Reviews

This is definitely the oldest drama I've ever watched but I must say I felt right at home watching it. From the beginning to the end, I just loved the characters and their interactions. I think viewers of a certain age would appreciate this more than others. As I watched, it solidified my fandom with Kimura Takuya, what an actor. Imagine my surprise to see this was Yamaguchi Tomoko's last role. I loved her character's perkiness and willingness to bounce back after her break up. The supporting characters also brought so much to the drama. And thankfully totally devoid of the usual drama cliques!! I loved that the most about this drama!! Again, it's not for everyone. Not one cell phone in the story!! It was great!

Leia Mais

The reason I am giving this a 10 even though my other scores are a little lower might not make sense but I can not help it. In a sea of dramas with a certain premise we have all come to expect, this one is different.

It is about two people who have been friends all their lives. They turn to each other for comfort, for friendship and fun. They have seen each other at their best and worst. They yell, they fight, they comfort and criticize. They are REAL with each other. And slowly they begin to realize that this is not just a friendship. And once they realize that...What do they do with that knowledge? Go for it? Risk their friendship? Admit how they feel to the other person and most importantly, to themselves?

There is no grouchy, in denial chaebol hero. There is no plucky misunderstood girl who is downtrodden but so cheerful in the midst of her unfortunate circumstances. There is no backstabbing b*tch or scheming inlaws. They are just two people slowly but surely waking up and realizing that just maybe, the person they truly are meant to be with might have been there under foot all their lives. The writers make it so fun for the audience to watch it happening. The actors have great chemistry!

Give it a try. The music is a bit lacking. (I have a tendancy to be hard on music scores in my reviews. After the excellent OST of Coffee Prince and Soulmate I tend to be picky!) But I adore this drama...ADORE IT. Warm and sweet and surprisingly passionate. When you watch and realize it is not as quiet as you thought it is such a treat.

Leia Mais

**Please note that this review is about solely this version as a drama, and will not refer to the Japanese original whatsoever.**

Possibly my favorite melodrama kdrama I have seen.

The story of 'The Smile Has Left Your Eyes' is something so vastly different than most Korean dramas. It is a melodrama that sublimely incorporates the genres of thriller, mystery, romance, and tragedy of all things--and on top of your not-so-typical antihero lead, it sheds some light on some controversial topics (which will not be named due to this review being spoiler free). The story starts off quite eerily, full of suspense and mystery, and gradually as the drama progresses, the melodrama kicks in while retaining most of the suspense.

I do feel it slightly lost some spark towards the climax due to the script demanding misunderstandings (don't we love those?). Many conflicts could have been avoided if there was better communication amongst the characters. I suppose this can be said for virtually any drama, but it especially applies in this case. It doesn't help that some of the situations aren't fully concluded. I do also feel there were just a tad bit many plot devices used to progress the story. Some character actions just make little sense, and there was either little or no explanation to them afterwards. I at often times felt frustrated by many of these actions, but fear not; it shouldn't detract much from your entertainment, as the overall execution and the story itself are quite beautiful.

Moving onto the cast--they were absolutely splendid. The leads had amazing chemistry, and everything felt genuine, from hardships to happiness.

Seo In Guk plays his first antihero role in Kim Moo Young, and he truly delivers. His character is sharp, mysterious, and conflicting, and much like Jin Kang, I could not help but be drawn to him, wanting to figure out his character, questioning his motives and actions. Moo Young's dialogue was also quite intricate in that viewers and characters alike could draw multiple meanings from his words. I think this was one element the drama and In Guk pulled off especially well.

Jung So Min plays Yoo Jin Kang, a rather strong willed woman who is also very kind, forgiving, and sympathetic. Jin Kang's strength as a character is not what I would classify similarly to a strong female lead, but she is strong because of her ability to endure everything she has experienced, accept it, and move on. Jung So Min conveyed Jin Kang's emotions so vividly well, the emotional pain is visible through her interactions.

Park Sung Woong nails his role as Jin Kang's brother, Yoo Jin Gook, as well. He portrayed the shifts in emotion as the drama progressed very well. I do however, wish his character was better written.

As for the supporting cast, their performances were stellar as well. Seo Eun Soo pulled off a very convincing girl blinded by love in Baek Seung Ah. Go Min Shi as well with the complications in her character, Im Yu Ri. Special mention Kim Ji Hyun whom played Jang Se Ran. She completely took me by surprise, both her acting and her character.

Most of the faults in the cast were largely due to shifts and errs in the script, not the actors themselves. The actors always delivered in their roles, but often there were actions that just didn't make any sense, conflicts that could have been avoided if we applied any spec of common sense to the situations, which leads back to my stance on there being too many (in)conveniences to the story.

The music in this drama was synced flawlessly. If I had to compliment any one thing about the drama, it would absolutely be the soundtrack. The eerie, sinister themes added so many elements of suspense to drama. Sorrowful, yet calming and somehow uplifting music complemented the melodrama and romance all too well, especially 'Lost' by Ahn Ji Yeon. 'Someday' by Yi Sung Yol was the perfect song to end off many of the episodes' suspense, while leaving you craving for the next. And I can't forget 'Star' which was a beautiful addition sung by none other than the 2 leads Seo In Guk and Jung So Min. I feel this song greatly reflects their relationship in the drama.

Definite a recommend from me if you're looking for a melodramatic romance with thriller and mystery! Just take note that this does happen to be a tragedy.

Leia Mais

Best modern cdrama to date

Simply a beautiful drama. It probably isn't the best beginner drama to watch, as much of the content requires having a decent understanding of Chinese culture/slang to truly enjoy at its full value. However, besides that, it's a perfect show from start to finish. Easily my favorite of 2021. PLEASE DON'T MISS THIS.

Plot:
The 1st episode was jaw-dropping. Stunningly real and heart-wrenching. The characters struggle so realistically as ordinary people in the huge, overwhelming city of Beijing. Seriously, the first 2 episodes are guaranteed to capture your attention. The small details in each human interaction feel so genuine and natural, not at all like the popular idol cdramas. As the episodes progress, they do so logically without losing any sort of tension or excitement. Although it's a slice of life drama, the characters' backstories, problems, relationships, and small victories leave you wanting more and more. Every characters' own plotline and development tie together so well. ALSO, EPISODE 10 and 11 are INCREDIBLE. Don't worry! The ending is absolutely amazing, though I do think the 1st episode is hard to beat.
Characters:
The "main" character is Qiao Xichen. played outstandingly by Zhou Yutong. She is driven, intelligent, and hardworking, but faces the everyday problems of a white-collar worker in Beijing. What makes her so compelling, though? She makes any of the audience watching her want her to succeed. We want her to win because she's so caring, capable, and good-natured. She's incredibly tough, but she has breakdowns like anyone else. And wow, I was blown away by her crying scenes. I could keep rambling but I'll stop here.
Next is Xu Yan, a girl who's a bit vain and superficial, but in reality just wants to spend her days being loved by her doting boyfriend. She spends a lot of money, and it can be really irresponsible at times. The actress who plays her, Sun Qian, does a great job of presenting this bubbly character, and she goes through some deeply compelling character development. She's not a crazy hard worker like Qiao Xichen, but she has her own earnest motivations.
Being the human sunshine of the group, Hu Jing Jing is the one everyone spills their troubles to. She's the one that holds the group together. Underneath all of that selflessness, though, is someone broken and struggling. I won't say too much, because she's a huge spoiler-y part of the story, but her character is very complex and overall just heart-breaking.
Hu Nan Jia is the big sister of the group, being Jing Jing's older cousin. She's basically the richest of the girls, directing her own company and finding success in her Beijing career. Of course, there is more. She's lonely and has a loss of purpose in her personal life. She goes through a journey of self-discovery beyond the workplace. Her actress, Ren Suxi, is absolutely amazing at portraying her character so natural and believable.
Relationships:
It might surprise you, but the romance in this drama is IMPECCABLE. They are the most realistic yet heart-warming portrayals of romance I have ever seen in a cdrama. My absolute favorite couple is Qiao Xichen and Jian Yifan. Their chemistry is so fresh to watch, and my god is it amazing to see some logic in a relationship. They're both smart and sensible; it's a DELIGHT. The confession scenes were so freaking cute (that hospital car scene omg), and their dialogue just bounces off each other so well. Healthy and HIGH CP relationship from start to end. Next, Xu Yan and her boyfriend, Shen Zichang, are a bit of a different story. They've been dating for years, yet they're still a bit immature and act like those cutsey stereotypical couples. However, it's still fun to watch, and when they're together, it's honestly so dang sweet (episode 12 tho, I CRY). As for Nan Jia, she meets a much younger guy, Ou Yang, and while I thought it was awkward at first, it got REAL sweet towards the end. I support the ship<3.
Music:
Amazing. Moving. Haunting at times, but it truly enhances the feels and acting in the show. It WILL make you cry, and I'm not exaggerating at all.
Rewatch:
I'm not one to rewatch shows, but for this one, I will a dozen more times.
Overall:
This show can be uplifting, powerful, yet brutal all at the same time. It's also surprisingly hilarious, and you will grow to love each character so much. There are so many portrayals of people you won't see in other dramas, because most of them are just regular humans, not like the artificial shells I so often see. Even the minor characters are integral, flawed, and understandable people. This drama will teach you that making a living can be really, really hard. However, you'll still be able to experience the simple sweetness of life, like in the random kind acts of others (the nameless, caring grandma makes me tear up). The show's Chinese title references how people might say, "I'm doing fine" when their parents/friends ask them how they are, even though, in reality, they're not fine at all. Some people fake that they're ok just to put others at ease, but the story tells you that it's ok to embrace difficulty. This drama truly digs deep into this concept. It says that life may not feel fine right now, it might even feel impossible, but one day, when you realize how much the world has to offer, this ordinary, troublesome life will feel more than fine.

Leia Mais

The hype was worth it

Things I liked:
*The ending. It wasn't an open ending. A lot of things made sense after season 2
*Children are also competitors there
*The CG
*How they brought back both major and minor actors
*More flashbacks and backstories
*The game masters also have a heart and are all brave enough to fight without fearing death. They are just enjoying freedom.
*The timeline (Events of both season 1 and season 2 take place around June 2021, in between their respective release dates).
*Kuina's father finally accepted her
*The wish of those who shipped arisu and usagi can sigh in relief now ( Also kento yamazaki and tao tsuchiya now officially co-starred in 5 projects)

A bit of warninng: Don't watch it with parents or probably anyone. There are rotten dead bodies and deformed bodies burnt by sulphuric acid. Naked kyuma and some other scenes.

Story: 10 The story started from right where the season 1 ended. Unlike season 1, there were fewer games that lasted longer than before. Each game has its own suspense and thrill. The CG was as good as ever and the ending was quite satisfactory. Some ppl may complain that they better remembered the days of borderland. But it is better to forget those horrible memories of near-death experience.

Acting/cast: 10 They brought back all the original cast members they needed. Even minor ones like kuina's parents, arisu's brother, the man they saved in the 4 of spades, momoka and many major characters.

Music: 10 The music was on spot and quite thrilling

Rewatch value:10 Might just rewatch tomorrow


The first 7 episodes were action-packed where the last episode was more calm than the previous episodes but the last few scenes were just all we needed after the 2 years wait.

Leia Mais

This was a 100% family drama and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cried a lot, laughed a lot and watched different types of love on parade. Because of this drama I realized how important it is for us to spend time with our parents who have nothing but our best in mind.
I did not know a couple of the leads but they were really good and made me believe their characters. Their acting was so natural and so funny when they have to be, and they made me cry at the tender moments as well.
The music was so well suited to the drama.
As for rewatch value, it's a long drama, so maybe in the very far future I will go ahead and re-watch. It's worth it.

Leia Mais

It's the year 2019, and we still have this kind of dramas..

Content of the drama is basic, girl is sick, needs transplant and boy is a match. Boy has a sick grandma who loves him so much, and wants to see him love and marry a girl. When girls asks the boy to help her, boy says okay, but first let get married and have a contracted marriage for 2 years.

Typical contracted marriage turns real marriage plot, seemed fun on Netflix so I said just try it, I mean, everyone needs a bit of cheesiness in life time to time.

But OH BOY

WILL CONTAIN SPOILER AND ANGER AND SHOCK READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

First of all, the reveal is just too big. And it's not a reveal like "boy has been lying because of a misunderstanding" or "a simple white lie started all this". The reveal is that THE BOY IS A FREAKING STALKER, A SOCIOPATH TO THE CORE. I just can't with the sugarcoating. He is wrong. Girl is literally a victim, and still keeps sticking around him. You know just because he waited in the rain outside of her apartment doesn't justify his actions.

Him being kind of a macho at the beginning of the show is not my style, yet acceptable as there are many kind of relationships and people who can get with it. But UGH I LITERALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MORE CAN I SAY ABOUT IT THE SHOW IS JUST WRONG THE PREMISE OF IT IS WRONG EVERYTHING IS WRONG

I mean, girls friend seems clever and protective over her but when the big reveal happened, she didn't even react much? And supported their relationship? Just, why??

And last but least, as the show goes on, that big reveal didn't even matter? They had a conflict for what, like one or two episodes, than moved on to another subject like family issues or something.

Violence, both physically (second leads father beating the leading lady and the second lead, male lead literally kidnapping the female lead, holding her forcefully etc) and mentally (male lead tricking the girl to believe she had a terminal illness, than deceiving her into marriage and then making her fall in love with him etc) was like the main purposes of the show. And they didn't even resolve those issues. The guy can wait as much as he wants in the downpour and get a pneumonitis or anything but that wouldn't make it equal to the punishment he deserved.

THE SHOW IS JUST WRONG AND WISH IT DIDN'T EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Leia Mais

I apologize in advance for the length of what follows.
This drama hit me like a tsunami of emotions and has left me bruised in so many places I'm in dire need of a strong tonic
I had promised myself to never say this, but rules are made to be broken: King 2 Hearts is the best drama I have ever watched. It is so because it fully responds to what I ask a work of fiction: not just to entertain me, but to make me feel. Deeply.

I suppose it's not for everyone though. It raises issues which require a level of maturity, as well as a huge dose of emotional strength. It plays on prejudices and the rotten nature of politics, sparing no one: the arrogance of the western world, the obtuseness of military regimes, the cowardice of politicians, the corruptive power of money no matter where. But it highlights the best virtues too: loyalty, friendship, courage, honesty, responsibility towards the people we love. This story is the growth of a group of people, from biased to understanding, and most of all is the birth of a king worth of this name.
It's obviously a love story too, but I'm glad this is only partly the focus of the drama. Don't expect a rom-com, or you'll be disappointed. The comedy is there, mainly in the beginning, and it is a clever sort of fun, but it's devoid of the usual comedic tropes, and it always has a black undertone - which I personally adore.
So to me this is a truly romantic drama, in the classical sense of the word, full of awe, suspense and heartbreak. There isn't even an ounce of fluff: if this is what you're looking for, King 2 Hearts is not for you.

Two words about script and direction: the first is one of the most consistent I've come across, never deviating from reality even when the setting is fictional. I am aware some of the scenarios are controversial to say the least, but if you give a look at the way international politics works, you'll see that - alas - it's a lot more plausible than we would like to admit. This said, the writers managed to create an ensemble of wonderful characters who touch the heart, and always thought-provoking dialogues. Direction is splendid, very film-like, playing on grand-angle and close-up shots, on colours, light and dark. The action scenes are believable and thrilling.

Standing ovation for the performance of the entire cast. Everyone has done such a brilliant job, I'm in awe.
Ha Ji Won is wonderful, to say the least. I've read some arguing that a north Korean soldier can't be so girly and trusting in the matters of the heart, but her multiple layers are what make Hang A the incredibly believable character I fell in love with, and Ha Ji Won the awesome actress she is. Besides her doing most of her stunts, she studied the North dialect, voice intonation and poses. The result is a charming mixture of vulnerability and strength which is profoundly feminine.
I'm glad I've really got to know Lee Seung Gi with this drama, because this young man has done an amazing step forward in terms of acting. His performance as the shallow, prejudiced playboy he's in the beginning slowly growing to be a king to be proud of, is mind-blowing. I truly felt all his suffering, doubts, uncertainties, fear… stress. He has gained a loyal fan for his professionalism and for the courage to accept a controversial part which more mature actors had refused before him.
Jo Jung Suk and Lee Yoon Ji have been an incredible revelation for me, both acted so naturally it's almost unbelievable.
Hat off to all the other actors. I was just as involved in their fates as I was in that of the main couple. They all made me laugh, weep (buckets, really), be proud or exhilarated.
Yes, even the villain. It won't be easy for the actor to shrug off the image. He embodies evil in its most horrific, unadulterated form: gratuitous cruelty, the pleasure to see others suffer, vanity and megalomania, all highlighted by a child-like behaviour which is as disquieting as it reduces him to the sub-human this character actually is.

Oh, the music!
A good soundtrack explains the scenes with the notes. When he wrote the score for the 1993 film "The Piano", Michael Nyman said he needed some piano pieces which could speak for Ada, who is mute, and work as a substitute to her voice.
That's what the music in King 2 Hearts does: if you close your eyes and listen to it (I have it all on my i-pod) the music will speak for the scene, and will keep on speaking to you when the show is over. The instrumental pieces are simply perfect and aching. "Two Hearts" begins with the pound of two hearts, hence explaining in a second a title whose meaning I had been pining over for weeks.
Simply beautiful.

I have already re-watched half of the drama and am going through a second (third?) complete marathon. If I gave this a lower re-watch value I'd be a hypocrite. And, believe it or not, it improves on second watching.
There's so much more I'd like to say about it, but I fear I've been wordy enough. I feel a last word of… warning is needed though: be prepared to feel strongly. If what you ask a drama is to entertain you or divert you, don't watch King 2 Hearts; only approach it if you're ready to grow so much attached to these characters, seeing them go will give you an almost physical pain.

Leia Mais

"Where Stars Land" is exactly the kind of romance I was in the mood for. I initially avoided it because of so many negative comments, but I'm so glad I decided blindly to give this drama a chance inspite of that. I have been disappointed, and honestly bored, by quite a few romance dramas recently, but with this drama I was pleasantly surprised instead. It's set in an airport, a familiar KDrama setting, but the focus is on the customer service staff in particular. I think it's best to watch this drama not knowing or expecting anything, so I will be careful not to reveal too much, but it turned out to be more than just the opposites attract romcom I expected it to be, and actually had a pretty original story that kept me interested until the very end (flaws and all).

It stars Lee Je Hoon as Lee Soo Yeon who's straight laced and by the book character is matched with Chae Soo Bin as the stubbornly impetuous Han Yeo Reum. All of the complaints I read about the drama were about Han Yeo Reum, and how much people hated her, but I didn't have a problem with her character at all. I think her character is frustratingly ambitious on purpose in order to disturb Soo Yeon's futile attempt at having a quiet and routine worklife. Of course their conflicts lead to some great chemistry and I loved the way the story between them developed. I was a fan Lee Je Hoon in "Signal", but this is my first time seeing him as a romantic lead. I also loved Chae Soo Bin in "I Am Not a Robot", so it was great to see her in another romance, and she did not disappoint me. Together they had cute and comedic moments as well as heartbreaking dramatic moments, and even when parts of the story were weak, their character development was strong.

As for the supporting cast there were characters that were favorites, some who were underutilized, and some who were boring as hell. My favorites in the supporting cast were definitely Kim Kyung Nam as Oh Dae Ki and Lee Soo Kyung as Na Yeong Joo of the security team, who's chemistry was entertaining enough to deserve their own spinoff show. I thought Lee Dong Gun was great, although almost typecast in his role, but because his storyline was compartitively weak I felt like his talent was a little bit wasted. I also wanted to know much more about Mr. Jang who I feel like never got enough screentime for being such a huge part of the story. Then there was Kim Jee Soo as Yang Seo Koon, who seemed like a character I would like in the beginning, but she turned out to be so boring that I'm still not quite sure about anything involving her character. Also, because so much of this drama revolves around work, there's a pretty good ensemble cast feel among the airport staff, which helps make the random airport stories seem less disjointed.

For me, the weakest parts of the drama was the internal airport drama between management, which was too vague to care about, and took up too much time. There are also parts of Soo Yeon's backstory that I wish were better explained, but I still think the parts they did focus on were well done as far as drivng the story and his motivation. With the short episode format there was always enough in each episode to keep me curious and make me want to keep watching. By the end, the story felt like it was definitely rushed, but all the parts of the story that I cared about were resolved (although I'm still not sure if the very end was an artistic choice or an emergency decision).

Would I rewatch this? Yes. I think the chemistry between the main couple is what carries this show, more than the general story, so I would probably still enjoy it with a second viewing.

Overall, "Where Stars Land " isn't going to make it to my favorites list, but it's much better than some of the mediocre dramas I forced myself to finish this year. I recommend giving it a chance, especially if you are a romance fan. You may find out that under it's unassuming appearance is a drama with a spark of something extroadinary.

Leia Mais

Honestly the second couple is what gave it a 7/10, they carried the show and I would recommend to only watch their episode if you don’t feel like watching my the whole drama (3-5).

1) The first couple was cute but I found them a bit boring and the masturbation addiction really threw me off, as I didn’t expect it to center the first 2 episodes. I liked that they openly mentioned how sex/masturbation compared to some dramas where they hide away from it especially highschool ones.

I kept watching as I didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised with the second couple.
2) This couple need to have their own drama, the actors chemistry and looks really kept me hook on their episodes. Their plot is good, the fake dating trope was really well done and their end of story really wrapped up well. Their kissing was so much better than some other couples in dramaland, it wasn’t cringy or awkward as you would expect from highschool dramas. Like I already said if you don’t want to watch the full drama episode 3-5 are the much watch and you will not regret it. If I ever rewatch the drama I would be likely to just go back to this couple as I already done twice already.

3) I was slightly disappointed with the 3rd couple, I really didn’t like how the plot surrounded the girl’s weight, (especially the fact that in my opinion she ain’t fat but more towards healthy). Additionally I couldn’t enjoy the 3rd couple to the fullest as the second couple really put the bar high and therefore it was hard for them to keep me as hooked. The ending also left me slightly dissatisfied, but overall this drama is a good watch.

The music didn’t stick out to me so I won’t talk about it as I got nothing to say.

Leia Mais

A satisfying end... which is rare in the kdrama world as we're all familiar.

The first thing that needs to be applauded is the actors and their masterful acting. Without the acting the plot would've withered as another project with lost potential. They literally breathe the life, the fury, the glory into this drama.

As a sequel, it is commendable that the show did not go overboard or underwhelm in any aspect. It was just enough to make you sigh a breath of satisfaction. Lives upto everything the first season built upto and the trailer predicted. No non-sensical plot points which were forced to make the story coherent. It was woven smoothly start to end. They delivered the dramatics perfectly. Their was no unnecessary romantic part which ruined the slow-burn. Despite all the first season's information, there were twists and turns and the thrill was maintained. If anything was over-done, one wouldn't really give this show much of a rewatch value. But the makers took their jobs seriously and made sure that people can come back to this and find hope in the victory of everything good.

People might argue about the amorality of the whole revenge plot itself, but we know that justice does not take place in our world very often, the world is very unfair, and people we know, people around us, and people like us may feel wronged everyday, but what we can take from this as a positive learning is that we all need to come together and help the Dong Eun's all around us by giving them support, and being a friend in their time of need. Of course is doesn't have to be an elaborate revenge plot, but even the smallest effort would go a long way. And at the end of the day what goes around comes around. So it is by each other's support that we move forward, otherwise we'll find ourselves stuck at a point in life which will sooner or later drive us crazy.

Leia Mais

Soulful spot on: South Korea ranks fourth in the world when it comes to the suicide rate

According to WHO data, South Korea ranks fourth in the world when it comes to the suicide rate. (Germany ranks 42nd in comparison.) Not only stars and starlets are affected, but it runs through all sections of population. And with that, it holds up a bitterly serious, socially critical mirror to turbo-capitalist South Korea, whose tradition still places more value on appearances/make-believe than authenticity/true-being.

"Tomorrow" throws the spotlight on this socially problematic aspect. It is definitely a tough topic! It is based on a webtoon that enriches people's limited view by looking at the bigger picture from the perspective of the spiritual world. By providing an emotional link between the two worlds through the protagonist Choi Joon-woong, the worlds inspire each other with their insights and impulses. (After all, a wound can even heal in the afterlife...)

In short, the approach might at times seem light-footedly playful. Yet the content is profound and serious. It´s no feel-good-series. Sometimes it's fast-paced and action-packed, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, but mostly the story wants to touch, move and make you think. And it does. Overall the narrative style once again finds the right tone and the successful mix to work through the difficult, complex emotional area of conflict. Thus it is carefully, sensitively and differentiatedly illustrating the example of very different fates.

Leia Mais

A drama doesn't have to have a well-written story and deep character development in order for it to be enjoyable and good. Mydramalist should really add a "enjoyment" rating alongside the story, acting, music, and rewatch value ratings because some shows such as Secretary Kim aren't the "brilliant masterpiece" drama that some people are looking for, but are still a neat cute amusement ride that casual kdrama watchers can enjoy.

As soon as the drama finished, I saw a lot of reviews here that criticized how cringy, forced, and cliche the romance story was, and how shallow the characters were. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but that doesn't take away from how enjoyable and funny the cringy, forced, and cliche romance story was. The characters were shallow, but they were still funny and likable in many aspects. The point of the show isn't to come off as masterfully written story that leaves the audience in awe at every turn, but rather just to be an easy lighthearted drama for romance-comedy lovers to enjoy during their free time.

On the other hand, I've also seen people rate the story a 10/10, and calling Secretary Kim one of the best romance-comedy dramas of all time, which I'm going to have to disagree with. The reason being that there have been other romance-comedies such as Coffee Prince and Secret Garden that simply had a better story line, had more relatable characters as well as character development, and overall were a lot more memorable and enjoyable than Secretary Kim.

The overused story in Korean drama fantasy land of rich chaebol company owner male falling in love with the innocent female who is not-so-rich and is working hard to pay her [family's] debts and bills. Ha, the classic. Nothing much to analyze but it's yer old same old same old happily-ever-after romance-comedy story in Korean lala land. Although, if there is one thing to touch on, I personally did not like the dark childhood past of Lee Yeong Joon and Kim Mi So. It was even more forced than the romance in the show, and it didn't add anything to the show as a whole. In fact, I would go as far as to say that took away from the show because it tried to be something the show wasn't (a touching, dark show) and failed miserably at it. Somebody feel free to tell me exactly what the point of that past was besides to force down the audience's throats that our two protagonists were destined to be together because they had a bizarre past experience with one another as children. Moreover, because of this useless past childhood story, I feel like the drama killed the "supposed to be second lead" character in Yeong-Joon's brother, Lee Sung Yeon. That character was annoying for most of the story, and the show tried to make us pity him towards the end, but I just couldn't see the point of his character at all. What a complete waste of Lee Tae Hwan's character. I couldn't tell if he was supposed to be an antagonist character, but he ended up just being an annoying nobody .

I see people talking about how draggy the story was, but I actually felt the story was fast-paced in comparison to other korean romance comedies I've seen. I mean seriously sometimes kdramas take numerous episodes for the main character to realize he is in love with the girl, and then another few episodes to finally tell/show the girl he likes her, and then another few episodes until they're finally in a relationship. At the very least in Secretary Kim, that draggy "I think I like you" part is completely skipped and they jump right into the meat of the romance rather than the annoying "be a dick to the girl until she realizes somehow through a fateful incident I was always there for her." Now that I think of it, I guess Lee Yeong Joon did kind of do this... But no matter, the romance didn't feel as draggy to me as other romance-comedy dramas which I appreciated.

The acting was definitely the highlight of this show, and I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the drama without Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young, along with all the side character actors such as Kang Ki Young, Hwang Bo Ra, Pyo Ye Jin, Kang Hong Suk, and literally everyone. A big thank you to all the actors in this drama for making the show what it was. They weren't charismatic or anything crazy impressive, but they sure as heck did their job in livening the cringy and cliche as heck roles.

Also, I just want to mention how amazing Park Min Young pulled off the clothing she wore in this drama. I heard she started a fashion trend in South Korea with her secretary clothing.

Music wasn't anything really impressive, and there wasn't a real soundtrack that really caught my eye, but there were a lot of okay songs so I'll just give it a 7/10.

I usually don't re-watch dramas because I don't feel the same kind of enjoyment or excitement when I already know everything that's going to happen or be said. The only dramas I re-watch are the ones with scenes/lines that really help me move forward in life when I'm feeling sad or tired. I feel like the re-watch value for Secretary Kim would be rather low, considering it's all about the heart-fluttering scenes and the childish forced comedy that after watching the drama once, you would know exactly what would happen and it's no longer as heart-fluttering or funny as the first time through when you watched it without expecting it.

Overall, I gave the show an 8 because it was highly enjoyable and I found myself smiling and having a good time which really is the point of spending hours of our lives watching dramas right? If a show is enjoyable, it has done its job. I would recommend this drama only for those who enjoy lighthearted romance-comedies and aren't picky with how "well-written" the story and characters have to be. Anyone looking for anything serious, tragic, or thought-provoking, this is not the drama to watch. Even if you want a romance drama that has a dark-side and will have you crying and dying to know what happens next, this drama is not the one to watch. This drama was purely for cute comedy relief and complete nonsense romance.

This is just my opinion on this popular show. Everyone will have differing opinions on dramas, nobody's ratings are right or wrong; all ratings are subjective. Just enjoy yourself and try not to hate too hard on other people's favorite shows~

Leia Mais