing, the OST= almost non-existent and not my taste at all) so I just can't give more. Of course I definitely recommend it especially for the reasons mentioned above plus the actors did a very decent job though some of them lack experiences. I found two actors I would definitely stalk : Sun Yi and Deng Lun as I loved their portrayals of Li Li and Qian Ren, both being my two fave characters of the drama as well <3
The drama itself didn't give me goosebumps nor made my heart palpitated hence this rating.

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Sleeping with the enemy.

This drama weaves some of the most prominent historical figures of China's Three Kingdoms period into a fabulous and exciting tale of intrigue, adventure, and romance reminiscent of a Dumas plot. This is a highly fictionalized yet disarmingly convincing exploration of the motives and relationships of the key figures of the day that manages to stay broadly true to history.

The last Han emperor has a secret that could shake the foundations of the empire and shatter his tenuous hold on power. Aided by a small intimate circle that includes the empress, his boyhood friend Sima Yi and a dwindling number of old Han ministers, he embarks on a desperate quest to escape the clutches of Cao Cao and restore the glory and power of the Han empire. But the cruel strategies and sacrifices needed are at odds with his benevolent nature and inclination to show mercy to his enemies. Ma Tianyu impressively pulls off a complex portrayal of this seemingly weak and powerless emperor who frustratingly sticks to his guns against all odds to ultimately succeed in winning the hearts and minds of his enemies with his enlightenment and magnanimity. It is very clear that the emperor and the notorious Cao Cao have very similar world visions and goals but their methods are extreme opposites - one rules by fear and sheer brute force while the other kills you with his kindness. Both are pragmatic and when the rubber meets the road, have little choice but to sleep with the enemy in order to achieve the outcomes they are after. We get to decide for ourselves who was more effective, who really won their epic struggle for power and whether it was worth it.

There are no real villains in this drama - even the emperor's enemies are portrayed in a very balanced manner though it is fair to say that the so called villains out-acted the heroes. Guo Jia is my favorite character in the drama - I often found myself rooting for him and oddly moved by his and Cao Cao's loyalty and affection for each other. And Tse Kwanho's Cao Cao must be by far the best Cao Cao I have ever seen - so cunning, powerful and menacing I was actually scared of him. Some of the most gripping and intense scenes in this drama are when Cao Cao and the emperor go toe to toe. My one big criticism of this drama is Han Dongjun's Sima Yi is shallow, boastful and unemphatic. For a highly rated actor to miss the mark on such a key character is just not acceptable. While some of the bromance moments with the emperor are decent, most of the time he is not in character and does not convincingly pull off the legendary strategist. Cao Pi is also extremely well acted but overshadowed by all the other outstanding performances. There is quite a bit of sizzling romance this drama, notably that of the emperor and empress as well as Guo Jia's but Sima Yi's was just kind of flat.

This drama is full of suspenseful moments and action as danger lurks around every corner. The second arc however is a bit draggy and requires some suspension of disbelief but that is also where the awesome Guo Jia emerges so don't abandon it there.

I will stop here and keep this short as it would be a crying shame to spoil this one. I highly recommend this very enjoyable and under appreciated drama that I would rate higher if not for Sima Yi

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Brilliantly evolved

Season 2 is vastly different from season 1.

Although the main leads remain in place, the transitioning of an extended stellar cast to a distinctly more complex and elaborate plot distinguishes Lee Soo Yeon's follow up effort from the hit first season that took the world by storm back in 2017.

From the intense and visceral depiction of criminal investigation into corruption and scandals, the 2020 version has evolved into an in-depth study of a sophisticated web of corporate and political conspiracies intricately woven amidst the backdrop of judicial uncertainty and bipartisan face-off between the prosecutors and the police. This evolution, in my humble opinion, has been brilliantly done.

There is less action and much more dialogue, Hwang Shi Mok and Han Yeo Jin share less screen time together, and even their individual roles have been somewhat diminished by the presence of many new characters. However, in the grander scheme of things, the overarching plot is given so much more depth and significantly enhanced by the performance of the extended cast. To balance the slow-burn nature of the start, the business end of this season provides the dramatic closure that ties up all the loose ends and plot twist that viewers have been patiently awaiting the entire run.

We know all about Jo Seung Woo and Bae Doo Na, the quality of their chemistry never falters even in the face of reduced screen time. The debutants to the franchise have been immensely impressive. Jeon Hye Jin's Choi Bit is a display of empowerment and relentless zeal to protect what's at stake for the police force and for herself. Choi Moo Sung, I suspect, was entirely in character playing a version of himself. His brazenly supercilious Woo Tae Ha has such screen presence that dominated every scene. Yoon Se Ah, personally for me, is such a delight to behold. Her Lee Yeon Jae is the epitome of elegance and grace combined with a quiet resolve and shrewdness, as befits her role as the head of a chaebol. Lee Joon Hyuk returns as the opportunistic Seo Dong Jae. This time, he has a notable story arc that culminates in many viewers agonizing over his welfare.

Overall, Stranger 2 is a well developed production and fantastic addition to the hit franchise. Even though it may not hit the dizzying heights of popularity garnered by the first season, this drama still represents compelling viewing for the discerning viewers of this genre.

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They served......justice!

The story follows Detective Park Yeong Han, who's a total pro at nabbing cow thieves (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)But now, he's been transferred to Jongnam Police Station, where he and his teammates gear up to tackle corruption along with other crimes occuring in the 60s.

So let me put it out straightforwardly to y'all: the story is, most of the time, ordinary, like nothing groundbreaking or unimaginable, but the way Unit 1 solves each case charms me up and keeps me intrigued. Watching the dynamics and the bond and friendship among the teammates feels genuine and real.

Each episode brings in a new crime, which our detectives solve. As I mentioned, it's pretty ordinary, so here's the twist: you usually spot the culprit early on in this drama, but the real puzzle is figuring out the tactics they'll use to reel them in because it is more like a socialist economy (as in the 60s) where everything is controlled within the government/police authorities, and it's not easy because they have the power unless there is some solid evidence ¯⁠◡⁠¯. One of the main storylines is corruption in the police department, so buckle up to watch some good for nothing cops￣⁠ヘ⁠￣

The actors and characters were so endearing to watch, but there are some annoying ones too. And how can we forget Lee Je Hoon?! Man never disappoints with his acting in the action genre; it's so fun to watch him: > Yeong Han and Sang Sun duo was the highlight for me. >>

The romance could've been more developed, I felt. It was subtle and cute nevertheless, but not a main focus.

One of the things I didn't like is how some characters were used as plot devices. It wasn't fast-paced, more like a laid-out story with a leisurely pace, so sometimes I skipped scenes.

Overall, the cases are not out of the box or overwhelming, but if you enjoy the bonding between the characters, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the show! And honestly it was pretty light hearted as a overall watch, the crimes weren't heinous compared to other crime dramas, with a sprinkle of humour!

Thank you for reading my review ^^
End

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Good God, this series has been my life for the past week or so. My laptop was practically attached to my hip so I wouldn't have to stop watching the episodes. I'm not normally a huge fan of dramas since they're usually cliched or predictable, but I really LOVED this one. To the point that I stayed up until 5 in the morning because I could not stop.

This drama was a wonderful mix of different elements from family drama to romance to corporate scheming. The cast and character dynamics were just fantastic- I adored Jingfan and Xie Chuang's relationship! That being said, the romance was still my favorite part. Yang Mi and Hawick Lau are flawless; my otp in real life and in the show! Hawick's portrayal of a flippant playboy was great and his chemistry with Yang Mi's character had me flailing in happiness because they were just so darn cute.

I laughed. I cried. I fangirled. I very nearly threw my laptop across the room in anger. And then I repeat the cycle as I rewatch the series for the third (or is it fourth?) time. Seriously, I cannot gush enough about this drama and I highly, HIGHLY recommend!

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Demon in red.

Zhao Yao is a fun fantasy love xanxia drama where both leads belong to the dark or demon sect. The unconventional "good vs evil" plot challenges the idea of what is "good" and what is "evil" as the good guys are really the bad guys in this drama. The best thing about this drama is the sizzling chemistry between the two leads. What totally really drags it down is that it is littered with fillers - it should at best a 30-40 episode drama. That made me grumpy and is the main reason for the less high rating.

Zhaoyao (Bai Lu) the female lead is an unapologetic bad-ass she devil who falls for the Demon King's son Moqing/Li Chenlan (Xu Kai). Li Chenlan is imprisoned by his father until he can free him from the powerful evil demon force within him. Zhaoyao is raised in solitude by her grandfather; it is their sacred duty to guard Chenlan until the Demon King returns. Led by the powerful immortal Luo Mingxuan, the righteous sects decide to preemptively kill Chenlan before he can wreak devastation on the world. Instead, they accidentally free Chenlan and an injured Mingxuan is rescued by Zhaoyao, who becomes infatuated by his chivalry and righteousness. She is outraged when she discovers his plans to kill Chenlan and boldly rescues him, earning his undying love in the process. She is captured and tortured by the thwarted Mingxuan and her freedom comes at a devastating personal price. Enraged and disillusioned, Zhaoyao forms and builds up her own formidable Wanlu Sect that wreaks havoc on Mingxuan and his "righteous" sects and protects those persecuted by them.

While recovering a legendary sword, Chenlan accidentally releases a deadly force that kills Zhaoyao. Boy is she pissed!!! She returns as an angry, vengeful but much weakened spirit that is hell bent on killing Chenlan dead. By then, Chenlan is practically invincible and it further incenses her to discover he has taken over as the leader of the Wanlu sect. This man enjoys living dangerously - he is so besotted with Zhaoyao that he is amused by and even welcomes her efforts to alternately kill and/or seduce him. The best moments are all centered around their occasionally funny and wholly adorable interactions. He is totally putty in her hands and cannot deny even her most dangerous requests. The sparks literally fly between them and their body language and obvious affection for each other is mesmerizing. All the early to middle episodes of them falling in love were the best and totally re-watchable. Bai Lu's Zhaoyao is just simply phenomenal - she is fiery, fearless, impetuous, occasionally wicked and completely bewitching. She also really brings out the best in all of her co-stars. However, outside of Bai Lu and Xu Kai, the cast is rather dull and didn't to engage me. Two of the other main female characters have a tendency to wail, which always has me scrambling for the fast forward/mute button. Sigh! When will they get it that wailing, whiny and noisy female characters are a nuisance?

The second female lead in this drama plays Qin Zhiyan (Yan Xiao), whose body Zhaoyao shares in the first half of the show while she tries to reclaim her own. The two are polar opposites yet form a strong and cute friendship. I wasn't wowed by Yan Xiao's overall performance, she got too much airtime in the first 20+ episodes that her cuteness turned into boring/whiny. The editing is sloppy - it jumps ahead, flashes back and in some cases explains what happens much later. I would rewind thinking I missed something that gets explained much later on - like how Mingxuan was out of the blue in a sealed state by Zhaoyao. I have FOMO so I hate fast forwarding but there were too many flashbacks and boring conversations between the righteous sects. Both the female and male love rivals were total cliches - they each sought to win Chenlan/Zhaoyao's love by killing off their rival. Wow -such a time tested losing and deranged strategy. The other main antagonist Jiangwu was an immature and swaggering pest until he redeemed himself slightly at the end. There are also a bunch of forgettable side love stories. The pace overall is painfully slow.

This drama went downhill toward the end. It didn't help that they randomly (and unnecessarily) killed off secondary characters. The ending was a bit rushed, garbled, messily executed and a bit wishy-washy when it could have and should have finished very strong. What is truly baffling is the countless wasted filler moments that could have been cut so that the ending could have been done properly.

I still recommend this but wouldn't bother to watch the whole thing. It wouldn't be a bad idea to drop it after Zhaoyao and Chenlan get together somewhere in the early 40s. Fast forward with impunity every time one of the two excellent main leads is not on. I will be looking out for more dramas with them (together would be great) and especially Bai Lu.

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The Sunset Boulevard

If you have elderly parents, grandparents or great grandparents, you sure can relate with the characters in this drama, each is realistically written with a story to tell. This is a story about a phase that all of us will eventually face one day, that is growing old. It’s frightening for many but inevitable, yet the drama has made it funny, blunting the pain of reality, at the same time, capturing all the details, good and bad, happy and sad, as we may eventually come to terms with when we grow old ourselves.

Sunshine Home is a nursing home taking care of the elderly from all walks of life. Some are ill with dementia and disability, some don’t have children to take care of them, some don’t want to burden their loved ones, but all have a story to tell. This story is told from the perspective of Ye Xiao Mei (Wu Qian aka Janice Wu). How she has come to inherit the senior home from her grandmother is heart-wrenching. As a passionate manhua (comic) artist, Ye Xiao Mei is reluctant to get involved in her grandmother’s mission. However, she eventually comes to understand what that mission signifies and she knows she has the duty to continue her grandmother’s legacy. And life in the senior home has also become the inspiration of her manhua story.

Ye Xiao Mei is intelligent, independent and strong. When others have given up in dealing with certain recalcitrant elderly, Ye Xiao Mei always finds a way, especially with the help of Guo San Shuang (Bai Jing Ting). With her compassion and firmness, she defuses tense situations involving various players. She has no qualm in getting her hands dirty, helping the elderly in their daily needs, dealing with foul temper old men and picky old ladies, and calming anxious ones. Wu Qian (Janice Wu)’s portrayal is amazing. As an actor, she naturally possesses that firm, no-nonsense attitude with a calm hand that fits perfectly into the role of the director of a nursing home. She is so natural and authentic that I have enjoyed every moment of her performance.

Guo San Shuang (Bai Jing Ting) is originally a health supplement salesman who is desperate to meet sales quota, and has scammed the elderly whom he sells products to. His conscience calls, quits his sales job, comes to help Ye Xiao Mei and lives in the Sunshine Home. Guo San Shuang is cartoonish, to say the least. He is compassionate, intelligent with unlimited resources to solve all kinds of difficult problems for Ye Xiao Mei. His sincerity infuses with silliness melts all hearts.

Bai Jing Ting is such a versatile actor. From a wimpy kid (Ping Pong Life) to a police SWAT (You Are My Hero) to a salesman in this drama, he has it all. His acting is immaculate and convincing. Having an adolescent face with youthful energy, Bai Jing Ting’s Guo San Shuang is lovable and funny. He is comical most of the time with funny facial expressions, silly words and deeds, and he is unabashed. He provides the much needed humor that softens the cruel reality of life.

Ye Xiao Mei’s and Guo San Shuang’s romance is slow burning. In actual fact, there is hardly any visible romance at all, though Guo San Shuang is pretty blatant in counting himself as Ye Xiao Mei’s boyfriend and her family his. Though denying their special relationship openly, Ye Xiao Mei’s feeling for Guo San Shuang is undeniable too but she refuses to give him the joy in admitting she is his girlfriend. Therefore, in a way the romance is mutual but implicit, like couples getting to know each other so well that they don’t need to declare their love for each other anymore. They do things together all the time and they share everything. In time, they become part of each other. They know deep in their hearts, they have each other.

Throughout the drama, sharp tongues are thrown everywhere with piercing comments. The dialogues are hilarious, witty and unforgiving, and yet cute and endearing. The dynamics between the old and the young, friends and friends, are incredibly well written and executed. Being young like a grandson to all the residents here, under different circumstances, Guo San Shuang is often being addressed as “sun zi” which has a double meaning; one means grandson and the other is derogatory. It is this type of humor that makes viewers laugh out loud in the midst of chaos.

This drama boasts some very fine veteran actors. Their acting is natural and convincing as if they are the real characters themselves. Overall, the acting by the whole cast is amazing and believable.

Every character has flaws; some more so than others. How the dynamics between the characters play out help make them (the characters) alive, realistic and relatable. Learning and growing are not limited to the youngsters. Even the elderly continues to learn and grow and become better persons.

The sound track “Fearless” (Go Ahead) is played, appropriately depicting the inner voice of Ye Xiao Mei when she faces the biggest challenge of her life – succeeding her grandmother as the Director of Sunshine Home.

My Verdict
This drama boldly tells a story many shun – old age, dying and death. The writing is heart-wrenching and yet very funny. This is a very realistic story that all of us have to face one day and live through. The characters are real, with people from all walks of life, making a living with all kinds of trades – salesmen, debt collectors, scammers, etc. Some are decent people, some are despicable. The elderly is the group that is often forgotten by society. They are gullible and desperate, hence vulnerable, a perfect target for scammers which is highlighted here.

Though old and frail, at Sunshine Home, they are not lonely; they are being loved, cared for and cherished. This is their haven where they seek solace and maintain their dignity.

Life is bitter, and sweet, at the same time. All it takes is the perspective to have more of, or less of, either. Some of the characters here are positive and their lives tend to be sweeter, even when they meet challenges. Some are more negative, and they are bitter, draining themselves and the people around them. As old people were also once young like us, and we will grow old ourselves eventually, we need to be more compassionate towards them and empathize with them, and that's the message of this story.

A well written drama that deserves to be cherished. A great watch!

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"I just need to balance myself once, and I'll be safe forever"

This film shattered me in ways I cannot describe.

Absolutely breathtaking in every way and suffocatingly lovely with excellent cinematography, colours, script, and acting.

The English title of this film is linked to the novel of the same name that refers to the structure of the story. It tells the parallel time and space that the man encounters many years later (2020, autumn: daegu, seoul, and busan) and brings him many references and dialogues to stimulate his inner reflection, especially in every parallel time and space will be interspersed with the memories of the mother on the sickbed or the only friend he was in love in the past, but no matter what, the movie buries the most secrets or the big event between him and his first love, which caused the two to go their separate ways and meet again. Even decades later, this also caused the man to suffer from the mental torture of the incident and the repressed personality shaping in these decades.

What remains unchanged is the fact that his mother passed away and his sister suffered from cancer. He learned to accept the pain he must go through. The constant possibility and modified memory are intertwined together, bringing rich and unique meaning of the same nature, when pointing and is linked to the latest meeting from the last parting between the two, the man will finally take that step, rush to the person he loves, and go with him no matter what. He didn't want to hold back any more, that "see you tomorrow" was a long, long time.

A must watch for it tells us that you can just embrace the one you love, tap your nose with your fingertips, turn your wrist around and make a gesture of praise, even if all the stories end in the same way, the one you love will exist in every universe.

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Woo to the Young to the Woo

“She didn’t know how to be semi-interested in something. She was either indifferent… or obsessed.”: extracted from “The Kiss Quotient” (2018) by Helen Hoang, the book explores the life of an autistic lady Stella who hires an escort so as to learn social intimacy. The drama, on the other hand, lets an autistic young girl, Young Woo go out and spread her wings, in the process of which, she unexplainably finds herself in intimacy. Whatsoever, the drama revolves around her and focuses how she uses her abilities, disguised as disabilities, to solve and sort out issues, that seem difficult to the so-called normal beings surrounded to her.

Combinedly produced by AStory, KT Studio Genie and Nangman Crew, ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo (이상한 변호사 우영우)” is very much a legal genre drama with little amount of romance, mystery and politics, in limited proportions. Written by Moon Ji Won and directed by Yoo In Shik, the drama was originally broadcasted on ENA and internationally distributed by Netflix.

The story follows the extraordinary 27yo autistic girl, Woo Young Woo (Park Eun Bin), who has graduated from SNU with top marks and becomes an attorney at one of the top law firms of the country, Hanbada. Despite her limited abilities to communicate with others, she quickly wins over her colleagues with her impressive memory and brilliant reasoning skills while solving cases and bringing forward the justness each time. Keeping her at the center and the team she is a part of, the drama introduces new cases every episode and the way they are dealt with, including their consequences.

Lee Jun Ho (Kang Tae Ho) is a member of the litigation team at Hanbada and the closest to Young Woo, while Jung Myung Seok (Kang Ki Young) is a senior attorney and Young Woo’s mentor. Choi Soo Yeon (Ha Yoon Kyung) and Kwon Mi Woo (Joo Jong Hyuk) are also rookie attorneys in the same team as Young Woo. Other regular actors in supporting cast, both experienced and rookie, are Jeon Bae Soo, Baek Ji Won, Jin Jyung, Joo Hyun Young and Im Sung Jae. For each case, there have been many familiar faces, in fact and I’m sure y’all will be delighted.

Plot development is episodic in nature, almost approximately standalone episodes, with few minor and continuous plotlines developing in the background which have their own climax. The introductory episode throws light upon Young Woo’s childhood and a leap showing her current life in late 20s. And in that episode, itself, we get to see a case and the courtroom battle that is solved by Young Woo’s wittiness. Since the plot is not a steady one, with each case in each episode, we witness her growth as a person and as an attorney plus the shades of different people surrounding her. A mystery to her past, her reception at the workplace as well as by her colleagues, her relationship with her father and friend and more importantly her love interest: all these as a part of the story, however, are put behind how she deals with each case along with her team. The peak of her story towards the ending of the drama was interesting though a bit painful, nevertheless, was very well wrapped up.

Upon reading the synopsis when the drama came out, I was immediately reminded of the 2019 Korean movie “Innocent Witness”; autism, courthouse, laws and justice, same elements though a different plot and an unusual storyline. I was in fact gladdened to discover that the drama is created by the same writer as the movie, Moon Ji Won jakka-nim, and it obviously made me expect something extraordinary out of it. And leaving no doubt, it lived upto the expectations, not just mine but of many hearts. The comedy incorporated was basic yet impactful.

People with autism spectrum are as special as others and can take the things they do and learn the best they can. In the world where we constantly seek love and validation, autistic people are those who demand a little more than us and when empathy slides through heart, it’s a feeling of trueness. I love how the writer sketched and nourished the character of Young Woo and let us see the world through her glasses of innocence.

Yoo In Shik PD is an ace and he didn’t fail at this either. With multiple qualitative hits, it was unlikely to become another average drama. Directing such a drama with multiple cases, introducing new stories each episode isn’t really easy and requires good understanding of the individual plot essences. The modern urban setup with light hue and solid yet undemanding palettes were sumptuously pleasing. The cinematography did wonders at place, especially the sunset-watching scene in the village, the scenery of Seokdong including the huge tree premise, etc. were beautifully done.

There are 6 OSTs in total and all likable
# “Brave” by Kim Jong Wan is a heart-touching warm song from the very moment it starts, till its ending, that is dedicated to Young Woo’s innocence and journey of self-discovery.
# “Beyond My Dreams” by Sunwoojunga is a prosperous ballad with beautiful lyrics that reflects one’s hearty words of love and emotional intimacy.
# “Better Than Birthday” by O3ohn is a soft electric track about confessions.
# “Tuning In To You” by Wonstein is a R&B jolly track that expresses mutual feelings of fondness.
# "Inevitable" by Bae Suzy is a softcore ballad with the feels of an old Kdrama OST that portrays the urge of letting out your feelings.
# “The Blue Night of Jeju Island” sung by uri Young Woo (Park Eun Bin) is the cover of the original by Choi Sung Won (1988) and popularized by Sung Si Kyung (2004) which truly one of the most recalled epitomes that defines the beauty of the place.

The best thing about Extraordinary Attorney Young Woo as a legal drama is that it introduced very very very untypical topics to the courtrooms, which are rarely portrayed in Kdramas, provided Kdrama legal shows only have handful types of cases debated over that ultimately lead to a politico-legal fight at the end. From false homicide to defamation to property disputes, from patent battle to North Korean defector issues to public interest cases involving regional land disputes and from sum settlements to discriminatory terminations to heritage tax issue, etc.; the writer has introduced a very wide range of cases that felt fresh and were interestingly alimented throughout.

Three reasons why the drama is different and better from other recent legal Kdramas are:
No dragged politico-legal fight between bigshots
Focusing more on laws and legalities than emotions and witnesses.
Portraying variable outcomes of each case, be it favorable or unfavorable.

The advantages and disadvantages of each result has been essentially useful messages for each episode. At times we win and adapt but learning upon defeat is necessary. Sometimes, its actually impossible to prove facts which lead to unfair results and you still fail to help it. Even in favorable conditions it matters how much confident you’re about the next time and spirited you have been in the process. Alterative ideas could surely be the way out of something when your plans go wrong but depends upon how wisely you use them. These are some of the points that I could infer from the outcomes of cases at the end of each episode.

The chemistry between Eun Bin & Jun Ho despite the little amount of romance was amazing to begin with; their first meeting at the rotating entry door and the follow-up from that point in each episode were apparent baby steps in the budding relationship of love and care; the rhythmic “dun-chak-chak” where I did melt. I understand why many people didn’t understand where it was going and were upset and complained but that is the best that could be done, provided Young is an autistic person with challenged social skills. They were not supposed to be lovey-dovey all the time even when they were in love.

Young Woo’s short responses as in “unn”, “umm”, “enn”, etc. were worth living for. They were funny and jolly at the same time. Her behavior as an autistic person were attempted to be made accurate as much as possible, from her talking habits to her reactions to certain actions, from her obsession with kimbap to her trying to stick to rules, etc. One basic point, I would have liked explanations upon is, Why exactly Young Woo was obsessed with whales or how it kicked off.

One gratifying thing was whales jumping outta water whenever some idea popped up in her mind in response to stimuli contributed by happenings and also her hair flying. Young Woo’s appearance too was very cute, with short hair of a homespun cut plus her plain skirts that went well with the huge side-bags. I loved the writernim’s attempts to make/let Young Woo learn, be it her personal or professional life and making sure that she adapts to things which she thought were difficult for her. The practicality was definitely maintained.

Attorney Jung Myung Suk’s character is one of the most likable and contradictory statements would be nullified. I thought strict, more of an evil man, who’d be an obstacle to Young Woo’s endeavors, but to my surprise, he turned out to be a fine ahjussi I’d die for. The way and the rate to which he went on to embrace Young Woo, upon realizing her abilities, was beautiful. Man, himself was so sorted and open-minded and patient, he barely was at wrong. The shades to him in the 2nd half were may be not important but the writer must have necessitated in order to portray the uncertainties in one’s life. Kang Ki Young has done so well, I swear.

I believe “empathy, not sympathy” was the key tool that drove the essence of the drama.

Like many audiences, I too feel there is no need for another season, but now that its been announced, I also feel like many others, that I would absolutely love one. The production surely is trying to piggyback on the popularity of this season but considering the type of split plotline the drama has used, I see no reason to object. It will be another interesting and fresh watch as long as the writer doesn’t bring forward typical elements.

Final Remarks… Honestly speaking, I wasn’t very excited about the drama at first despite my inclination for the 3 main cast, I thought it’d be another legal drama bearing political battle. But the buzz it created definitely helped me pick up some interest and starting the drama then made me realize how wonderful this thing is. Despite the unique plot element placed, i. e. Young Woo as an autistic attorney, I loved how simple yet influential the entire show was with fresh factors and accessories. The drama is definitely a success and I am so happy to announce that it has totally lived upto the hype. Will be eagerly waiting for 2024.

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I really expected to love this drama, but instead I felt very indifferent at the end, and indifferent isn't a good thing for a melodrama to be. My main issue is that I think this story should have have never been this long. This could have been an interesting movie, or a much shorter drama, but even if the episodes were short, 32 episodes is way too many to tell this story. To fill the time, there were so many repetitive scenes, so many flashbacks, looooong intense stares, and of course lots of hugging. Very dramatic hugging.

The best thing about this drama is the acting. Jang Ki Yong and Jin Ki Joo do make a very sweet couple, enough to make the star crossed lovers storyline believable, but there wasn't enough exciting chemistry between them to make the repetitive parts less boring. I also loved their child actor counterparts, who were really good, and matched the older versions well. However, the majority of their storyline never changes, so although I felt bad for them, and I was rooting for them, I also wished something more would happen than intense stares, emotional hugs, and occasionally fighting off various psychopaths.

Speaking of psychopaths, I think the best performance was Heo Joon Ho, because I love a good villain. His performance gave me Hannibal Lecter chills at times. Still, even his character started to get a little monotonous. I wish they went a little deeper into what made him tick, instead of waiting until the end. His scenes with the psycho tabloid reporter were fun to watch, and I liked the dynamic with his ex wife, but I felt like his interactions with other characters could have gone much further than just being generally creepy. I definitely wanted to see more scenes connecting him and Na Moo (not just overused flashbacks). The few scenes they actually had together were so intense.

The only reason I stopped myself from giving the cast a 10 is because even though everyone performed their parts well, their characters weren't always engaging, which is probably the writers fault. Some of the characters were one note, which I think is what stopped me from being emotionally connected to many of them. There were parts of the story that were emotional for me, and a some other characters that had moments that touched me (Like Na Moo's brother, Step Mom, and Team Leader), but the story is so slow at times that many of the characters get lost. Some just didn't have enough interesting contributions to the story.

My lowest score is obviously for the story, but again I am surprised by this because heartbreaking romance and psychological thrillers are two of my favorite genres. I saw some complaints about this being a melodrama, but I think it wasn't melodramatic enough. There are some very intense moments strung together by twice as many moments that are predictable and redundant. How many times do we have to refer to the same flashback to get the point. Maybe I am more jaded than others, but everything I found unique about this drama was drowned out by what I found to be predictable, and uninteresting.

The only way I would watch this again is if someone spliced together a much shorter version. I'm convinced that very large parts of this drama, maybe even full episodes, could be cut and not missed.

Overall I am pretty apathetic towards Come and Hug Me. I honestly almost dropped it, but decided to finally power through to the end. I liked the overall theme of the story, and parts of the last few episodes were much more interesting, but there were also really overdramatic and cheesy parts that were not necessary at the end. If you are a fan of slower paced dramas you may be more patient with the storyline than I was. This is an interesting romance at it's core, and that may be enough to make some people excited to watch. I will say that if you don't like the drama at the beginning, it probably wont get much better for you by the end. If you're still curious, maybe have someone make a cheat sheet for you of every episodes where things that are important actually happen. Maybe pay them for it in hugs!

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short & sweet

I’ve come to notice that MyDramaList users are like Reddit users: nothing pleases them. I saw a lot of negative comments regarding SIYH (mostly comparing it to SIMM), and I really couldn’t understand why. Many of us watch dramas for relaxation, and I think that this is the perfect show for that. There’s not a whole lot of twists, the timing is easy to follow, and everything feels natural and simplistic in the best kind of way.

For starters, I love all of the characters and I think the casting was done so well. There are funny characters, characters you have a little urge to slap, and characters you feel a lot of empathy for. It’s a wide array of personalities and I think that it is one of the more intriguing aspects of this drama. I felt myself going through the same emotions the characters did as the story unfolded. It is a very beautiful thing to connect to a drama in this way, and I think that it is a big misconception that you need an intense story to feel some sort of connection to it.

As for the plot, I get it’s nothing new, but it is a nice, fun rendition on the enemies to lovers trope. Nothing gets too serious or angst ridden, which makes it a nice, calming watch for the most part (with the exception of episode 7; the last episode before the finale curse continues on!). I found it ironic how similar Fah and Dao started to seem as time went on, and I think I can say the same for Khluen and Prince. It felt like a similar dynamic between the couples even if there were some major differences. The chemistry between the actors and characters felt natural and simple, and it didn’t feel like the acting was over or underdone, everything was just perfectly in the middle.

Regarding my recommendation of this drama, I think it is worth a shot from everybody, but it is made for those of us who can enjoy a simple story from time to time. 8 episodes and a rounded-out plot makes for the perfect miniseries, and I really think it can be enjoyable if you watch with this perspective in mind. Those with expectations of a large, upscaled story with an intense development, maybe this isn’t geared for you. Overall, I think it was definitely better than SIMM, and I would recommend anybody try it out!

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