Reviews

First half - great. Second half - just ok.

The rating was 8.7 and I thought it’d be awesome possum.

The first half of this drama was full of cute shenanigans and was really pretty funny. I laughed quite a bit and enjoyed myself a lot. The drama was very cute when the two leads first got to know each other and before they became a couple. The misunderstandings were not agonizing. Rather, their misunderstandings were kind of cute and engaging. I really had a fun ride for the first half of this drama.

The second half of this drama was not quite as enjoyable and funny as the first half though. There were parts that were rather ‘meh’ and ‘hmm’. The love between the couple was sweet and sincere but it wasn’t sizzling hot and ‘wow-whee’. After the leads got together, they were rather ‘meh’ as a couple.

Overall, this drama is watchable. I just do not think that it’s worth 8.7 / 10. I’d think that it’s more 7.5 / 10 :)

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There is some connection to the first season but is pretty much its own story. I liked all the cast but I think the first season had a better narrative. This second season had a bit too much going on and felt a bit confusing at times when the special crew went looking for suspects, cuz there was more than one, and I definitely suck ass with Korean names, I couldn't keep up with which suspect was which one.

But I gotta say I wasn't expecting and was disappointed that a major character was was taken out by the second half of the show. I still liked the show enough to watch it all the way though. But really that snippet they put at the end....they better be making a third season then. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. Because it'd be so lame of the producers to introduce that and then not have a third season. Then again look at what OCN did with TEN (two season and they didn't even conclude it - I really hated when they do this). So fingers' cross this will get a third.

Overall: not as great as the first season but still good.

Rewatch: no

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watch those first 10 episode, Cause its like second lead of a drama.

Record of youth was really something. But i know in the end it did break a lot of expectation's

I will just quote my personal experience. I watched the drama ongoing. I smiled and felt so good for the first 10 to 11 episodes. Then came the 2020 part of the drama. That was kind of expected but it went a little bit overboard. It made me sad. Almost disturbed my sleep. I realized how bad it is to take a drama seriously. But believe me, I couldn't help cause it was sooo good before that sad part. The acting was good. Everyone did their part beautifully. At times there was some lag in the story when the story focuses on hye jun's family. But u can just skip it .

The chemistry between the actors park so dam and park bo gum was something out of the page. Park bo bum will make u cry along with him and in the next scene make u smile for an infinite time even after completing that episode. It will really make u believe so much in love. It felt magical.

Anyway, that won't be your opinion once you reach the end.

I just want to let u know this. Don't decide not to watch this drama because of all those bad reviews.

It did break a lot of expectations, it made everyone cry. But this still first 10 episodes were so beautiful. Every drama lover should see that at least. U can of course drop the drama after that. If those were the last episodes of this drama. record of youth would have got a rating above 8.5 for sure.

The first part of the drama deserves so much better than this. Just like the second lead of a startup. A must watch first part .

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When Time Stopped is a fantasy drama that handled the fantasy element well. The first part of the drama was nice, kind of slice of life, with a low lever fantasy element. It was focused on the leading lady and her struggles. The second part was focused on the guy, the secret society of grim reapers and the mysteries of the past. However, that part was boring, as the male lead was boring overall, with no actual personality. The ending at least was decent and didn't stick to the cliche romantic endings. The performances, moreover, were okay, though the male lead could have been better. So, six out of ten.

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I immediately liked this show. The old romantic trope of an arranged marriage eventually evolving into love.

The main characters are beautiful and have strong chemistry. The supporting characters were fun and the music was surprisingly good , from the score to the “cheesy” tracks by what I’m assuming are the latest Chinese pop artists.

The story moved quickly with a lot happening in each episode while still hitting all the necessary beats that made it believable for the main characters to make a connection.

However, despite the fun and engaging story in the first several episodes, things took a turn for the worst around episode 10, and as a result this is where you really have to turn your brain off. LOL. I struggled with Yizhou’s controlling behavior and possessiveness, but the betrayal made absolutely no sense and made him come off as insane. Any woman in her right mind would’ve run the other way no matter how rich and hot he was. Which brings me to another issue I had. At times Xia Lin was relatable, but at other times she didn’t seem like the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Perhaps this was supposedly due to her young age and inexperience?

I also didn’t like Chu Yan’s abusive father. Even though he had a change of heart in the end, I did not think Chu Yan should’ve given him the time of day considering the hell he’d put him through his entire life. Additionally I didn’t like how the men at times stopped short of manhandling the women, but this seems to be very common in Asian shows. Lastly, the storyline with the villain from Yizhou’s past was completely unnecessary and seemed like the writers attempt at stretching the season to 20 episodes. Really they could’ve ended the show at episode 9, no need for the nonsense that followed.

Overall, it was generally a funny, cute show. Even with the bizarre story twists and questionable character traits, the chemistry between the cast is what ultimately saved this series from completely going off the rails into bad territory.

I do think realistically Chu Yan was a better match for Xia Lin (before Yizhou’s epiphany and change). He wasn’t controlling, would completely respect her individuality and be a loving mate.

And if anyone is answering questions, can someone please tell me the name of the movie/series that was playing in the background when Chu Yan and Xia Lin we’re attempting to leave the theater and ran into Yizhou and An Ran? It looked quite interesting. Would love to check it out. :)

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First of all, all the actors and actresses did an amazing job in their roles. Every character has their own likeable and dislikeable traits. I love the mix of thriller and rom-com in this drama; it fits the superhero concept. The plot is very well written, but I would love to see more of Ahn Minhyuk's side, like a more expanded plot for his character. They hinted at some of his interesting background in the drama (like how he thinks like a criminal), but it never really paid off. I never really expected the darker side of this drama to be intense, so it was very satisfying to watch. The comedy is almost perfect for me. I laughed all the time because of the slapstick and funny adlibs. The music is very well timed and appropriate. I really love that OST when the main character is in action. The best thing about this drama is the chemistry of the leading couple. They're so adorable and so lovely together, to the extent that I would love to see them getting married in real life. I became a fan of Park Boyoung because of this drama. Overall, fantastic drama; definitely a must-watch.

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Most gentle coming of age BL I’ve seen this year!

I have been a MDL lurker for years and have watched literally hundreds of BLs, but never posted. So it is a true testament to how amazing this show that I’ve come out of my cave to post.

I was astounded to see a high school setting done so delicately. A truly excellent director and actors brought the nuances of the story to life - from tiny eye flickers to grimaces to careful observation of each other, I FELT their affection. There was no unnecessary fighting, drama or miscommunication and I was satisfied to see that finally we got a BL plot that was more that just those things.

If you want to feel your heart flutter while watching a gentle slow burn coming of age then please please watch this! I’m usually a fan of the harder BLs but every so often I dabble in the “feelings” type of shows, and with this one you won’t be dissatisfied! ❤️‍?

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All about the ending

When it just started airing, the drama was rather addictive as the storyline was developing well. Would have given an 8.5 or 9/10 for the rating if it was not because of the ending. Although the ending is a happy one, it felt like it was rushed and I feel that they should at least have a proper wedding. Even though the last episode showed that they had already registered for their marriage, I feel that they should at least have a wedding ceremony as from what I understand from the drama, the main lead is from a so-called 'prestigious' family. Although this is not really the key highlight of the story, since they have this marriage pact within the two families, they should at least go through a grand wedding ceremony to sum up the entire drama. After all, if it was not because about the marriage pact, they would have probably not met.

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I'm glad I never drop a K-Drama, because the last five episodes SAVED this show!! For me, the first roughly seven episodes were cringeworthy, boring and bad, with a few good scenes interspersed. Dr. Choi (I believe that is how it is spelled) is the most underrated character perhaps ever in television? I know some may not like his character but I thought it was perfectly played.

From episodes 8-11 the show started to pick up it's pace a little, and by the end five I was finally gripped by the show. I not only suggest everyone to be patient with this how but to be patient with all television shows. Always watch a series until the end, no matter how bored you believe the first half to be. Because you may find out, just like in this case, that being patient will reward you in a story that gives you fulfilment.

Out of all the shows I have reviewed so far, yes it's the lowest rated. It doesn't mean it's a bad show though. Watch it!

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You need to watch this!

There is a reason why this drama was rated so well everywhere! You may already know this or may not but this movie basically revolves around 2 familys, the dumb rich family and the intelligent poor family; the struggling son in the family manages to decieve the wealthy mother and bring his entire family to come work for them, soon to discover the secrets lying in the family and the people they know. The deeper the story gets the more interesting as there are many plot twists and scenes that get you to the edge of your seat. Strangely enough, its quite hard to explain how it grabbed my attention. Explaining it all out it doesnt seem that great but when you watch it its a completely different story. This is easily the best successfully executed films of the entire year. From its thematic resonance to defining an issue in our era with an impressive amount of skill, i cannot help but agree with all the other people who loved this movie. Yes, this type of show wasnt my go to, but i loved it anyways. I would not watch this with any children under the age of 13.

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Slow burn plot.

ok we're just an episode away from the final so here goes -

long story short, this is a slow burn drama. there isn't any strong passion romance if that's what you're looking for. the plot and action builds up slowly, and (really) systematically toward the eventual finale that we're seeing or expecting for. i hesitated if i should write a review for this show because i can't call it a LIKE, but i wouldn't say i dislike it either. there're loopholes in the plot for sure, considering how it's a battle between the black (drug syndicate) and the white (cops + undercover), and how the ML and FL seem to always have everything under control (the drug dealers can't be that oblivious, are they?) but i supposed it is truly a show where you would keep on watching just as the episodes keep running.

as we would already guess, the ML and FL are undercover for the police force and they used to be lovers, except that the ML was kept in the dark throughout — at least up until the last few episodes — because he thought she had died in an explosive incident caused by him in the past (wow such a turn it up in the plot you'll only find in c-dramas honestly). in a twist of fate, the FL went through surgery and became an undercover too, hiding the truth from everyone, including the ML and her brother, who's another cop.

just as long as you sit tight and get through the first few episodes, you're pretty much set for the remaining of the show. i can't deny that the FL's entrance in the show, before we actually figure out her undercover identity, is slightly annoying. she leeches onto the ML and with her princess attitude, it was pretty much a no for me. but it all went well once we put the pieces together and made sense of her character. their pairing worked out decently (of course, she knew him since forever!) and it was a comfortable watch. at this point, i've also got to give kudos for the relationship between the ML and SML (mu qing and li ruosheng), this brotherhood would be such a painful one to watch once the SML faces the ML's betrayal (i'm guessing it's in the last episode).

all in all, this drama focused a lot on character build up which is much appreciated for a theme like this. i'm quite glad it didn't jump into all that c-drama romance. it's definitely a slow burn so if you're looking for plenty of action and quick progression, this probably wouldn't be for you. but otherwise, this should be a decent one to past some time, and for a slow watch.

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