Reviews

Time travel done right

This is not your ordinary K-drama.

I'll tell you what it's also not. The Atypical Family is not a tiresome rom-com that shambles zombie-like into a melodrama morass by episode 8. Instead it rather delicately shifts through various shades of crime caper and dark comedy with clever little twists before it hits the romance that it promises to be. It's self-aware and addresses obvious tropes with almost fourth-wall, existential humour. It manages to use time travel coherently and does not insult the viewer with unnecessary time gaps and pointless makjang.

The casting was very good at all levels and the actors delivered. I thought that the marriage fraud gang were the best of the bunch. Choi Kwang-rok was unrecognizable in a good way. Kim Su-hyun wore both the fat suit and the several iterations of her character with remarkable style. I did not find the leads truly exceptional but they were good enough and played off each other well. All of them were helped by the fact that the writers took good care of the characters and allowed them to develop their own stories so nobody was acting in a void.

The Atypical Family does many things very, very well. Above all, it does not outstay its welcome and doesn't try to scrape four more episodes off the cutting room floor.

This is what it feels like when a show's producers and writers respect their work and their audience. For that, this tough audience will rate it a solid 9/10 and will recommend it to pretty much anyone with time on their hands.

Leia Mais

TO be honest, I originally wasn't expecting to enjoy this drama quite so much. After all, 98 episodes is quite a lot to watch and the longest drama I've seen up until this point was around thirty episodes or so.



It starts off pretty slow for the first fifty episodes or so. There are twists here and there, but it wasn't anything gut-wrenching that made me shake my fist at the screen (a fairly common occurrence during a good drama for me) or cry like a baby. At times, I felt like the series dragged on, stretching an issue out over several episodes when it could have been just as easily explained in one, sometimes even half an episode.



As I said, though, around episode fifty I could feel things starting to heat up, and once the numbers hit the sixties things really set on fire. The revenge, the desperation, the feelings of utter helplessness when it comes to helping your most beloved person wade through the tides... It all seemed to just explode. For me, that was well worth the wait and watching all the episodes before. Some characters that I had previously wondered about the overall purpose of now showed great inner conflict and the reasons for certain behaviors were explained in a way that nearly wrenched out my heart.



Overall, I felt the leads did a fantastic job portraying their characters. While the story may have dragged on a bit, the actors themselves rose to the challenge, portraying their characters surprisingly well even after so many episodes. Sometimes even after twenty episodes I'll find that someone will slip up in their character on drama, but the leads here really stuck to it well. Very good show.

Leia Mais

Read the manga and/or watched the anime?
Worried this will 'ruin it'?
Worry no more! You will LOVE it!
Never heard of the manga or the anime?
Worried this is far from what you are usually used to in a drama?
Worry no more! You will LOVE it!

A hilarious yet strangely moving story about the how a love of music can bring together people of contrasting personalities on a journey of epic self-discovery. Sounds cheesy but fellow sceptics, worry not! This drama is a joy to watch. Just stick with it and I promise you won't regret it.

In their roles, Tamaki Hiroshi and Ueno Juri bring to life complicated characters in such a way no manga/anime enthusiasts can fault. As with any adaptation, there are tons that could go wrong; from executing the story to getting right the casting/acting. Furthermore, the hardest thing to do is maintain the 'feel' of the original piece of work which was drawn or animated. This is hard to do this without making the drama look tacky or overacted. Nodame Cantabile however, managed to really capture the point of 'live action' making this drama a perfectly complementary to the manga/anime. Yet it as a stand-alone it somehow manages to remain accessible and enjoyable to the general public.

The incredibly colourful supporting characters are just wonderful to watch, with enough screen-time to keep things lively and interesting, yet not too much to keep us from enjoying the story of the two wonderful leads. The progression of the story is perfect, not too slow to become a drag and not too fast to hurt the overall impact of the drama.

The slapstick humour is so well-executed that you can't help but laugh out loud (even if you saw yourself as having a more 'sophisticated' sense of humour). The blend of comedy and serious drama is flawless and there is enough to please those who look forward to tearful emotional scenes. What can I say, the drama caters to variety of people! If you know a thing or two about classical music, you are bound to enjoy the wonderful pieces portrayed. And if you don't, you'll be surprised to find yourself with a new sense of appreciation for it.

I can't sing enough praise for this drama. It is far from typical, effortlessly funny and uplifting. Great chemistry between the entire cast, tons of memorable scenes and wonderful use of music.

For lovers of music, comedy and drama, a definite must see. And for those who have doubts about whether this drama is their cup of tea Broaden your horizons and give it a go.

You could be pleasantly surprised. :)

Leia Mais

Only the love between parents and children is for separation.

This 20-episode drama took me by the neck and gave me a ride on the emotional rollercoaster. the synopsis confused me so much that it actually made me want to watch this and it was such a treat though I went into it with no expectations at all since there's not much drama about time travel that did it right or somewhat logical at least this one even with little knowledge about time traveling theory it would still make sense.

okay so with the vital part of the drama (for me) Qi shuo, that character was the super glue of the drama, I would not trade Liu yitong to any other actor he made Qi shuo the lovable character that made me love the whole drama. He was a son, the one that would cross the mountains, sea, and time and space for his mother and liu yitong managed to portray that for us. Like what they say in the drama 'All love in this world is for gathering, Only the love between parents and children is for separation.' he loves his mother so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself just to make sure that her mother would live differently from the current time that she was in.

Qi yue and Lu xiao, are really destined to be together, or at least now the odds of favor are on their side. knowing the little tidbits of their 2031 selves, Lu xiao took care to Qi shuo and Qi yue with probably some limitations but Qi shuo gave them the push and the reason to take care of each other in the near future (also betting my fortune that 2031 Qi shuo prolly saw Lu xiao as a father figure in his life)

this will sound and feel weird but the trio did really have the chemistry of a family (yes even with being adults), you can perfectly picture them as that harmonic family. the amount of chemistry they have are so adorable.

The sacrifices, feeling of belonging, a family they will call their own, finding and reaching a dream, and realizing a probably 'childish' wish. The drama delivered that all even with just 20 episodes.

is this the best drama? tbh it's all base on personal taste but this one is worth giving a peek.

Leia Mais

Started this for Ji Chang Wook & Finished/Loved for Song Yoon Ah ❤️

I have known about this drama since it released in 2016 - but while the action scenes & chocolate abs of JCW were encouraging, the whole angle of romance & Yoona's acting was simply terrible that I did not pick this up. Finally in 2024, I relented and decided to give it a go. As expected - the best thing was JCW and all his action and solo scenes. But the biggest surprise and hooking factor was his electrifying chemistry with female antagonist/second lead - Choi Yoo Jin played by the talented - Song Yoon Ah. They redefined "frenemies" & left me wanting for more . . .

‪‪❤︎‬ LOVED:
➥ Je Ha (ML) & Yoo Jin (SFL):
I can understand why there are so many fanfictions and petitions hoping to have a spin-off to have them together as the leading romance pair. They are enemies-turned-allies in the show and every interaction is so well acted sometimes simply without words, that you just want them to rip each others clothes off and make steamy love that generations would write/read about. They were literally too hot to handle and this is without any actual romance between them. Both, in a single frame were just too mesmerizing, the chemistry off the charts - perhaps one of the best ever, and definitely the best between such roles.

➥ Action Scenes & JCW:
Those who are aware of his other works know what a great actor JCW is and the action sequences were directed well. They may/may not have gone with the plot, but it was entertaining to watch though gets repetitive over the latter part of the drama. Pure blockbuster effects, and with JCW executing it - it was flawless. The time that I delayed watching the show was compensated over the years by unhealthily rewatching the "bathhouse fight" and "shirt changing" scenes - and I am going to continue doing that on YouTube, without the need to rewatch the show.

❌ DISLIKES:
➥ The FL and Romance:
Yoona was completely useless - in terms of her character usage in the story, acting, chemistry with JCW - basically everything. JCW was carrying the romance, she was the stiff cardboard with no inputs - being used as a ragdoll. Personally - I would have liked this drama more if she was a minor character [e.g: just a young girl (aged 3-4)] and needed protection from JCW's character OR just done away with her character + romance altogether.

➥ The Plot:
It was too generic - not engaging or without unique twist/turns, with boring political talks/drama and of course the unnecessary romance. The acting of JCW, Yoon Ah, Sung Ha, Gab Soo and Dong Mi were the ones that carried the drama but they were caught in a mediocre storyline. It had a promising start but faltered from the middle.

➥ SUMMARY:
This is a delectable guilty pleasure drama - to be indulged for Ji Chang Wook's acting, action scenes and fan-service. He's one of my ultimate bias and he served. The soul of this show was Song Yoon Ah - her acting making me want to rip her mouth or feel pity for her character was flawless. And of course their sizzling chemistry was everything. This drama is over and I would not rewatch it except for their scenes, but am going to read the fanfictions about them, maybe even write one myself to satiate this unmet desire this drama has given me. They were THAT good.

So if you like all the above - with some blockbuster action, go ahead and give it a spin.

Leia Mais

Different time loop, same heartbreak

This movie is a sequel in the sense that it uses characters that are already beloved — and for that I did love it. It was beautiful to see Huang Yu Xuan and Li Zi Wei fall in love again, and my heart broke again for the tragedies that they had to go through.

This movie is not, however, really a "sequel" in the sense that the story from the drama is continuing; while the drama's occurrences are canon and ARE mentioned, I felt like it was almost negligible — it was treated more like a prologue, which was honestly kind of disappointing for me because I was hoping that the existing story from the drama and its loose ends would be addressed.

Instead, this movie seemed to introduce a whole new plot (a whole new time loop) — which was A LOT. I almost feel like this could've been an entire season 2 and we would've gotten much needed time with the plot and the characters who were now pretty different people from the ones we knew in the original series.

Nevertheless, as someone who absolutely loves the characters I still cried and laughed and felt butterflies along with them, and while the new plot was definitely just as mind-boggling and tear-inducing, there were just questions that I wish were answered, memories I wish were retrieved, and conversations and confrontations I wish they had.

One thing that this movie absolutely did right, however, is give Wang Quan Sheng his deserved backstory and screentime. WQS was a character that was painfully neglected in the drama despite having one of the most impactful stories, and he never had his story told until now. It was heart-wrenching and possibly one of my favorite parts of the entire film.

All-in-all, this movie just isn't what I expected and I wanted a teensy bit more from it. And yet...yes, I still cried throughout the entire thing. Yes, my brain hurts like hell trying to figure the timeline out. Yes, you should watch it.

Leia Mais

Despite being obvious and straightforward, An Assassin delivers much more than just some brainless action.

Don’t get the wrong picture, I like brainless action and all but it’s a fact that not every director can make it entertaining. I have my specific short list of directors that I would gladly watch their action productions anytime and Go Ohara doesn’t belong to that list Instead, he made a respectable piece of work that doesn’t wholeheartedly depend on action and guns’ play.

This film has more sides to it than the action part. The story of a cold-hearted assassin thinking twice about his life because of a girl is not original in any way but this isn’t exactly a romance, the core of this film is the friendship. Ryo and Misaki’s bromance is priceless, especially after the revelation of their past relationship and the way they survived together; that was probably my favorite part of the film. The acting may not have been the best, seriously it was unbalanced at many points but the main characters were good enough to make the whole department satisfying and the film watchable.

Action wise, this film is low leveled; it’s not because the lack of action but many moments seemed fake. An action lover doesn’t look for realism when watching the genre but it doesn’t have to be plainly obvious like that. Some fighting scenes were uneven and incoherent but the shooting angles and techniques made it up for the bad guns’ play choreography.

The ending of this film was quite expected; I’ve seen that kind of finale repeating in many similar films that’s why I had some hope that it will end otherwise. This is not a fluffy storyline and I consider that a strength point.

Watch if:
-You’re looking for a decent Japanese action film.
-You’re in the mood for action but not the shallow type.

Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for something fluffy.
-You’re looking for a romantic story.

An Assassin is a good action films that stands out a little from the usual Japanese norm. It’s not a masterpiece but it’s definitely a nice watch.

Leia Mais

My two cents on peoples interpretations

As with all art - films and so on, people will interpret this series in their own way. As we are humans we pull from our own closest experiences and empathy to understand the characters on screen. I feel this is why there are such hard black and white lines with the like or dislike of this series.

I feel both characters were portrayed amazingly by each actor ( I was very excited to see Jae Bum from Choco-Milk in a dark dramatic series and am really really looking forward to what else Wooyoung will do ). Many people say the story line wasn't clear, or the whole series is confusing. I don't agree, you just have to pay attention, they are telling you everything you need to know. Because I want everyone to love this series I will spell it out for you haha. Or more so..this “review” will be "what was their relationship at the beginning" and Yoondae in general, since most people seem to dislike him the most. Get ready for a whole character analysis baby.

It was clear from their "first interaction" that SooHyuks mom was marrying YoonDaes father, who is abusive (aka- for a time they were step brothers - this is why he calls Soohyuk "hyung" at the beginning. He explicitly says so in the scene. The direction of shots that portrays the abuse Yoondae goes through is beautifully done, from the scene where Soohyuk sees the bruise on his neck, to the band aid seen with the cut and soon to be black eye. I prefer and LOVE when shows don't spell everything out in complete dialogue, because that is not realistic. The scene of Yoondaes father at his school saying to just drop out, the fear that Yoondae portrays as he's backed into a corner, waiting for the other shoe to drop. The emotional and physical abuse that Yoondae experiences and still does is clearly shown- there wasn't a need to show a literal scene of the abuse.

So although he "got away" by moving out and couch hopping, abuse like that does not leave you. Like Yoondae shows, you are lost, not knowing the next step to take since it was always decided for you. Yoondaes habit of lying is clearly driven from this, since even if it's pity that is given to him, at least it is some sort of love and attention. This in turn makes him want to test his boundaries in a twisted way, pushing people to their limits somehow makes sense to him. He wants someone to care and to fight for him, but everyone just leaves. His inherent loneliness is clearly shown with his constant hang outs with his friends, not wanting to leave his friends job because he wants to wait for him. His friend even says "you know that's weird" and Yoondae agrees and clearly knows he has attachment issues. Although it is not said or portrayed, the LACK of Yoondaes mother tells us all we need to know. She is either dead or long gone from their family, this most likely is a reason for his attachment and abandonment issues. She is neither spoken of or seen in things such as photos etc. This all circles around to why, as they say in the series, Soohyuk has become Yoondaes "home".

Soohyuk out of his own free will and kindness saw Yoondae for who he was and what he was going through. Yoondae didn't need to lie or tell him anything because Soohyuk understood. Unprompted love and care when he said to sleep in his room so Yoondaes dad won't hit him. Even Yoondae is confused by his kindness, but they show how he starts to understand that they are both similar and "not like their parents' '. He finally had someone who cared, loved and wanted him to be okay. Yoondae has friends of course but they never seem to grasp the complete toll Yoondaes father had on him. Don't get me wrong they understand and have done a lot for him but they never actively tried to help him in high school ( they're kids of course ) but Soohyuk did, I think that's why the impact of it was so great to him. Never mind the obvious attraction he has for Soohyuk *cough the bandaid scene cough*.

Some people may think his advances / attraction ( in the present timeline ) was out of left field or a way to manipulate Soohyuk to let him stay since Soohyuk clearly stated he likes men. I again do not agree. I think it was clearly shown in the past timeline that Yoondae was not interested in girls. His avoidance, annoyance and sabotage of the "double dates" his friend was making him go to was your first hint. The subtle things such as choosing to wear Soohyuks shoes even though they were falling apart. His upset and anger he had when Soohyuk "ran away" in the past timeline. The shock and longing he shows when he first sees him again. It's all there. But he had a girlfriend? Yes, a girlfriend who let him live in her house "after the first date because he was handsome" as his friend stated. Obviously this was a means to the end, and not any sort of attraction or love. ( not cool but it is what it is, haven't you grasped that Yoondae has issues lmao ) Even with Yoondaes track record, I don't believe him kissing Soohyuk was a way to manipulate him into letting him stay. I think it was his love for Soohyuk and his abandonment issues. He even says he doesn't want to leave because he doesn't want to say goodbye.

Yoondaes character invokes pity and frustration, "just get a job" you think- "just stop saying bullshit and say how you feel" you think. You want him to succeed, you want him to do better because he has had a hard life. But yet, he doesn't. instead he drinks every night and sleeps all day and does it again. Why? Because he thinks he deserves it, after all the hardships he's been through, his subconscious thinks, ah I deserve a break - just for a bit. I'm sad so I'll drink, I'm lonely so I'll go out. He does not think in future tense and that is his biggest current problem. Even other people understand, that's why it's not said to him at all in the series to "get a job" . His girlfriend literally was working overtime and he was just at home playing video games. When she spoke to Soohyuk about their break up you can hear the pity and emotion in her voice, as Soohyuk pointed out, she didn't even want to talk bad about him.

Yoondae is a slow drain, because he is a good person but over time he sort of...sucks the life out of you by his stagnate state. They didn't portray how long he was living with the girlfriend ( therefore how long he has been out of his fathers house ) but it doesn't seem like it was very long so I can't really blame him. Bro needs therapy, but no one is really telling him what he needs to do, they are just placating him. Even with the emotional scene with his friend where he, with tears in his eyes, asks his friend "what do I do" his friend just sits in silence. I think that's why Yoondae starts to get more and more desperate about Soohyuk leaving him, to some peoples disbelief, I think Yoondae knows his flaws. He knows Soohyuk will soon find out he inadvertently lied about his dad being dead, he knows that the "only reason" Soohyuk asked him to live with him was because he had “no one else” ( although that doesn’t appear to be the only reason in reality ). He knows that Soohyuk will “run away” and when he does, and stops sleeping at home Yoondaes abandonment issues kick into gear in full force. The scene where he lies about inviting friends over, breaking a window and cutting his hand is such an obvious display of his issues, the fact that he knows he uses pity and emotional manipulation to get love and affection. But what really breaks your heart is that he says “just kidding” in the most heartbreaking way because Yoondae KNOWS Soohyuk knows he’s lying anyways. But then he says “but i'm not lying about the broken window” as a last ditch effort because Yoondae doesn’t know any other way..(again therapy plz) Soohyuk then hangs up because again, he knows this is how Yoondae works. Thats why it is so gut wrenching when they go out to dinner and have the “home” conversation. Because even the audience felt the hope, we felt what Yoondae felt. Then for Soohyuk to “deny” him, it hurt really bad. But, yet you are happy that Soonhyuk knows his worth and knows that Yoondae needs to get himself together before they can move forward. Soonhyuk didnt deny his feelings or his want, but finally someone is telling him that he needs more time - they both do.

Now, why would Soonhyuk put up with this? Well, that's how he is, he already deals with type of person with his parents, he’s caring and extremely empathetic, he loves too much - gives too much and it has broken him down. His dad specifically…there are a scary amount of similarities with Yoondae and Soonhyuks father, the over drinking, the borrowing money, the spinning the wheels in one place. The series shows us that explicitly. So when Soonhyuk finally sticks up for himself to his father - I think a lightbulb clicks then that even though Yoondae is not exactly like his father, the place Yoondae is in is too similar and if he keeps placating him like he is, he will never go anywhere or get better. I think this was the major decision on Soonhyuks part. Unlike his father, where he stood up for himself because he reached a breaking point - realizing how hard the dynamic was on him and that there truly was no hope of his father changing. I believe with Yoondae, he knows there's hope, like they said “they aren't their parents” he has hope that Yoondae will be better, and he will be there to love him when he’s reached that point.

I could do a whole analysis on Soonhyuk but I believe my “review” is already too long lmao. I just wanted to shine some light on Yoondaes character as I think a lot of people may have misunderstood him, just like some of the characters in the show did. Really interesting seeing that.

Overall, I think it is a beautifully shot and realistic series, watch it <3

Leia Mais

Need a shockingly good, slightly melo-ish but mostly heartwarming slice-of-life Jdrama with an excellent cast, beautiful and deep characters, that doesn't feel like work to watch, but still keeps your interest? Can I come up with a longer sentence to describe how gorgeous this drama is inside and out? (Given another 5 minutes, I could probably achieve that.) If your answer is yes, then please do sit down and watch Bara no nai Hanaya.

This is such a lovely atmospheric drama, featuring real and recognizable human beings. Eiji is a simple man with a hidden past, and Katori absolutely does not overact in his characterization. He is slow and plodding, and one of the kindest, most selfless creatures you’ll ever see. Yet the drama weaves his past in such a way that the slow unveiling of his life history and the history of the woman he loved is almost as integral to the story as the events that happen in real time. Throw in his obvious affection for Shizuku, and their own adoption of a neighborly grandmother, another loner desperate to feel needed and loved, and just try not having any feels for this beautiful little family structure.

Keep in mind, all this is even before the lovely Mio steps into their lives, cane in hand, full of anxiety and uncertainty about this new direction in her life. And maybe with just a few secrets of her own, hidden behind a web of lies. And perhaps she’s not the only character to have more than one secret.

Conclusion- I love it. All of it. The only reason it doesn't get a perfect score is probably because of some of the pacing issues, but after I’d finished the drama and started to reflect on it, I realize just how lovely it is. I’m not yet that versed in Jdramas, but I think this was a rare find for me.

Leia Mais

Romance, Riddles, and Really Hot People

Oki besties, buckle your emotional seatbelts—Into Your Heart is less a drama and more a serotonin-laced fever dream for the terminally romance-deprived. You don’t watch this mini C-drama—you surrender to it.

The leads? Unreasonably pretty. The ML is down so bad, he’s basically groveling in (not so) HD. The FL? Ethereal queen. Together? Too hot to process.

The plot? Unhinged, yes—but also weirdly decent. I was invested, against my better judgment. It had no right to hook me like that, but here we are.
We're talking for fire kisses, questionable decisions, and a villain who seems to have escaped from another genre entirely. Is he evil? Misunderstood? On medication? Who knows. Who cares.

Episodes 1–20? Delicious chaos. Episodes 21–23? Kinda like stale chips—still edible, just… meh.

And the subs?? Oh honey. MangoTV out here running a cryptic crossword competition. I was mentally translating the translations like: “Wait… did he just propose or ask her to change the lightbulb?” 5D chess, but make it linguistics.

Happy ending? YES. Thank God. My neurons needed closure after all that chaos.

Final verdict: Pretty people. Dumb decisions. Wacky villain. Brain cells? Gone. Regrets? None.

Leia Mais

HOW IT BEGAN AND ENDED:

At the beginning: Beautiful and warm...
Near halfway: Heartbreaking... (on unrequited love)
Halfway: Dark and destructive
Ending: Hopeful (That's a hint that it ended well.)

WHAT I LIKE:

The cinematography and the amazing music went well with all the scenes. I just wish Xia Mu would have more dialogues, but I understand he's a stoic and emotionless character from the start so he wouldn't speak much. Rather, he will progress and develop as a character through action. You'll see how much Xia Mu has grown and how he became a stronger person throughout the movie. He had gotten himself in trouble many times for Ya Wang. Even though he was impulsive, he was heroic on most events, and brought together this message and lesson to the movie:

"Love is courage, love is joy, love is sacrifice, love is not a sin. Once missed, it'll be a lifetime."

NOTE: Also please watch the movie first before you decide to dig up the real ending to the original story... You'll thank me later.

Leia Mais

Short, Sweet and Decent.

This drama reminded me of a excerpt from "Me Before You", a romance novel by Jojo Moyes with a successful movie adaptation, which goes like: "...I told him a story of two people. Two people who shouldn't have met, and who didn't like each other much when they did, but who found they were the only two people in the world who could possibly have understood each other."

Created by NHN Bugs and Produced by Red Nine Pictures plus Xanadu Ent., "Soundtrack # 1 (사운드트랙 #1) [2022]" is one of the initial Disney+ Original Korean Drama ventures. Written by Ahm Sae Won and directed by Kim Hee Won, the drama got only 4 short episodes with approx. 45 mins runtime, and stars Park Hyung Sik & Han So Hee as leads.

Soundtrack #1 is a story of two best friends of two decades at their early 30s, who have stayed together through thick and thins, but the fine edges of friendship & love becomes hazy as they are attracted towards each other while staying with each other for two weeks. Will they end up together?

Even so it is this short, given the title, characters living through words, lyrics and music was expected (at least it was me who did), however, this wasn't true for most of the part; not disappointed, still.

I think the synopsis and the concept of "friends to lovers" trope tell it all and provided a total of around 170 minutes short runtime, it's pretty much guessable what's gonna happen; but what we should be looking forward to are: the execution and the ending, while peeking through the messages. In my opinion, the show was able to revive and relieve the hidden thoughts within us, while attempting to achieve a decent score. Although the show feels short and felt lil off at few instances, the development was squeaky clean and satisfactory.

Han So Hee plays Lee Eun Soo, a struggling lyricist who strives to do better with her own accord and is honest & outspoken in nature. Han Sun Woo played by Park Hyung Sik is a budding photographer with aweing skills who has a shy yet warm personality. We have Kim Joo Heon, Park Min Jung, Park Hoon and Yoon Byung Hee as supporting cast, while Lee Jung Eun and Seo In Guk play guest roles.

Wishing Ahn Sae Bom jakkanim a goodluck for his future endeavours for he was able to make an up to snuff delivery through this, and,also, congratulations on his debut. Kim Hee Won PDnim surely is one of the leading lady directors who has created qualitative up&down shows through years. And, for a short show like this, she has indeed carried out the overall execution well. The cinematography along with light hue and warm pallettes, made it an easy watch though I am a bit unsatisfied about the sound editing.

There are a total of 12 OSTs which is actually a lottttt for a show of apprpx. 3hours, but would you say you didn't want it? No, bcs the quality is so majestic to just not ask for. Not gonna write a lot but surely wanna mention all of them, for I have come to love all of them...

# "Want to be happy" by Park Boram
# "Love beyond words" by KYUHYUN
# "Your tender heart hurts me" by DAVICHI
# "My Love" by Kim Jong Kook
# "Talk to me" by KIM JAE HWAN
# "Prettiest One" by Standing Egg
# "A little more" by DOYOUNG
# "Wanna be your lover" by Monday Kiz
# "We'll shine brighter than any other" by Lee Hi
# "Love Love Love" by SEOBIN
# "miss you more, I'm sorry by" Lee Yejoon
# "Love beyond words" by DOKO

What I didn't like...

# Han So Hee seemed to struggle a little; which wasn't really visible but for someone who has watched almost everything she has acted in, she appeared to be having a difficult time to fit into a role which is radically opposite from others played by her.

#Even though I am fond of all the OSTs, I believe the show needed to be longer particularly to utilize them well in the story.

# Given the title, characters living through words, lyrics and music was expected (at least it was me who did), however, this wasn't true for most of the part; not disappointed, still.

Final Remarks... "Soundtrack #1" is indeed a satisfactory delivery about love & friendship and the essence they offer you in life, even for a short period. Screenwriting, direction, performance and execution are overally good and up to par. Won't say it's a must watch, but definitely a short and sweet journey, that will entice you to core. Please go ahead :)

Leia Mais

THE RATINGS ARE WAY TOO LOW

Motel California is a beautifully crafted drama that delves into the complexities of first love and the emotional distance that can come between two people who are meant to be together. The story revolves around two characters who reunite after a long time apart, only to find that unresolved feelings and misunderstandings create a barrier between them. While the initial episodes are filled with angst and longing, it's essential to take the time to appreciate the gradual development of their relationship.

The frustration that arises from their inability to communicate is relatable, and the dual perspectives provided by both leads allow viewers to empathize with their struggles. Unlike typical dramas where one character pines away while the other moves on, both leads in Motel California are deeply invested in each other, which adds a layer of depth to their story. The slow burn of their relationship is both heart-wrenching and rewarding, making it a captivating watch for those who appreciate emotional storytelling.

The female lead in Motel California has sparked a lot of discussions, with many labeling her as a red flag. However, it's essential to recognize that her complicated feelings and reluctance to fully engage in her relationship stem from a deeply rooted backstory. Her experiences of feeling hated and abandoned, coupled with a strained relationship with her father, shape her character in a way that makes her relatable and real. It’s not uncommon for someone to protect themselves emotionally, especially when they’ve faced such turmoil.

What I appreciate about her character is the depth and complexity she brings to the story. She's not just a simple love interest; she embodies the struggles many face when trying to reconcile their past with their present. Her journey reflects the reality of being human—feeling vulnerable while also striving to be strong. The internal conflict she experiences, especially as she sacrifices her first love for her own emotional safety, showcases her strength and vulnerability.

While it’s easy to get frustrated with her actions, it's crucial to understand her motivations. She’s a character who evolves throughout the series, and her development is a testament to the writers' ability to create a nuanced portrayal of a young woman grappling with her identity and choices. This complexity makes her journey all the more compelling, and it’s refreshing to see a character that feels so authentically human...she is a character who embodies the complexity of being human—making mistakes, feeling regret, and attempting to mend those errors while sometimes needing to take a step back. This frustration is a reflection of real life, especially when she stands in contrast to the flawless male lead, who is calm, collected, and unwaveringly loyal. While she may appear villainous to some, her struggles add depth to their relationship, which is both thrilling and heartwarming, infused with a palpable angst.

The chemistry between Na Inwoo and Lee Se Young is palpable, and their performances convey a range of emotions from longing to love. Their eyes tell a story that is both heart-fluttering and deeply emotional, capturing the essence of their characters' journey from fear to a warm embrace. This drama is beautifully crafted, with a cinematic quality that feels like a movie experience. The soothing OSTs enhance the magical chemistry shared by the leads.

While the pacing may be slow at times, it is undeniably addictive as the story unfolds. It may not resonate with everyone, but it’s worth giving it a chance—don’t just rely on ratings. The acting is exceptional, and the overall experience is one that leaves a lasting impression....

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