Reviews

卧虎藏龙 Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons – Witty, Humorous, Philosophical

I love this story. It is inundated with hidden talents that are unexpected, mysterious, interesting, complex and contrasting. Each character has distinct characteristics and is unforgettable. Adapted from a very popular web novel by the talented script writer Wang Juan who has also written for Joy of Life and Young Blood, this drama has a very similar vibe as Joy of Life which was also played by Zhang Ruo Yun as the main lead. Together with Hu Jun, this drama gives the viewers an unusual wuxia story with modern vibes.

Within the first episode, my interest was piqued: Why is the heir to the King (Lord) of Bei Liang displaced? He is like a beggar, dirty in rags, stealing food. Why are there assassination attempts on his life? In fact, seemingly insignificant, how would anyone know he’s the heir and track his whereabout? Why does his old hag of a horse servant run faster than him but not fending him when they are being chased? Why does he want everyone to think that he’s a good-for-nothing idiot? Why is his fearsome father so fearful of him? All these questions, and more, pop up in my head and urge me to continue.

Xu Fengnian (played by Zhang Ruoyun) is well known to be the number one useless playboy in the world. That’s what he wants others to think. Those who know him, including his own father, know he’s the most compassionate, intelligent and strategic person around. For Xu Fengnian, his philosophy of 不取舍, 不妥协 (Bù qǔshě, bù tuǒxié) -- never abandon (as in sacrificing), and never compromise -- brings him a fortunate stroke of serendipity with friends and followers that vow to protect him with their lives. It is this uncompromising conviction that his father, the fearsome General Xu Xiao (played by Hu Jun), thinks his son too naïve and need to be exposed to the reality and darkness of life. During Xu Fengnian’s quest, his father exposes his track to his enemies, at the same time, sends diehard top warriors to protect him. The actions are both ironic and hilarious.

Xu Xiao perhaps can be considered as an ideal father for any child: ruthless and fearsome for others but doting on, even to the extent of submissive to, his own children. He is like a tiger when facing his enemies, but immediately morphs into a little mouse when facing his own children. Unlike most ancient Chinese parents who demand absolute obedience, Xu Xiao doesn’t. In fact, seemingly letting Xu Fengnian having his own way, constantly Xu Xiao teaches him without the youngster even realizing it until very much later when things finally fall into place and reveal themselves. As a great chess player, Xu Xiao is always multiple steps ahead of everyone. Though disagree with the way his father handles things, Xu Fengnian comes to realize and respect his father for his foresightedness.

As romance is not the central theme to the story, as of season one anyway, nonetheless viewers do get a peek at Xu Fengnian’s possible love interest. As a princess of a by-gone kingdom which is conquered by Xu Xiao, Jiang Ni (played by Li Gengxi/Teresa Li) has a love-hate relationship with his family. On one hand, she understands that Xu Xiao has saved her, on the other, she is upset that Xu Xiao has taken her country and destroyed her family. She takes her torments out on Xu Fengnian by repeatedly assassinating him. Despite her continued laments that she is now a maid for Xu Fengnian, she is happy to dry his books for him under the sun.

Perhaps the most pitiful character is our antagonist, Zhao Kai (played by Liu Duanduan). His one-track mindedness to kill Xu Fengnian is both funny and pathetic.

Xu Fengnian’s relationship with all the characters has been very well developed, and from here, viewers can clearly see his values and baseline. He loves all his siblings and constantly want to protect them. He cares for all his people, including his maids and servants, and treat them like his own family.

Hu Jun has a commanding look. One look at him would conjure up images of ruthlessness, and in wrath, he could order to kill everyone that comes in his way. And yet, at a click of the fingers, Hu Jun can become the most affable grandfather any kids would love to cuddle up with. Hu Jun is simply amazing and has captured his character with flying colors. Zhang Ruoyun’s acting here is rather similar to that of Joy of Life with an apathetic look. His chemistry with Hu Jun is so great that most viewers do not have enough of their scenes together. Most of the criticism of choice of actors has perhaps fallen on Li Gengxi, who comparatively, is less attractive than the others and has less experience in acting. However, I find her acting acceptable and she has brought out the Jiang Ni character rather convincingly. Her chemistry with Zhang Ruoyun is good too.

My Verdict

This is not your normal kind of wuxia story. Every character has its story and each may carry a big mystery behind it. What each character says is not necessarily what it (the character) means, and its action not necessarily the actual motive. Everything is not what it seems and it is hard to fathom until the treacherous events brought forth to light.

Some of the actions can be illogical, and the logic can be so simple that it becomes illogical and unusual, making the whole thing hilarious. The use of analogies, double or hidden meaning in each sentence which consists of blunders layered on top of each other, making the dialogues extremely amusing. Every move and word from the characters is out of expectation. Though speaking with dialogues in ancient poetic verses, they are infused with modern vibes. The humors have come from the conflicting ideas and situations, in the satirical of human weaknesses. When it exaggerates, it doubles down. It is all these that make the whole story intriguing and captivating.

A lot of the criticism has come from viewers dissatisfy with the slow motion of martial art actions. Perhaps some viewers are expecting the type of martial art fighting scenes of the Hong Kong style of the old days when many of such actors were indeed martial art masters themselves. For me, I would have preferred the current style, as the director attempts very well to show the viewers the beauty of the fighters’ choreography and stance with hair flying and robes floating in the air. The current style of shooting emphasizes more on aesthetic values rather than the actual fighting itself. Therefore, this is a matter of taste, and should not be used to judge the quality of the drama.

Unlike the cliff hanger ending for Joy of Life, and despite the unresolved mysteries in this story, the ending here for season one is at a very appropriate point. This is a drama that makes you smile and feel warm from within.

Great drama! Recommended! Two thumbs up!

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1-The reason I watched this : I've already seen the anime therefore, I wanted to see the the live-action adaptation and so I end up watching this film.

2-Storyline/Plot : Almost the same from the anime though it was a bit rushed and lacked many important events which made it feel wrong sometimes. However, script writers managed to take the right path after a lot of struggle.
I watched the anime so the story was predictable to me. As for those who haven't seen the anime, this storyline may seem really absurd to watch.

3-Acting/Cast : Teppei was one of the main reasons I watched this since he's cute and *insert shallow feelings*.
Beside that, I don't believe that the acting department wasn't that amazing or appealing; it was acceptable overall.

4-Music : It was kind of a normal music not too special not too lame.

5-Rewatch value : Well, people who fell for it hardly would defenitely rewatch, others would think of it as a waste of time.

6-The ending : It was satisfying. it wasn't the type of ending that would make you jump of your seat so don't expect too much.

7-Overall : It wasn't that bad but it wasn't that great either. It could've been much better yet it wasn't a disappointing adaptation.

P.S : For those who watched the anime and liked it you may want to watch this without high expectations or prejudices; it will much better that way.

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One-Sided Chemistry

I thought the premise of the show was great. I loved that Kawi could not go back in time on subsequent trips to the same moments he'd already gone back to. He got one shot and had to live with whatever domino effect it caused.

Gawin did a great job as Pisaeng. It's so clear when his feelings for Kawi begin to develop. You watch him fall in love with Kawi so naturally. Never once did I doubt the feelings Pisaeng had for Kawi.

I'm not going to remark on Krist's acting because it's hard to determine how much is direction, writing and the actor's choices. What I will comment on is his character, Kawi. Kawi was, at times, very likable and easy to cheer on. However he was also so negative and self-defeating he often became exhausting to watch. Like Kawi, I frequently wondered why Pisaeng liked him. He could have done better, to be honest.

I wish Max got more screen time and more of a storyline of his own. I thought he was a really great character and at one point thought Pisaeng was going to end up dating him during one of the incarnations of the past. I liked that they talked about the political realities of being queer in Thailand with the current laws. My own teenage years in the US were similar to where Max was in the past timeline.

Pearmai was an interesting character. I think she could have been handled better in terms of her liking and sort of waiting for Pisaeng even though she knew he wasn't into her. It was also very poorly handled when she decided to give the guy she'd JUST rejected a shot once she was finally rejected herself. That didn't sit right with me. I really liked her development with her parents and the struggles she had going on there.

I really enjoyed the message of living in the present and choosing to live a life you don't wish to go back and "fix." Easier said than done off screen, of course. I really liked how the time jumps connected to the last moment Kawi was present in the past or future.

The thing that really brought down my rating was Kawi's side of the romance with Pisaeng. As I mentioned already, I never doubted for a moment that Pisaeng had fallen for Kawi. However, I never believed Kawi had genuinely fallen for Pisaeng, with the exception of the majority of the last episode. Instead of being together because he finally realizes he loves Pisaeng, to me it came off a lot more like Kawi had eliminated all the other options and what he was left with was a best friend who was indispensable but in love with him. So he decided to get into a relationship to keep this person in his life.

I know that's not the intent of the show but its how it came across to me. When they'd kiss Kawi didn't seem to want to be there or participating in it. He fell into a trope I hate in bl of the more passive partner dodging affection (what couple actively avoids kissing each other ALL the time even in private? this is the trope I'm referring to not specifically Kawi as he wasn't that bad but he had plenty of these moments). You wind up with Pisaeng basically begging for attention and affection and Kawi begrudgingly allowing it some of the time. This 100% came off as "I got the consolation prize but I really wanted the actual prize." (Pisaeng being the consolation for Kawi.)

I won't get into it too much, but the whole scene with Kawi being near-unconscious levels of drunk and kissing Pisaeng only for Pisaeng to continue while Kawi is unresponsive was incredibly unsettling. This felt very out of character for someone who had been very careful and considerate of Kawi during the rest of the series.

Gawin carried this show for me

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1) The reason I watched this:

I remember watching this film in a "Friends night", I wasn't the one who chose it but I appreciated the choice.

2) Storyline/Plot:

Generally speaking,the film's story wasn't original or great but the script writers knew how to get the audience intention.

Positive Points:

*This film is directed to any type of audience since it has the elements that would keep most of viewers attracted.

*Main Genres:

--->Humor: It made this film cool and light plus laughter scenes were so diversified and frequently present especially at the beginning. It's the type of humor that keeps you expecting more, the funny scenes were hilarious especially for those who like comedy because when you don't laugh, you would be smiling.
Even though this genre wasn't present in the middle or near the end but it's considered as highly satisfying.

--->Romance: Since it's a romantic comedy, the romance was fair enough to the film's genre. I wouldn't say it's the most attractive romantic story but it was acceptable enough to consider it as a positive point.

Negative Points:

*I will mention that some situations were badly expressed in a way that would make you think that story lacked something.
*There were some blank moments during the film.
*The story wasn't really that special nor very captivating, it's the humor that gave it charm.

Story: 7/10.

3) Acting/Cast:

*Kang Dong Won:

I am always amazed by this actor's skills, charisma and the way he portrays his roles. Here he was a little different from his other productions but I would say that this film proved his amazing acting skils since he can adjust to any character.
Speaking about the character, I would say that it has the kind of naive personality but it gave me good laughter moments. I wouldn't judge Choi Hee Cheol deeply because its actions were set by the story so I rather praising Kang Dong Won acting.

*Kim Ha Neul:

I am sort of used to her roles, this actress is predictable somehow. Here, it wasn't any different but her way of expressing the character was appreciated. However, I have to admit that her way in portraying the role was a little weird at first then as the film went on everything was set smoothly.
The character is one of those independent females. Ju Yeongju lies and professional pretens made the character appealing and enjoyable most of the time plus it was really convincing.

*Other cast: most of them were acceptable exept Ju Yeongju friends, they were really annoying to watch. I speacially liked the grandmother, she was really funny because of the line that she always say.

*Relationships:

--->Romance: I wouldn't say there was a great chemistry here but it's all due to the storyline.

--->The leads relationship with the family and the village members: it was really cool to watch; it was sort of heartwarming and great to see how everyone treats each other.

Cast: 7/10
Acting: 8.5/10

4) The ending:

It was predictable yet cool.

Then ending: 7/10

5) My impression (How did it affect me):

*I was giggling with my friends almost most of the time, it was fun.
*There weren't a lot of boring moments plus it was entertaining.

*Is this film memorable : If I will keep any memory of it, that would be because of the funny moments that I had while watching this film.

My impression: 8.5/10

6) Overall:

*If you like romantic comedies then you may want to watch this.
*If you would like to laugh then this is for you.
*If you're looking for an entertaining film to pass time with then watch this.

Overall: 7.5/10.

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Viewers will be quick to compare this drama to “Something in the Rain”, which shares the same Director, Writer, and Male Lead, and they would be at no fault for doing so. Like SitR, One Spring Night utilizes a slow pace to portray the relationship between the main leads. However, the pacing and characters of OSN are superior to SitR because of their steadiness. I recommend this drama to all kdrama watchers and promise that you will also slowly and steadily fall in love with the leads episode by episode till the very end.

Story:
I will be honest and say the story outline is similar to SitR, focusing on a relationship that is heavily critiqued by the leads’ friends and family. I believe there are 2 key differentiators which are the strength of the supporting stories and the methodical pace of character development. The supporting cast gets a fair amount of development throughout the drama, and they, themselves, change instead of folding into 2D one directional characters. This actually adds to the “slowness” of the drama as precious time is diverted away from the main leads.

However, I do not find fault in the slow pace. I admit the 16 (32 halves) episode format changes the standard for pace, but I also believe that there is a range of acceptable pace in kdrama. I find bigger fault when the writer/director strays away from the slow pace to try to close certain plot points or make characters behave erratically, which OSN does not suffer from. If anything, OSN is not shy in leaving interactions with little explanation and limited expose/monologue.

This may make it harder for viewers to buy into the relationship between the main leads, but I thoroughly enjoyed the romance that resembled something out of real life rather than a kdrama. One lead doesn’t have to save the other or be connected via childhood past to develop feelings for one another. OSN is the closest example of a life-like relationship in a Korean drama; any more and it would be no fun as a drama (you know you’re trying to escape reality watching kdramas).

I applaud the director/screenwriter for running it back by producing such a comparable drama within one year. They improved on all areas of the plot from SitR and remained true to their style instead of bending to every criticism levied at SitR, which I still ranked at 7.5. I look forward to their next projects with a small longing for something more different.

Acting:
Let’s begin by looking at the Male Lead since, again, it's easy to compare to SitR. Jung Hae In’s acting is markedly improved from SitR. This may be due to his growth as an actor, the improved writing of OSN, the chemistry with the cast, more trust from the director, or some combination of all of the above. He displayed a wide range of thoughts and emotions throughout the drama, and I was especially impressed with his acting when facing the second Male Lead.

Similar compliments can be said for the Female Lead, Lee Jung In. And her chemistry with the male actor was amazing. The biggest evidence of this being how electric the dialogue between the 2 felt; Their conversations conveyed more chemistry than any of their skinship scenes. The acting of the 2 main leads really complimented the direction of the drama, which heavily focused on interactions rather than monologues.

The supporting cast also performed admirably. For example, seeing the FL’s mother in OSN can be quite a shock after watching SitR (or vice versa), but she still nailed both roles and truly deserved to be part of this cast. The FL’s sisters were also great and their acting really conveyed how their characters were shaped by their shared upbringing (and I have a soft spot for “sismance”).

Music:
Funnily enough, even a good chunk of the OST is sung by the artist who contributed to SitR, Rachael Yamagata. Although English in Korean media is improved, it does not compare to having a native English speaker. This should significantly improve the drama viewing experience for international viewers given that some subbers do not sub Korean lyrics.

The actual music works very well with the story and pace. I thought each of the songs in the OST carried tension, even the “happy” song. This tension is well utilized because the story does not have the outrageously tense moments of a thriller or typical melo, so the combination of the story and song was important in conveying conflict and emotional resolution.

Rewatch Value:
There is a high rewatch value for this drama given that it covers a multitude of nuanced issues. Even as a native Korean speaker, I plan to go back and rewatch the drama to better understand and enjoy the conversations and chemistries between all the characters.

The next episode previews were the worst part of this show, so I look forward to not having to deal with them now that it is fully aired.

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A DRAMA TO DROP EARLY- TOO LONG AND TORTUOUS

Story: This is a story about marriage, mothers-in-law, raising children. The thesis of the writer - the characters must be rude, mindless, selfish, overbearing, dishonest, uncaring, unethical, and basically devoid of normal human responses.

The main couple meets at work. The older male is the number 2 man in a huge investment firm and meets an upstart new young employee and falls head over heels with her ending in a quick proposal and one nightstand. She immediately becomes pregnant. Since the company has a no dating rule -- their decisions from this point forward become the source of "FANTASY and what makes this drama insufferable but still lures you to watch. From the point of this ill-begotten decision (which is really early in this 40 episode drama) the viewer must watch this marriage fall into an abyss of hell.

Curiosity will cause you to continue to watch, but after a while, you are watching and screaming at the television
What is family and why is there all of this negative energy in this family? If you ever thought you were in a bad marriage situation - well you will not feel that way after watching this drama.

I am just going to list the WHY I HATE THE FEMALE CHARACTER (not going to dwell on the MALE CHARACTER because I viewed him as STUPID, A WIMP, and IMPOTENT.

1. what would be the natural order of establishing a family with this first quiz? Who leaves the company?

2. when the company does not welcome pregnant employees, and you know it - what should you do as a pregnant woman (especially when given an opportunity?

3. When you are pregnant what do you decide to ingest or who chooses where you are going to give birth?

4.When you have a premature baby and your body has not healed what is the first thing you worry about - your job or the baby?

5. Why do you listen to your divorced, sick, selfish mother when making decisions?

6. Why don't you take the blame for your bad decisions and not shift them over to your husband7
.
7. Why are you so jealous and accusing of "affairs" when you are the coldest most argumentative woman ever portrayed in a drama?

I can go on and on and continue complaining about the writer's portrayer of this character. As you begin to feel something is seriously wrong with the messages of this drama to any viewer, in any country - let alone the country of origin you should tell yourself - HIT the REALITY button and DROP. Even enduring to the end will make you unhappy. Without revealing any more spoilers., I issue a precautionary warning - this is an ABNORMAL relationship and don't believe anything the writers spew at you - especially the ending.

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Dimples! Dimples! Dimples!

Please don't think me superficial but my goodness Fluke Pongsakorn Wongpian has got dimples for days. When he smiles his face lights up. He is Thailand's Park Bo-gum. This is the first BL series that I have seen him in and he is doing an excellent job.

If you love watching a beautiful relationship develop, you will love this.

The development of the romance between the lead characters is so wonderfully and convincingly managed. I am truly appreciating the skill of the actors in playing their parts. I have re-watched the end of episode 7 over and over again. Beautifully done! Less happy moments do come but it is wonderful watching the gentle, beautiful love develop between Mork and Tawan.

I am also loving the wonderful chemistry between all the different love connections in this series. I love the BL Cinderella (lovers from completely different walks of life) aspect as well. And, I really appreciate that they decided to have three different romances going at once. As for the three biker friends they provide jokes for days. I did not want this series to end… but it did and I loved every moment I spent watching it.

Honestly, I want to thank the BL producers coming out of Thailand. It took me a long time to start watching their BL series but I can officially say I am now addicted. Wonderfully produced films, with great actors and beautiful romances. Even the less stellar productions are far superior to anything I have ever watched on the famous romance channel whose name I will not write here.

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Although this movie reminds me of "The exorcist" in some aspects this isn't a horror film. It seems kind of cliché but it really isn't. There are important twists, it's full of tension moments well d'uh it's a thriller but it's a complex puzzle that it's hard to understand until the ending and still I see lot of people who did't get that ending. At the same time this great story is a mix of genres like comedy, horror, exorcism, gore, etc.
STORY
When a mysterious stranger moves to a small village in South Korea, the village becomes plagued by sickness. The police think a wild mushroom is to blame, but police officer Jong-goo thinks it may have something to do with the stranger. He meets a woman who gives him some information about this mysterious man, and slowly begins to fall down a rabbit hole that consumes his life. When his daughter starts to show signs of the sickness, it gets personal and he must figure out who to trust and who to avoid.
ACTING
the performers have a lot of range, from facial expressions to downright melodramatic wailing. Child actor Kim Hwan-hee stands out even among a veteran ensemble cast that includes Hwang Jung-min and Jun Kunimura.These characters are dynamic; the protagonists increasingly vulnerable, and the antagonists all the more menacing. I hope that after this movie Kwak Do Won gets more main roles.
REWATCH VALUE
I need to watch this movie again because I need to find more clues and I have too many questions. I'm gonna recommend this movie to all my friends because it's that good but don't let those 2,5 hours fool you because it isn't boring at all.
OVERALL
It runs over 2.5 hours and one leaves the theater wishing there was more to explain. This would devaluate from the experience because one of the film objectives is to make think the audience go back and look at the clues and turning points, to look into one's own sense of values and want to go back to look at some references upon which the script builds. For me it's another masterpiece of Na (the movie director)

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Don't expect much, I admit this is not for all people. Heard a lot of bad reviews from the comments, saying it's boring and a waste of time. Others found it disappointing. The first 10 minutes was odd to be honest, because I expected a serious vampire gore movie (kissasian even had the melodrama tag on it). But as the film went on, I actually became interested in the main characters (esp. So Nyeon) because they were funny.

Plot: 6.5/10
It's more like a parody rather a serious one (as we all thought). This movie gave an indie feel and I liked the calendar shots which signifies a new chapter. I loved the story between Ran and So Nyeon. The story was funny in it's own way. The overall plot is light and sweet. I think people would actually like this if it was written better. The ending was loose and plot-holes everywhere, they didn't even bother explaining Jin Yi's character and suddenly she appears in the end without context. But humor-wise, this got me.

There is this one scene that really caught my eye (around 50 min mark). I think it was what made me love the movie. IT REALLY MADE MY HEART MELT together with the bgm that was playing.

Cast: 9.5/10
To the people saying their acting was bad: I THINK IT WAS INTENTIONAL. This movie only had 4-5 actors in it but it's more than enough. I'd watch this even if it only had Jung Yeon Joo and Song Kang in it. Ran was quite naive despite being in the world for 500 years. So Nyeon was extremely funny and playful. The way he mixes up his English and Korean lmao. Song Kang gives me Yook Sung Jae/ Rowoon(SF9) feels. I think I'm attached?? Both MCs were cute, I LOVE BOTH OF THEM.

Music: 10/10
THE OST IS RIDICULOUSLY CUTE. And there is this scene I mentioned above ^^ (watch and you'll know) which was pleasing and the bgm gave it a different mood.

Rewatch Value: 10/10
I watched this 3 more times after watching it the first time. This is good for some light watching. It's an easy watch and I like this kind of indie comedy, just my style. Or maybe I keep watching because of Song Kang?

Overall: 9/10

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There is honestly no way for me to begin this review with any kind of adequate summation of the feelings that I'm Not A Robot put me through.  Somehow, this show made me fall in love with its lead female, cry for its lead male, and lose days of my life lost in mental soup of ennui and daydreams, imagining life as these characters and wanting more than anything to be at their side.  Although this fell just painfully shy of being my highest rated drama ever, I can safely say that no other drama has stayed with me for so long after I turn the television off.  I haven't written a full review of any drama for probably a year, but I'm Not A Robot deserves this effort.

STORY
While I do feel the need to point out that it's this category that keeps this from being a 10/10 (there are a few glaring plot holes), it is also this category that is going to get people into this drama.  Besides the few plot holes, the concept of this show is brilliant: a rich young man with an allergy to humans is interested in investing in a robotics lab that has a working android, thinking that android companionship could be the solution to his isolation.  Too bad the people who run the lab don't know about his allergy.  Their android breaks and they send a lookalike human in its place for him to "test"!  What could possibly go wrong, as these two attractive young people spend all their time together?
While you can tell just from that premise that this will be a show full of cuteness and hilarity (and it is), you will never imagine the emotional heights that this drama is able to achieve just from that simple plot.  I won't even try to describe it here, you just need to see it for yourself.  Kim Min Kyu and Jo Ji Ah are two of the best lead characters I have ever seen in any piece of fiction; a loneliness as deep as the ocean finally meets an incredible selflessness that might be able to fill it.  You will weep with Kim Min Kyu as he rails against his isolation and desperately searches for a glimmer of light in his life.  Your heart will shatter every time Jo Ji Ah denies herself happiness and chokes back her words and tears in order to protect the people that matter to her.  And when the two of them are together, you'll never want to see them apart.

ACTING/CAST
I'm going to actively try to avoid hyperbole here.  Suffice to say, I had real feelings for the characters.  And I don't mean just feelings.  I mean that I really felt like they were real people and I needed to be with them and help them.  That never happens to me.  Ever.  When I say I "fell in love" with Jo Ji Ah, that's honestly not too far from being literal.  Fortunately, I haven't completely gone off the deep end, but the point is that this cast brought these characters to life in the most beautiful and vibrant way.
First, relative newcomer Park Se Wan.  She is the definition of adorable.  Infinitely watchable, she's going on my list of actresses to follow across genres.
My boy, Kang Ki Young!  From his first moments onscreen in High School King of Savvy, I've loved this guy and am so happy to see his career continuing to gain traction.  He's never played a role quite like this one before but seems to have taken to it naturally.  There wasn't quite enough for his character to do, but KKY himself killed it, being able express a broad range in his role here.
Definitely want to mention brand new actress Yoon So Mi in her first ever Drama role as Jo Ji Ah's sister in law.  A lovely woman who comes out as a natural on screen.  Even my wife couldn't resist her charms, remarking multiple times how cute she was.
And of course, a young lady who has been hard at work in some truly excellent dramas in 2017: Lee Han Seo!  Little Han Seo knocks it out of the park here.  She steals every scene she's in and you'll only wish that she had even more lines by the time it's all over.
Now, our male lead, Yoo Seung Ho.  What a gravitational charisma.  He can literally make "annyeong" sound like it's full of meaning and emotion.  I admit he sometimes struggles a bit with some melo scenes, but only because of the impossible tightrope he's having to walk in many of them: balancing true, raw emotion with total awareness of the absurdity of his situation.  Despite this, during the melo climax at the halfway point of the show, expect YSH to completely destroy you.
And finally..... what can I say about Chae Soo Bin?  She has charms that can't quite be put into words.  The same way that a person just has to *see* Lee Min Jung to understand her beauty, and a person has to actually *watch* Jang Na Ra act to understand why she's quite as lovable as she is, Chae Soo Bin has to be experienced for yourself.  I will admit, on a personal note, when she has long straight brown hair and bangs, she may be the most beautiful woman in the world.  That's impactful enough on its own (in fact, distractingly so, since everyone around her should really always be tripping over her beauty, but aren't because it's fiction), but it goes far beyond just her looks.  Her tender depiction of a feisty but pure young woman who never loses her spark in the face of adversity is one of the most touching and impressive performances you're likely to see in this genre.  You owe it to yourself to watch CSB work, and to see her build Jo Ji Ah into a person we would all do well to emulate.

MUSIC
It doesn't disappoint!  While it lacks one huge standout track that acts as a hook, and maybe a theme or two is forgettable, in an OST of about 7 vocal tracks, I came away from it saving 4 of them to my Kdrama Playlist.  I can't say any other drama has hit that kind of success rate.
Additionally, a lot of the incidental and mood music is pretty well composed to; not exactly beautiful, but catchy and evocative, quirky and winsome.  No flies on this drama in the Music category.

REWATCH VALUE
This is the first 10 I've given in this category in any of my reviews.  The mind-bogglingly huge amount of amazing character moments, hearty laughs, and tender romance means that I'm Not A Robot can be watched, watched, and rewatched many times over and never get old.  Heck, if you're trying to convert anyone to kdrama, add this to the list of potential shows that can suck in someone who's never seen a kdrama in his or her life.  It's that good.  It really is that good.  It's never too melo, so no FFing needed there.  The villains are never too annoying, nor are there stupid love triangles to skip through.  There's no filler at all and never any wasted scenes. In fact, if anything, this show needed more episodes, because there were definitely parts of the story that got cut in order to keep up with the blistering pace, to its detriment.   There's literally not one minute of these 16 hours that anyone should ever need to FF through.  Not only WILL I watch this one again someday, I am EAGER to do so.

FINAL SCORE - 9.5/10
While a few unforgivable plot holes, a too-quick resolution, and not enough falling action (along with some rather lazy production work in the penultimate episode, randomly) prevent this from being a perfect 10, please please please do not sleep on I'm Not A Robot.  Easily a Top 5 All Time Drama, in my book, and perhaps my sentimental second-favorite, this will be 16 hours WELL spent for any drama lover.  Just sit back and let it shatter you, because when it pieces you all back together, you'll feel like you're better off for the experience.

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STORY: The story was a good one that ran the gamut: sweet, sappy, sexy shower scene, sad in parts, and ended happily. Now that I know how it ended, I'm going to have see it again and watch for all of the little things along the way. I really liked the friendship displayed as it was already a part of the story instead of wasting a ton of time showing how they met.

ACTING/CAST: There were only three main characters but all were good actors and the two boys were not afraid to show some skin or kiss.

MUSIC: I liked it, some good beats.

REWATCH VALUE: I'll watch it again later when I go on a Strongberry/Matchbox binge again.

OVERALL: I love K-dramas and add gay to the mix and it's a hit! Please support these guys!

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Surreal Food For Thought, Though Some Storylines Were More Striking Than Others...

Netflix’s Persona is a collection of four South Korean short films, all starring Lee Ji-Eun ( IU). Directed by acclaimed Korean filmmakers Lee Kyoung Mi, Yim Pil Sung, Jeon Go Woon and Kim Jong Kwan and partially produced by record- producer Yoon Jong Shin, each episode was inspired from elements of IU’s own personal life and career.

Although there is the initial thought of a vanity project for IU being the main star in each episode, there’s no denying that IU is a talented and versatile actress. Even in storylines which may deliver impactful plot revelations for viewers, IU seemed to add a necessary fair and uniqueness to stepping into the roles of her varied and different ‘’personas’’ in each storyline. Yet due to each episode being vividly different with a new director, story and theme, it is probably easier to assess each episode as a standalone piece before moving on to the overall interpretations of the ensemble.

‘’ Love Set”- Starting off the collection begins with director Lee Kyoung Mi’s strange and surreal storyline on a tennis court. In this fictionalised world, actress Bae Doona is ready to marry IU’s father. Naturally, IU is contemptuous about the matrimony and decides to issue a tennis battle with Bae Doona on the tennis court.
Using minimal dialogue, filmmaker Lee Kyoung Mi turns 19 minutes, into an eccentric , humorous and over-the-top battle of grunts and tennis balls being smacked back and forth in an odd competition of love, rivalry and hormones with a strangely sexual undertone . It is one of the most peculiar shorts in the series with an oddly anticlimactic and abrupt ending. Rather than viewers understanding the reason behind IU’s disagreement, passion and drive to stopping this rivalry, the undeniable relief of not having watch IU’s and Bae Doona’s unexplained and peculiar tennis match instead overcomes the watcher’s mind with just one thought. “ That was weird.”

“ Collector” - Yim Pil Sung‘s film and the second piece of the “ Persona” collection transitions into notably darker territory, with its focus upon an older man named Baek Jeong-u on a date with a notably younger woman, played by IU. As the date goes on, Baek becomes increasingly irked as the younger woman teases him and appears disconnected from their conversion. Pil Sung’s scenes then present the evident discomfort of Baek in a lonely, empty room as he attempts to prepare himself either to relax or to literally be killed by a woman’s subtle emotional jabs. Notably having a more prominent overarching storyline than “ Love Set”, “ Collector” initialises the reminiscent traits of the promiscuous Kumiho ( a nine- tailed fox in Korean mythology) as well as an intriguing critique upon stereotypes of women in South-Korean society. ( Which naturally IU herself has also been subject to in the wider media.) IU’s character is undeniably playful and manipulative with Baek, however, she never goes out of her way to seduce him as Baek practically throws himself at her feet. This subversion reversal of gender dynamics offered both the literal and metaphorical stereotype of the coquette’s ways of playing with a man’s heart. Still oddly surreal and taking time to interpret , the storyline was certainly subversive in this short piece .

“ Kiss Burn”-A clear critique to the oppressive natural of youths in rural Korea, the third entry of “ Persona” brings Jeon Go Woon’s focus on arguably the most ‘’lighthearted’’ short of the ensemble. IU plays a conniving schoolgirl named Han-na, who visits the rural house of her friend Hye-bok. Hye-bok’s father, a forest fire lookout, is strict with Hye-bok and greatly dislikes Han-na under the impression she’s a bad influence. Out of anger and revenge, Han-na helps Hye-bok pull various pranks, but naively ignites other unintended consequences. Go Woon’s filming- style is notably the most basic and simplistic out of his counterpart directors, yet the usage of screenwriting through approachable storytelling, pacing and jokes makes the story easier to follow than the last two predecessors of the collection. The one flaw of this piece is that whilst the storyline was easier to follow behind the reasoning of Ha-na and Hye-Bok’s vengeance, it is harder to truly define what made their characters original or intriguing.

“ Walking at Night”- Persona concludes with Kim Jong Kwan’s monochrome-filmed short tackling the most poignant segment of the entire ensemble. IU plays a deceased woman who appears in her former boyfriend’s dream. In that dream, the couple takes a walk at night, reminiscing about bygones and musing about the nature of love, life, and death.The scenery is kept simplistic with a simple interaction of walking and a succinct soundtrack . The only true uncertainty which may strike viewers as harrowing can be seen through the mysterious figure as the two characters walk into the night- something symbolising the unknown just behind them. Out of all the shorts, this final piece tackle arguably the most heartfelt and profound themes of the series with focuses upon existentialism as well as the social issue of suicide in South-Korean society, giving the piece a sense of deeper meaning and reflection for viewers.

Ultimately, IU is the main star of each storyline and plays each one of her roles with diverse brilliance and talent. Whilst each episode has its own flair, there’s no doubt that some shorts were a lot better than others. “Walking At Night” offered arguably the most touching, harrowing and profound themes of the shorts in literal black and white , closely followed by the surreal, yet social critique of women’s roles in ‘ Collector’. ‘ Kiss Burn’ pointed out an undeniably ironic and twisted ending, but lacked intrinsic character depth, whilst arguably the weakest of the series was ‘ Love Set’. Attempting to weave in too many sociocultural metaphors and messages into one short, the storyline was weakened by its lacking sense of purpose, context and ending.

Overall, the ‘ Persona’ collection was fairly entertaining- IU is a talented actress and the artistic licensing by different directors gave us a fresh feel to each episode. On the other hand, as a collection, the weaker storylines of the piece ultimately complicated episodes and character depth - ultimately not a bad show to binge watch out of boredom, but probably not worth committing time towards if you’re expecting to watch an ensemble of well-written and profound collection of shorts.

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