Reviews

Lesson on maladaptive coping mechanisms.

I don’t think I've ever watched a drama where all the main characters needed therapy more than these three. Pathological avoidance, codependency, constant need for external validation, running away from the pain and sadness - building it up inside you until it reaches breaking point. "It's just tolerance, not acceptance" - delivered in the drama in context of sexuality, but it also quite well described the way the characters were dealing with loss. Tolerating the existence of the tragic past, not fully accepting what really happened. Escaping from anything that might force them to face reality.

Daddy issues, yes - you read it well. Surprisingly, no matter how strange the relationship might have felt, I could not stop myself from being pulled in and wishing it would have a happy ending. It seemed like the only way out of hell for both In and Wang (the mom can stay in hell as far as I know).

Many people told me this drama feels more like a play, and I have to agree. Not beating around the bush - I’m not much of a theater fan. Everything is amplified and exaggerated on stage, there is not much space for subtlety as it has to reach each and every audience member. 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us somehow managed to keep the unique feel of plays while also being more detailed and approachable about it, making me fall for the charm it possesses.

All that said, I cannot say watching this drama was an enjoyable experience - it’s not a fluff romance you can relax to after work. All the characters are painfully frustrating, but observing their actions, witnessing their regret, being pierced by the hurtful things they say and buried under even more painful silence and unspoken truth… Felt like a solid dose of life lessons. What kind of person do you want to be? One that cannot face their own guilt? One that runs away from what’s important to them, cosplaying it as self-sacrifice? Or one that stays true to themselves, fighting for what feels right, while still trying not to hurt people around them?

For the acting - loved it for the majority of the show. Pond did an amazing job bringing Wang to life - I want to adopt and protect that character with all my heart. The skillful way he was able to present both youthful stubbornness, but also maturity that comes from pain he had to go through. Mam also impressed me, especially in more emotional scenes. While I did like Nike as In, and for most part I had no issue with his performance, there were moments of his line delivery that felt quite robotic, especially when compared to his co-actors.

The production and directing? Loved it. One of the aspects I appreciated the most was how some scenes played a bit longer, truly making it possible for all the emotions to settle in and have a bigger impact. The drama was both choking you with feelings and letting you breathe and take the moment for what it was, without distracting you, skipping right away to the next scene.

Overall, what a surprisingly interesting and intense watch. I feel like a lot of scenes could be dissected and have an essay written about their meaning - they just invite you to make your own judgments, reflect on the characters, their choices and how you might react in a similar situation.

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What a masterfully well done drama! From start to finish, it held my attention; brought forth the tears and definitely made you wonder: Is outcasting (bullying) really this bad? You say what about Teacher Ma, played superbly by Ko Hyun Jung? Even though at times, Teacher Ma was harsh, when you brought the situation into context and really thought about it, she really was guiding them through life and the disappointments that they would encounter. As far as the children, I will not singularly point out one in particular because they ALL EXCELLED! But then, I really wasn't surprised because most of them are on my "Child Actor to Watch" list and they did not disappoint. I think everyone should watch this: young and old but especially people with children. The attitude and reactions in relations to what goes on in the classroom was really realistic! Having been there and seen that; I know. Excellent drama; highly recommend it.

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Well thought out script

I almost missed this drama because of some people that wrote negative comments about this drama, but thank goodness I decided to watch it.

Plot/Acting/ Cast
It was well put together, you wont get bored, The FL is not the typical girl that gets bullied and doesn't stand up for herself, I really liked that the writers did not make the usual annoying FL leads that act stupid and its portrayed as cute. The ML my goodness the guy is hot I tell you (hahahaha), one thing that stood out for me was that the FL and ML had crazy chemistry.

Is this drama worth it , yes it is don't hesitate, go for it you won't regret it.

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Coming upon this film, I wasn't aware of the romantic plot line or the fact that it was based off a shojou manga until afterwards. I just kinda' sat down at my cousin's apartment and we initially watched it to kill time and boredom, but oh boy, we had no idea what we were in for: some really good stuff.

The film highly caught my interest within the first few minutes, it's got a great, unique pitch. The romantic relationship shown between the main characters was sufficient and so...realistic. This is why I was so shocked when I found out it was based off a shoujou manga - it wasn't cliche' and sappy like most shoujous. This film is an intense coming of age story that depicts more than just love and chemistry - it's about life, which is something very real; and the plot/acting stays true to that intention thoroughly.

I was very surprised with such a difference in Nounen Rena's character, it was very pleasant to see her act as a serious role, instead of her usual comedic-ditzy roles. And she held this new kind of character up to its fullest, she's good! Real good! I mean it, literally. I'm not that into the EXILE TRIBE but it was interesting to see one of the tribe, Hiroomi Tosaka act and not sing. Fun fact: he's hella' talented at both of those things. He did great and I'm kind of shocked that this role was his first acting job - I couldn't tell.

The overall art of the film was warm and touching; the music, development, transitions, and pacing was wonderfully placed.

My only warning is that you shouldn't watch this movie for the kissy-lovey dovey-doki doki attributes that most live action shoujou movies have. Like I said earlier, the film displays much more than their relationship. If you're into realistic-romantic movies, you'll enjoy this a lot.

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It is an extremely tough task to write a review about this show, since there is almost no end to all the things I would want to say about it. Simply put, out of all the dramas that I have watched, this one is on another level, all by itself. But, of course, that is far too little to even begin describing the love I have for this show.

Forest of Secrets has a quite typical “Who did it?” story, but it is marvelously told. Just like our main character, it starts off emotionless. However, somewhere along the path, it gains some small rays of light that, slowly but surely, pierce the darkness that overwhelms the show. It has no elements of romance or comedy to make some moments more enjoyable and it certainly doesn’t need them. The drama, from the beginning, until the very end, screams “crime” and “corruption”. At times it might seem slow, but it has this steady pace that gives a unique feel to it. It is packed with details, which are easy to omit, but if you look back at it you will see that there is much more to this show than it initially meets the eye. The attention that was given to all the small things makes you not lose focus of the story, but also the way it is composed makes you look at all the elements of the show, so that you don’t miss a single thing. It is not just a regular crime/investigation drama where you just can’t wait until the last episode for the killer to be caught. Quite the opposite, this show keeps you occupied throughout its entirety, so that you can clearly understand everything that is happening.

One of the things that I especially enjoyed is the fact that this show is unusually realistic. All the characters, both the heroes and the villains act as people would act in the real world. There is no superhero-type of behavior where someone does something that would never be done in reality, or a character who can easily outsmart everybody else. It is very down to earth, the solving of the cases is systematic, carefully planned, there are no sudden jumps made by long shot conclusions that are just there to speed up the story.

Now for the characters. They are, undoubtedly, the true gems of this drama. Everybody fits his or her role perfectly, there is not a single miscast. It makes you see only the character, and not the actor. All the characters are given a very human touch, the heroes as well as the villains. Even though our main protagonist is, for the most part, emotionless, he is not robot-like, and steadily develops throughout the story. The villains are given a lot of depth as well, which makes us even sympathize with them at moments. However, the most important aspect of all, that truly makes them all human, were their mistakes. Every single character made a mistake at some point in the show, which made this drama feel that much more real. And to top it all off, the interactions and dialogues between the two leads were simply amazing. It is what made this show produce some truly heart-warming moments, in all of its coldness. Lieutenant Han gave Prosecutor Hwang, our “emotionless” hero, a bit of heart.

The setting of the show was ideal. The dark scenes, in a usually crowded, but in the show mostly empty city, kept the thrill and the mystery present at every moment. The gloomy atmosphere gave a special chill that made everything even more dramatic. The closed, office scenes perfectly portrayed the cage which the heroes were trying to break through while searching for the culprit. Places such as the homes of the characters spoke for themselves, as they gave a huge insight into who they were, and what they were like, producing superb results. Even though it is a thriller/crime drama, it is very aesthetically pleasing, and enjoyable to watch. The cinematography is beautiful, like a fine piece of art, everything is where it should be.

I could go on and on for days talking about this show, but to sum it all up… this show was poetic. All other dramas I have seen cannot even compare to it. Through its complex characters, and sometimes painful to watch scenes, this seemingly emotionless drama, takes you on a wild roller coaster, which in the end leaves you speechless and puts a small smile on your face, just like it did to our beloved Hwang Shi Mok.

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Love Yamapi- he is so cool and believable in this roll! Erica and Manami both do well here as well . This drama is about a group of young doctors getting over their handicaps to work their dream job and fly to traumatic scenes on a helicopter. Think ER with helicopters and hot actors. The characters really worked together and the drama really left you wanting another episode; hence the specials and the season 2 offering. This drama isn't for the faint of heart - they use real technical terms show what seems to be real blood/ guts and load you up with the suspense. There is no romance- like 0- but you don't miss it. The drama teaches important stories through its characters, and each one you can relate to (except the girl playing megumi, she wasn't believable). The majority of the cast is made up of veterans that you've seen in dramas and movies before, so that's something else to look forward to.

Enjoy it!

p.s. the sequel is just as good.

p.s.s. love the tsundere yamapi

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Shopping King Louie is literally the definition as to why I watch Korean dramas and I don't waste any more time on American TV shows. No, Shopping King Louie was not a "mature" watch, nor was it particularly unique. But the qualities it does possess are what make it perfection. Louie came from a wealthy family, so sure, he was spoiled, but he was far from a "bad" person. Actually, from the very first episode, he was extremely likable. Louie *was* humbled quite a bit due to everything he experienced while having amnesia, but it only made him a better-rounded person, it did NOT change him from a "bad" person to a "good" person, because he was already a "good" person. Bok Shil was so genuine and kind, but not to the point of frustration for the viewer. The romance between Bok Shil and Louie was innocent, sweet, and developed at a natural pace.

The side characters were all extremely likable, even Marie. The way the "greedy" family member is resolved truly broke my heart and how it was handled couldn't have been done better in my opinion.
The last episode had me in tears because it was heartbreaking and touching at the same time. I didn't expect everything to tie together the way it did in the end, but I'm so glad the writers had the forethought to wrap everything up the way they did.
There are no loose ends and I didn't find any plot issues that usually leave me questioning things. Everyone got an ending and the pacing was superb.

*And* EVERY SINGLE EPISODE HAD ME LAUGHING MY BUTT OFF. Which only added to the quality of the drama.
"Tiger Moth" by MONSTA X was an amazing OST and I keep listening to the original version as well as the acoustic because they're just so lovely to listen to!

I've seen Seo In Guk is some other dramas, such as Reply 1997, and while I adored his bashful and introverted character in Reply 1997, his silly and innocent character portrayal (completely different, mind you) was hilarious and expertly represented.
The only real memorable drama I remember seeing Nam Ji Hyun in was Suspicious Partner. Personally, I think she did a better job portraying such a kindhearted soul in Shopping King Louie than she did as an attorney in Suspicious Partner. Even though she really did do well in Suspicious Partner, I think I prefer the performance she made here.
This is definitely a drama I will rewatch in the future. I especially found the comedic moments to be so incredibly hilarious! Whenever Louie screamed usually due to a bug, would make me laugh out loud! His scream and high pitched voice when screaming was just sooooo funny!

My rating for Shopping King Louie is a solid 10/10 with absolutely NO reservations.
I would highly recommend the K-drama, Cinderella and the Four Knights as an equivalent to Shopping King Louie.

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A Story with Great Potential… That Completely Falls Apart

With such actors and an intense historical setting, this drama had everything it needed to become a truly powerful story.

The core idea is fascinating — a brutal conflict between royal brothers fighting for the throne. Then, we have a modern woman who travels back in time after being betrayed by her boyfriend… only to repeat the exact same mistakes. Instead of learning or evolving, she falls for another man who is already had a wife just because he was nice to her. Meanwhile, the man who truly loves her — Wang So — changes for her, gives her his heart, and proves he is worth far more than the one she chooses first.

Her actions only make everything worse. She interferes so much with the flow of history that countless people die because of her presence. And when she finally realizes who she truly loves, she runs away from him instead of trusting him until the end. She dies far from him, leaving him alone, broken and miserable.

They even have a daughter that Wang So barely knows exists. He suspects the truth but is never given a real chance to confirm it.

In the end, the story feels incredibly unfair to the main male character. He promised he would find her again, but he ends up living a life full of pain after her death.

There is no satisfying explanation, no emotional closure, and definitely no happy ending. The narrative becomes confusing and disconnected, leaving many unanswered questions. Instead of feeling moved, I felt no real connection to the drama at all.

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heartwarming slice of life series

Overall: this series really gets you in the feels. Aired on GagaOOLala, 10 episodes total about 20 minutes per episode. Has a 1 episode spin off. It is based on a manga which I purchased on Amazon and read (and it stayed pretty close to the source material).

Content Warnings: past bullying, trauma

What I Liked
- the intro/outro songs
- sweet moments
- the cooking
- slice of life vibe
- that kid is adorable and the dad is super supportive
- Minoru seeking out communication
- production value

Room For Improvement
- not a fan of some of the exaggerated expressions, many series based on manga have a character like this but it doesn't feel right in the live action adaptation
- too many flashbacks
- wish we got some/more romantic attraction signals from Yutaka
- went too quickly from daytime to nighttime in episode 8 during a short story

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K-POP survival classic

mnet definitely set up Riina and Jihan as if they could do a few performances separately but no. They decided to play the same song repeatedly. Say what you want, but I've watched enough MNET survival shows to know about their snakes and evil arrangements. I hope you are watching this, DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON HERE because mnet loves to make drama especially between women. Let's just enjoy the drama they create for clickbait and views, never mind. I hope I don't see anyone swearing at anyone here, if you want to blame someone blame mnet, not the girls


The other issue I would mention is that I didn't need to watch it after the 6th episode. I didn't see any gram change in the rankings. Again, it was the classic K-POP Survival competition, which was brought by the popularity, not the talent, are we surprised no?

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I unexpectedly stumbled upon this drama on YouTube and I became hooked right after the first episode. It’s a fun drama about a group of young people traveling as they encounter several situations along the way due to the female lead(saying more would give away the plot). All the actors do a good job and the story balances romance, comedy and action along with a dash of mystery. The whole concept of the drama makes you feel like you are part of the group on their journey and that really gives the drama an overall soothing and fresh vibe. Also, Samuel sang one of the songs in the ost, which is extremely good and fits in well with the feel of this drama. I’d say to give this a go as it’s a well rounded drama which is worth watching.

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There is something about a good sports drama! And this is definitely one!! I loved it from start to finish!! Yamashita Tomohisa has gained a new fan!! Naoki and Riko's love story was so precious! Starting from heartbreak to acknowledging the love each of them had for the other as well as respecting the dreams for their future. Kitagawa Keiko as Riko was a treat. This was the first drama I have seen her in. I must say the more and more that I watch JDramas, the more and more that I like them and how the stories are clean and to the point! The silly season, thankfully lasts for 1/2 of an episode. And a handsome Yamashita Tomohisa sure doesn't hurt!!

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So, I have to say, I fell in love with this drama after the first episode. I got completely hooked!

The biggest reason I love this drama is the feel-good feeling you get from watching it. Compared to a lot of other dramas I've seen, this is really realistic and stuff that happens in real life. Very easy to put youself into how these people feel and why they do the stuff they do.

The music in this drama is also amazing. I absolutely love it!

Acting can't get any better. It's kids in this drama too and even they do it really really good. I have to confess though, the only reason I started watching was because of Kamenashi Kazuya, and he didn't disappoiont me either.

So, this is a drama I would recommend to anyone who wants a warm family drama without too much stuff that won't happen in real life. To put it simply, awesome drama!

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I am trying to be fair when writing about this drama. From the first episode to the last I just saw a bunch of men brawling: there was brawling in a building, brawling a another building , brawling in a hotel , brawling on the wharf brawling in an underground garage and yet more brawling. The story was the typical Korean corruption story, good guys make a step and then fall 3 steps behind. If you like this kind of drama then you will enjoy this.
Why I was disappointed?

The characters:
The first 'Bad Guys' hit me hard. It was different. The criminals were not just senseless persons that went around throwing their fists- 'me man lets see who fists is tougher' while beating their chest. They were intelligent.

The story:
I am not comparing this to the first Bad Guys but I would think that if I am making something of the idea of something else then I would at least make it have something of the original. The first was an original the second was made from a blueprint of every other Korean drama out there. The only thing that was missed was amnesia. (I guess that would have been too ridiculous) If the child have not characteristics of its parents then it was probably adopted.

If you want a good action show I would recommend watching Heartless City instead.

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It's a Sweet romance with a Super cute FML

Found the start not to my liking but after a couple of episodes it got better.
It's a Sweet romance with a Super cute FML and the ML is very sweet to her.

I was abit disappointed that the FML character wasn't more confident in herself and was kinda Naïve. I wish she would have stood up for herself abit more, but it was kinda sweet that the ML always held her hand and protected her.

Crazy 2FML!
there is something really annoying with the fact that they are always so insane, can anyone please write a 2FML character that won't hear "i don't even like you" and translate it in her head to "I'm in love with you let's get married" ?!?! There is something seriously wrong with that.

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