Reviews

Either way, a waste!

Having watched the original show “Jane the Virgin”, I was, at first, a bit hesitant because I liked that. But then I thought I should check out how the Kdrama essence changes it. And I am sadly (not really) declaring that they did fail and this was entirely a horrible attempt. It was obvious to compare this with the previous but then I thought I should actually consider it as a separate show because things must have changed with given circumstances, which did happen. Either way, it did disappoint.
Developed by ‘Studio S’ & ‘Lifetime’ and produced by ‘Group 8”, “Woori the Virgin” is a comedy melodrama plus partly romcom drama, adopted from the American satire telenovela “Jane the Virgin”. Written by Jang Ah Mi and directed by Jung Jung Hwa, the drama was broadcasted on SBS TV and internationally distributed by “Viu” in limited countries. Notably, this is not a remake of the original show, rather an adaptation since all the 5 seasons from have been summed into a single season. Also, the show reunites Sung Hoon and Im Soo Hyang after 6 years who, again, happen to have debuted together 11 years ago.
Oh Woo Ri (Im Soo Hyang), daughter to a single mother and raised alongside her grandmother, is a woman in early 30s who has been virgin due to her religious beliefs. During a regular checkup, she gets pregnant due to medical malpractice at her OB-GYN clinic. To her surprise, the sperm owner turns out to be a man Rafael (Sung Hoon) with whom she had a momentary fling five years back. As she decides to keep the baby and the story follows the consequences and unfamiliar events she faces.
Lee Kang Jae (Shin Dong Wook) is Woori’s boyfriend and a detective. Other familiar faces in the story in various major roles were: Hong Eun Hee, Yun Won Kyung, Kim Soo Ro, Lee Do Yeon, Nam Mi Jung, Hong Ji Yoon, Joo Jin Mo and Yun Woon Kyung.
Plot development was the entire problem with the drama. The remake was a bad idea; they could have made a story based on the concept but they went for an adaptation, making foolish decisions. The pilot episode did its job of creating an impression at the end but the episode, as its own, was not very pleasant. However, the furtherance following that and the set of events became interesting with plenty of comic elements and revelations done for the major characters. To my disappointment, it didn’t last long; it seemed smooth till 5th but what happened in 6th and the way the episode ended, I was skeptical about the rest of the show, because it hadn’t even reached its interval.
With only the crime scandal and the main culprit left to be unveiled, everything else became stupid and not worth of watching as soon as the 7th episode started. I can’t say that the mystery plot and the investigation process kept me engaged, it’s just I wanted to know the culprit’s face even when the show had already fallen through, that’s it. It kept getting stupider and logic-less towards the ending and for my habit of not being able to leave anything unfinished, I watched 7th-14th at 3x, ngl.
Emphasizing on my opinion, once again, adaptation isn’t an easy job as it seems. Even if the audience doesn’t expect you to justify the originality, as a writer, you must be careful not to mislay the essence of what’s been presented earlier, which the debutant Jang Ah Mi jakka-nim clearly failed to accomplish. First of all, the idea to adapt a 5 seasoned show was stupid to begin with; secondly, it could have simply referred to the story and created one of their own; finally, bringing all the 5 seasons into one was where they stooped to rock-bottom.
With not being able to create something noteworthy in his almost 15 year caarrer, Jung Jung Hwa PD-nim has again failed to bring another drama to justice. The flow of direction was inconsistent, very much. Things like screenplay management, sound editing and screen editing might have been handled to par but the erratic pacing and irregular development come as annoyances. While the first half was smooth and worth the patience, the latter half becomes too rushed in order to include everything within the predetermined quota. Imo, they could have made to more episodes, minimizing the damage.
Composed by Choi Seung Kwon, the show has a total of 5 OSTs and my ‘Kdrama OST Sucker’ heart couldn’t bring itself to love any single of them. I would say ‘”I’m In Love” by Sin Ye Young was the only likable track which also fits to the drama. While “Gosh” by Jessi is a fabulous track individually, this has no particular essence to be contributed to the show. Other 3 tracks are: “Sunday to Monday” by Woody and “I’m goin’ crazy” which has both male & female versions, sung by Kim Bum Soo & Lee Young Hyun, respectively.
What I liked…
Nothing really
What I didn’t like…
# Sung Hoon’s acting doesn’t improve remarkably even though he has been acting for a while and his irregular casting should be the reason, but it’s obvious he isn’t getting many offers bcs there seems no will power to improve. He could utilize his time in taking classes. (Some of y’all will come at me foe this but fact never changes.)
# Character arcs for many were shoddy; not even the 3 leads had anything significance. Flaws make characters realistic but for a 14 episode fictional drama there were way too many flaws, provided they didn’t have a single fraction of development. In the second half, it wasn’t even funny rather ridiculous.
# Kang Jae’s character was horribly written with no particular sense. As a cop, he didn’t show any trait that would make him a good detective. The number of times he and his wit failed, implied his incompetency and also showed how incapable the police is. In short, this was so very unrealistic and had no logic.
# Chemistry between the 2 possible pairs were zero. While Im Soo Hyang did click with one showing little compatibility, pairing her up with the other was so useless and was presented with cliché elements as fillers only. The original show was convincing, but as the culture and essence have changed with the remake, the same felt extremely stupid here.
# The illogical plot devices were irritating in the sense that they did repeat few just to stall time and match the timelines of different subplots. Then, they used some just to fill the gaps created due to the removal of major events from the original show. Finally, the way of representation was choppy.
Final remarks... Overally, “Woori the Virgin” is not only a bad remake but also a poor quality show if you don’t take the original show into consoider. I came here knowing I might get bored but the stupidity and failures have made me mad. I understand the low budget is where the problems stem from but we have seen enough such cases, where makers have aced the race despite every hurdles. Since the show has way too many cons and almost no pro, I decline to acknowledge it as an average show, even. Don’t watch.

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Did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? What was it like? Did you leap into the abyss with wild abandon? Lose your heart, body and soul? Was it worth indulging in every lucious, forbidden moment? Find out all about it in Till the End of the Moon, a heart-stopping account of Li Susu and devil incarnate Tantai Jin's scorching entanglement of love, hate and misunderstanding that spans 500 years and multiple realms.

In a desperate attempt to stave off the resurrection of the the devil god, a bunch of grey haired cultivators send an intrepid young cultivator Li Susu back 500 years in time to stop Tantai Jin from turning into the devil god. Yeah, you really have to hand it to these crusty old cultivators - when all else fails, they sacrifice a virgin and hope for the best! Susu assumes the identity of Ye Xiwu and is tasked to kill Tantai Jin after tempting him out of his... uhm... evil bone! I almost choked with laughter at the sheer audacity of such a naughty plot setup!

This angsty xianxia's unique premise is that the main protagonist Tantai Jin is a fiendishly compelling and tragically misunderstood character; literally a prince of darkness. Luo Yunxi is mesmerising in this role - his diabolical crooked smirk, the maleficent glare, the taunting cock of an eyebrow, the elegant devil-may-care gestures and the imperious snap of a finger. But it is his shatteringly wounded expression and how with a moment of stillness he screams silently with pain oozing from every pore that makes me root for the devil and to hell with the realms. My favorite part of this drama is how kindness and love gradually changes the dark, lonely and twisted Tantai Jin into a best yet still flawed version of himself. Bai Lu on the other hand could have delivered a more nuanced performance as Li Susu. Her Susu is so unwavering in her duty to the realms that I could not tell when she fell in love with Tantai Jin or if she ever really did. That said, there is an exceptional spark between the leads that results in both hilarious and smoking hot moments. I could see sparks fly in every direction during Ye Xiwu's seductive dance that tempts the devil in his liar. This drama's greatest hook is Luo Yunxi's portrayal that dimensions his character beyond the screenplay and his searing onscreen chemistry with Bai Lu.

There are four distinct arcs in this drama, the first of which is the strongest and most enthralling mortal arc. I loved everything about this arc and if this drama had held that level, I could have easily rated this over 9.0. By design, the second visually stunning dream arc also shines in many aspects but sags as a result of lazy writing and overuse of tired xianxia tropes. The third and fourth arcs recover somewhat but never quite hit the addictiveness of the first arc. Part of the problem is the second couple is poorly written, has no chemistry and is not empathetic. Their insipid story is overshadowed by that of foxy Pian Ran and unswerving Ye Qingyu's passionate and addictive love story, which ends way too soon. While all of the arcs have good moments, the plot is moved along almost solely by misunderstandings. This is the hallmark of indifferent screenwriting and it undermines the intelligence and agency of the main characters. With a little bit of effort, they could have gotten to the same place without undermining the characters and disengaging the audience.

In terms of production values, this is a big budget drama and it shows but not in the best ways. The make up was often over the top and not flattering. I am visually scarred by the excessive blood spitting that took it to the next level in terms of bloody teeth and the excessively bright contact lenses absolutely ruined many emotional moments for me. I did not at all enjoy the pantasmagorical CGI orgy game world that hijacked all of the clashes between good or evil including the beginning and ending scenes. The over-lit glare distracted from the emotion and the intensity of Tantai Jin and Li Susu's most pivotal scenes.

The way this drama ends is both fitting and inevitable in that both Tantai Jin and Li Susu fulfill their destiny. My problem is with how they get there. It could have been a lot more palatable if it were better written. But my biggest gripe with it is that the drama never convinces me that humanity or the realms are worth saving. Or that there is cosmic justice. After all, Tantai Jin was just jinxed from birth but he was hardly the worst, most evil character. What I resent most is that the hypocrisy of the moral sects is never exposed and that the truly evil characters get outcomes they don't deserve. The original works this drama was based on may have been very good but the adaptation is not. The screenwriters should all hide in shame and do all they can to try to erase their names from this adaptation. Nonetheless I rate this 8.5 because anything less would be an injustice to Luo Yunxi's devilish, simply irresistible and unforgettable portrayal of Tantai Jin.

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Is it possible we've already had the worst show of the year when it's only halfway through?

While there are still six months to go, the bar has been set extremely high with Abyss: a giant mess acted by a cast who really deserved better.

The annoying thing is, like last year's Worst Show of The Year (About Time), Abyss could have been fantastic. It has a great premise, a decent cast. It could have been an hilarious - almost farcical - comedy of mistaken identities, body swapping, and annoyed aliens. Instead what we got was a turgid, unfunny mess underpinned by a philosophy that was at times confused and at others actively offensive.

Ahn Hyo-seop has a lot of potential as an actor but he is still far too green to be given a leading role. With a good director, a good script and a good female lead he could have still produced something decent. But unfortunately he only got one of those in a criminally-underutilized Park Bo-young, - who really deserved better in her first lead show since the (sometimes equally as offensive) Strong Woman Do Bong-soon.

Both the lead roles were poorly written, with Ahn Hyo-seop's Cha Min changing from scene to scene depending on what the writer needed him to do - at times an uber genius, at others the dumbest male lead to ever appear on screen. Park Bo-young was given so little to work with for her character, Go Se-yeon, that she opted for cute - an interpretation that did not work with the character or the script.

Both these characters die and are brought back to life by a glowing alien marble. The unattractive Cha Min is suddenly gorgeous, while the stunning, willowy, Go Se-yeon is... Park Bo-young. Which is to say, she's a super adorable tiny person so the idea she's now "plain" is just ridiculous.

From beginning to end, Abyss had some profound things to say about image in our beauty-obsessed culture.
Like:
“you can’t love someone who’s ugly”
"what you look like is what your soul is like"
“plastic surgery gives you a better soul” and
“dieting makes your wedding day better”

Apart from the dumb, messy plot, the poor characterisation and the wall-to-wall stupidity of the characters, it's ultimately this utterly shallow and almost vacuous underpinning philosophy that makes Abyss truly awful.

Appearance is everything. Nothing else matters.

No thanks, Abyss. No thanks.

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a cinematographic thriller with an odd pacing

like most of us, i was hooked by the trailer of 'somebody'. i binged it the day of its release. a dark thriller, involving creepy serial killer kim young kwang and an intriguing kang hae lim ? could we ask for more ?

the first episodes were interesting, the impeccable acting and visuals get you very engaged in the story-line. however, after a few episodes, the story arc gets a little dull. a slow paced thriller can be very good when well executed, but in my opinion, the pacing of the scenes in 'somebody' sometimes felt inadequate. some moments lasted too long, and others that we would want to dive deeper into ended abruptly. i also wish they went in more depth into backstories to improve character development. when finishing the drama, i was left with mixed feelings, and wanting to know more.

still, i need to praise all the actor's performances. they are the ones keeping the story compelling from start to finish. kim sum's character is chilling, and yun ho's scenes dreadful ! they really nailed it on their part.

overall, it's an aesthetically pleasing, very well produced (netflix) drama, with flawless acting, so it's still a rather enjoyable watch for anyone into slow thrillers. this drama had a lot of potential, but i feel like the visual quality took over the actual substance and depth of the story.

edit: removed the 'leaving us with many unanswered questions' from the title, as it seemed to confuse people into thinking this drama had an open ending!

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A Great KBL

I really enjoyed watching the series 💯. The series teaches the important of loving oneself properly and how friendship is a very integral part of life. A very realistic ending and a beautiful story but there were so many things I couldn’t understand.
Why was his best friend not aware he had Kylie , where was she when he lost his mother and when he almost lost his life, she literally called him to hangout after not long after he lost his mother and we didn’t see her at the funeral . I didn’t really get his story with Habibi too . His friends deserved to know what he had been dealing with at least and they didn’t preach safe sex and how he was having relations with people while having Kylie , I feel like that should have been touched as well. But apart from that I loved it

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This show is fantastic; it's something new. This is among, if not the best, kdrama I have ever watched. Although I do have a few sentiments to share: (1) The show had an extremely strong beginning, however somewhere in the middle, it felt lukewarm. It did pick up again eventually. (2) I almost dropped it out of annoyance towards Yi Seo because of her obsessive tendencies and unnecessarily rude attitude. I had to continuously remind myself that she was sociopathic to rationalize the way that she was acting. One thing I cannot forget, however, is the scene where she kissed Saeroyi without his knowledge. That was creepy and unneeded. I would remove that, if I could. (3) There was a lack of romantic development between Yi Seo and Saeroyi. I wish the build up were shown more gradually and naturally because I never really figured out when Saeroyi started feeling differently. Was Saeroyi already lovestruck when Yi Seo confessed her feelings? If not, then when did he fall inlove? I don't know. I don't know if it was done purposely as romance is not the storyline's focus, but the romance between the two came out forced.

Despite what I've said, I absolutely loved watching this. It was a wild ride, and it made me feel so intensely. It isn't surface level. It is above and beyond Saeroyi's relationship with Yi Seo. In fact, it tackles many aspects of being human exceptionally - the importance of bonds, the sturdiness we should possess in hardship, the search for meaning, the effort it takes to abide by our principles, the way that everything else gets clouded in pursuit of something, the effect of upbringing to one's viewpoints, self-interest, dehumanization. Not to mention it also touches societal issues such as racism, bullying, and the scorn that transgenders receive. It's just so well-made and well-executed. Moreover, the casting is simply outstanding, both the protagonists and antagonists are effective. They give full justice to their roles.

All the characters are flawed, and while they are unconventional, they are also substantial. They are oftentimes irritating, self-serving, and unreasonable - but that's what makes them all the more enthralling. While they undoubtedly manifest all these qualities, they continue to move forward, gasping, struggling, improving themselves in their own way, seeking for reasons to continue on, even if their reasons are repugnant, such is life.

The plot encapsulates being human in such a spectacular way, and I truly admire that. You would find yourself disagreeing with plenty of things. You would encounter absurd worldviews. You would question your own morals. And you won't even notice it, but you would find yourself engrossed and attached. The flow, the storytelling, the dialogues, the OSTs - everything is impeccable. The ending was pure satisfaction.

Needless to say, watching this has been a great pleasure to me. Give this show a chance to prove that it deserves the hype.

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To me, this was one of those dramas I'd like to watch while sipping on a cup of hot cocoa late at night, all cuddled up in bed. There were no evil Moms, nor were there any rich, chaebol ahjussis taking over the whole plot, making it a very light and fluffy drama. Although, there were misunderstandings ( what drama doesn't have those? ) It didn't feel that aggravating to watch. At the beginning, i wasn't that enthusiastic to start this drama, but it left me quite surprised that i barely found it draggy. It was really entertaining.

One thing that caught my attention was Seo Joon's acting in certain scenes, which i thought he did a wonderful job with. On the other hand, Hwang Jung Eum, and Siwon. Usually in dramas when they try to act funny, it just doesn't work, but here, i think these two did amazing, because i actually found myself laughing at them occasionally.

All in all, if you're looking for a drama that's light to watch, has those funny side characters that make you laugh with them, and a pleasant atmosphere, this would be it!

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I never thought I would become so invested in a 'Produce show', but Youth With You 2 grabbed my heart from beginning and never let go.
As this show finally came to the end today, after three months of following trainees journey, I thought I would share some of my thoughts and list some of the reasons why it's (in my opinion) the best of all Produce shows.

1. Production quality is really high
YWY is a competition but the production team doesn't make it look like the hunger games. The editing is not evil but actually made me burst out laughing many times and rather on creating unecessary drama, it focused on showing hard work and friendship between trainees and how much the girls supported each other.
The cameramen usually do a really good job and don't suddenly zoom into space or into the back of someone's head while filming.
Stage effects, outfits, makeup etc. (and of course talented trainees) make the performances look proffessional and impressive.

2. Mentors genuinely care about the trainees and give them useful advices
I think that the relationship between mentors and trainees is much closer than in different versions of the show.
It was a great decision to chose Cai Xukun as the main host. He knows what the trainees are going through, because he went through the same experience in Idol Producer so he's able to really empathize with the girls. Despite his young age, he already has admirable knowledge about music and performing and he tries to share this knowledge with the trainees.
Also, I think the panel with Alicia was one of the most useful panels for every trainee/rookie I've seen in Produce shows, because she actually addressed the struggles of 'celebrity life' without sugar-coating anything.

3. The contestants
First of all, the amount of talent the trainees have is insane and I was often impressed by the stage presence of some of the contestants.
The trainees really support each other and their friendships seem so genuine. There's not a single girl who's unlikable and you actually get attached to these girls and wish them best. The girls face hardships during their training but they're still able to keep their spirits up and lighten the mood.
The tone of the show is different from what I saw in Produce101. The contestants don't look like they're going to crumble under pressure. They are not afraid to express their opinion and even joke with their mentors.

4. The message
What I absolutely love about this show is the fact that it supports diversity and girl power. Rather than focusing on being cute and pretty, the girls show that you can be cool, you can have different image but most importantly you can be yourself and keep fighting for your dreams.
In my opinion, especially in Korean shows too much emphasis is put on the visuals.
Honestly I think it would be hard for a contestant with the image like Yu Zhang or Frhanm Shangguan to go far in the Korean Produce and I don't think it would be possible for a girl like Liu Yuxin to reach the top. But in Youth With You I was so happy to see girls who were not 'conventionally pretty', girls who had different styles and personalities.

To put it short: even if you're not interested in survival shows, I think you should give this one a chance.

YWY 2 is over now and I'm really gonna miss it. I wish all the contestans best of luck and of course I can't wait to see The Nine debut.


(Annotation: By using term 'Produce shows' in this review I refer to the shows which follow the same format as original Korean Produce101.)

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Is This Really Love? Or Interest In Love?

Ahn Soo Young is a beautiful, hard-working 4 year employee as Chief Bank Teller at KCU Bank. Due to her past experiences and personal difficulties whilst growing up, she does not believe that she is destined to be happy.

Even with her stone face and distant demeanor, Ha Sang Soo under her mentorship when he first joined the bank, gradually found himself drawn to her as he grew through the ranks at the workplace. One day, he finally musters his nerves and asks Soo Young for a date. However, he was late arriving the dinner venue and was seen by Soo Young hesitating for a moment before entering the restaurant. Soo Young re-acts in a devastating manner and hence the possible relationship between her and Sang Soo spirals off to different directions. They then inadvertently paired themselves with respective partners whom I found were really well suited to them. However, like a ‘moth to the flame’, Soo Young and Sang Soo continues to be drawn to each other.

Soo Young has self-esteem issues and does not easily give herself permission to be happy. Sang Soo is a guy who takes life and relationship seriously, making him cautious in his thought process. Will such two un-confident energy ever find love?

I found this drama really angsty as I yearned to see the two main leads coming together. One might even find many moments really slow, but these are the moments where this type of drama requires one to sink into the scenes and emotions, which had my attention. Whilst waiting for that moment, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories with the second leads as well as the entire ensemble of family, bank colleagues and office politics. The entire drama was cleverly weaved in these really complicated relationships. Moon Ga Young was ‘horribly’ good as Soo Young and Yoo Yeon Seok (normally, whom I always enjoy watching his macho go-getter roles) was ‘horribly’ good as the mild, cautious and hesitant Sang Soo. So frustrating to watch and yet able to make me appreciate the flow and the tension.

This is not your normal love story drama, and this is why I enjoyed this so much.

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Wandee has the personality of a flip-flop

Why was Wandee ready to be boyfriends with Ter, the guy who had the personality of a two-in-one shampoo but needed 12 episode to accept Yoryak? Make it make sense?!?!

Like, I don’t understand why Wandee was playing hard to get? Dude, Yoryak found you in the dumpster, in between two trash cans. Please, stop playing hard to get, he already saw you at your worse and still wants you.

That being said, I tuned in to this show every week because GreatInn were amazing. Loved how their chemistry was chemistrying and the plot was watchable. The second couple were good as well, Cher has my whole heart. All in all, an enjoyable show, but still some things annoyed me, so here we are.

Because, for a show about having a good day, it sure as hell ruined my day.

CHARACTERS

Listen. I liked YORYAK. He was in the running for my fav character along with Cher. I was rooting for him. Sure I had no idea what was up with that random grim reaper character that showed up whenever the writers remembered there’s supposed to be a guy in a cape for the plot-line, but still I liked him.

Then the finale happened and undid all that, making me think he’s an ungrateful jerk. Because his brother, Oye, gave up his dream, got beaten up by loan sharks and almost lost ruin his relationship, all to make Yoryak’s dream come true. But what does Yoryak do when he finally makes it to the top? Immediately dedicate his win to his fake boyfriend with benefits. Literally you met him like four seconds ago!

Dafug you mean this win is mostly because of you, and this championship belt is yours??? No it’s not! Wandee did nothing, this had nothing to do with him! Matter of fact he stressed you out with his indecisiveness so much you lost a match. Get your priorities straight child!

Really, what did Wandee contribute to his victory? Is it because he told him to face that hooded figure? His brother would have told him the same thing if he’d confind in him. Nah, that part was just messed up, especially after that family episode.

Anyway, I still like Yoryak, but that last episode did him no good.

Now WANDEE. Oh, Wandee my boy. Why you gotta have the face of a supermodel and the smile of a cloud, but the personality of a slipper?

Wandee’s inability to make up his mind annoyed the hell outta me. It wasn’t because Yoryak did anything wrong or didn’t communicate his feelings, our boxer did and said all the right things, but still Wandee wasn’t sure even after they kissed. Dude, he brought you home after picking you up from the dumpsters, he’d seen you at your worse and still wants you. What more is you waiting for???

When he kept dragging his feet about being Yoryak’s real boyfriend, I wanted to reach into the screen and shake him. Like, dude you were in love with that shifty arse doctor who looks like he steal pills during his lunch breaks, but hunky boxer is where you get sense? Child, if you don't sit your arse down!

I liked Wandee, he didn’t sit around crying for weeks when he was called vanilla, which lets all agree, dude looked like the poster boy for vanilla, but yeah, he didn’t sit there wallowing, he up and got himself a sexy faen with benefits, and he had a cool grandma to add to his charm, but I sure as hell was given him the stink eye. And I did so every episode after they first kissed. He was acting like a boyfriend, but still didn’t want to commit.

And also, did anyone cringed so hard, they wanted to jump off a cliff when Wandee started singing? I get Thai Bl dramas never leave the house without a guitar, but the secondhand embarrassment I felt, yikes! Like, why is now the time to start singing in front of all this people?

This show had no business being 12 episode. It could have ended the first time they kissed on the lips. Cuz it just dragged after that and made Wandee more annoying by not being able to make up his mind. I kept screaming at my screen ‘Mfer do you want to be with Yoryak or not?

Also, did we ever find out about how Wandee was scared of traffic lights, but like, drove a car? What he do when he stopped by a traffic light?

But like, do we all agree that Inn’s smile is sooo adorable?

Anyway TER! EFFING TERRR!!! I still can’t get pass the episode where he fumbles a beautiful doctor lady for Wandee, only to fumble him too and then try to come back to the dance floor looking for her. THE AUDACITY!! Did Ter think that boss lady doctor would still be waiting for his sorry arse?? Homeboy out there acting like spare tyre and thinking he’s the belle of the ball.

LMAO, what a loser! His sorry arse out there looking like an upside down question mark, and yet he thought he still had a chance with Wandee! Any screen time he had after that vanilla scene felt like I was being forced to accept his existence. Then instead of falling down the stairs in the finale and breaking all his toes and fingers, the writers up and gave the mfer a whole arse girlfriend. WHY? FOR WHAT REASON??? ARRRGGGGG

This world has no balance, why are all my enemies winning this season? First Tong and now Ter.

And speaking of the VANILLA scene. HAHAHAH, Ter out there acting like he collects stamps and have seks with the lights off, calling someone vanilla, dude didn’t seem like he knew any positions other than missionary, cuz what player with game would fumble two people in the span of a minute at a ball?? Vanilla! Boy if you don’t shut up!

I really wanted him to end up alone, bitter, and jobless, but here we are with his annoying arse waving at me and going ‘Bish, you thought!’


CHER AND OYE
I loved these two together. Usually I watch most of the second leads scenes on 2x, but these two had me hooked. Cher the most, the bestest boy, and so supportive. I love the ending they got, so happy for them.

PLOT:
Not gonna lie, watched all the boxing on 2x, cuz that hoodie figure was so uninteresting and if you see them punch once, you’ve seen it all, but the hype of the games and their gym added to their characters, so that was good. The competition thing with the doctors was also just sort of there, nothing to write home about, feels Ter didn't even try that hard to win? Also, them forgiving that bum arse father was meh, and dragging the series only to make Wandee more annoying was also whatever. But, the talk about protective seks and asexual characters was very much needed, so kudos to them. And Plako with his bedroom suggestions, his kinky arse had me rolling.

Anywho, I did like this show, I looked forward to it every week, so I recommend to it anyone who are funs of GreatInn. I’ll rewatch it, just to grin like an idiot whenever Cher pops up.

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My Mini Back-Story:

It was late and I was bored, so I didn't have time for a new drama. Hence, I went ahead and looked for a movie in my "to watch" list. Ta-dah!

Storyline:

The storyline is in no way original. I've seen this happen in several melodramas before. It felt like a deja vu. Nonetheless, it was heartfelt and touching overall.

So if you're ever in a mood for another melodrama-I've-seen-it-before with good acting, then here is what Only You has to offer...

a) Looking for cute couple or nice feel romance? Here is the right place! I thought our OTP worked really well together. I've long overused the phrase "they complement each other". Though, it's true! That phrase applies here too. I also loved our two leads' complexity, but I wish they delved more into their dark pasts.

b) Sports/Fights. Want to see some MMA? Check this out. There are quite some worthy cringing gory scenes.

c) Willpower. I love how Han Hyo Joo's character, Jeong Hwa, is always so optimistic/cheery despite her circumstances. It was inspiring. Han Hyo Joo always lights up my mood.

d) Good pacing. I didn't find that it was too slow at any point. I wouldn't say perfect pacing either, but it never bored me.

e) Funny moments. Not laugh out loud moments, but I did chuckle a few times at the beginning from our OTP interactions.

If you're an avid drama watcher like me, then you've probably seen this storyline from somewhere before. Though, it's not done badly. It just wasn't something that blew me away.

Acting/Cast:

Great acting from Han Hyo Joo and So Ji Sub. Actually, the movie's strongest point goes to the acting.

This is the first time seeing Jyo Hoo in a movie and she gave a good impression like always. Though, I hope she won't stop acting in tv series.

She acted really well as a blind person. The way she looked at Ji Sub's character, Cheol Min, was really expressive. The same applies for Ji Sub. The way he marveled at her makes me believe that he truly loves her. They're both very expressive actors.

Though, the acting wasn't phenomenal. I've seen them act better in previous projects. Not to say that they didn't excel here, but it wasn't anything new.

I wish they delved more into the main characters' minds. I felt like I never understood them inside-out. I still had some lingering questions at the end about our main characters.

Music:

The songs were pleasing to my ears/heart while watching the movie. I especially liked the instrumental ones playing during the scenes where Cheol Min was boxing.

Truthfully, I don't remember much about the songs as soon as the movie ended.

Bonus:

Puppy/Dog!!!

Overall:

Nothing jaw-dropping or mind-blowing.

If you want something simple/slightly tearjerking/enjoyable then watch this. Other than that it's not a must-watch. If you're a fan of Han Hyo Joo (like me!) or So Ji Sub then this movie will definitely not disappoint you.


Overall rating for review: 7/10

Purely for entertainment: 8.5/10

My Dramalist rating (avg): 7.75/10

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I want to give a nice score to this story, I think it is something original and I was not bored in any episode indeed I was curious to know what would happen!
The history of reincarnation is interesting and the parallels between previous and present life are convincing and well made.
All this I think is a good point to see the drama, if you already know and love even one of the protagonists then I think it's really worth seeing it!

The problem is perhaps in how the characters were written .. especially the main ones, there was more than one absurd, meaningless, incomprehensible scene that only brought misunderstandings and chaos and also to see badly the female protagonist who bored me more than once and I'm sorry because she is a good and talented actress.

I don't know if there is really any connection with the book being quoted "Wuthering Heights" but I started reading it out of pure curiosity.

Spoiler

The last episode left me perplexed .. in reality I didn't expect some things .. it is as if the two male characters had exchanged roles as a result of the feelings of Sa Bin.. and everything that happened before, disappeared.. and the message that is given is not understandable.

- we can speak of unconditional love: Jong Bum is accused and labeled as a murderer, who has no feelings, evil; it was not like that but he does nothing to avoid it. Everyone thinks badly of him and he accepts it. Sa Bin goes beyond all this and decides not to leave him alone. With her sweetness she helps Jong Bum not to fall into evil and try to make him live a normal life. But he doesn't even deserve the name of a good boy, he wanted to kill the prosecutor Kim and above all he was a stalker!

- does it mean that eternal love doesn't exist ?: the love story of Hyung Bin and Ha Eun was beautiful. At first it seemed (they made us believe) that they had reincarnated to continue their broken love story in this life! She seemed in love, she declares herself and when she finds out that Soo Hyuk was getting married she almost fell into total despair, when they could start a new love story she starts to walk away and afterwards she discovered that she loved who killed her boyfriend in the previous life in front of his eyes.. and after saying that she loved him forever also in another life!
Although Kim Soo Hyuk didn't always do well, he shot Jong Bum in the head without too many compliments and was obsessed thinking that Jong Bum was a killer, I don't understand how they decided to change Sa Bin's feelings in the last two episodes .. no sense, she proved inconsistent and her actions meaningless.
I also thought that the attention not given to Ji Chul has decided to give it to Jong Bum. but it seems more like a charitable action for not to leave him alone, instead of for love.

I don't know if I haven't grasped the message well or if in reality there is no real message .. anyway the drama is beautiful. it is better not to stress to understand the actions of the characters and to look at him calmly for pure pleasure.

Thanks for reading my review and sorry my english is not very good.

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Life's twists and turns can be unexpected.

I chose this drama because of its unique concept. This drama takes place in a world where cisgender men can give birth as well. This concept initially creeped me out. But then I thought, "Why not?" So, I decided to give it a try. And I’m so glad I did. 

The drama is one-of-a-kind and extremely well-executed. The story raises awareness about a variety of issues that should be taken seriously, as well as teaches us some valuable lessons:

1. The roles that a man and woman "should" take on when having and raising a child. Is it really required? Should there be a division of responsibilities?

2. This refers to the difficulties that a person faces when preparing to give birth, whether it is a man or a woman.

3. It also teaches us the importance of staying true to ourselves and how it shapes who we are.

4. Last but not least, the implementation of transgender people's pressures. This is not said directly, but this sure magnifies this. People should accept and value a transgender's individuality. Transgender discrimination, in my opinion, should be considered a crime punishable by law.

All of the actors and actresses in this drama are excellent. But, in particular, for the male lead, who played the pregnant Hiyama Kentaro. He was a perfect fit for the character.

This is unquestionably a must-see. This may not be much of an entertainer for some, but it does provide us with a glimpse of the reality faced by trans men, but from the perspective of an ordinary man. I wholeheartedly recommend this drama to anyone and everyone.

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I haven't finish Jang Hyuk or Soo Ae's works before. I came by chance & decided to watch it. I was blown away with this movie. The acting was top-notch especially Park Min Ha. She may be a child actress but she brought her character to life.

Story: It's a disaster movie, not original. But the flu was an original concept.

Acting: As I said above. Park Min Ha blew me away. I love the father daughter chemistry between Park Min Ha & Jang Hyuk. There was some romantic chemistry between Soo Ae & Jang Hyuk even though there was never a romantic plot. I like it that the romance was never the main theme of disaster movies or dramas. I cried so many times in this movie & for a long period of time. One scene with Park Min Ha crying made me cry so hard(watch the movie to find out) that I had to look away from the screen & took a break for a moment to recompose myself.

Music: The music fitted the right moments. I want to look into the ost. But it was mostly instrumental music(or all because I watched this 2 months ago).

Rewatch: It's low because I don't want to cry for too long again. Some things were too painful to watch. I would recommend it. Watch it once, but don't watch it again or once a year.

Why watch: for the actors & actresses. If you like medical, disaster & action type movies then you'll probably like this one.

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