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from fun to being overly dramatic
Na Ah Jung (Jeon Jong Seo) works as a guest actress, playing various background roles. She has a gay friend Lee Do Han (Kim Do Han), whom she has known for 15 years. When Do Han needs a wife to appease his family, he asks Ah Jung to be his wife for 3 years. Do Han’s younger brother, Lee Ji Han (Moon Sang Min), is against this plan as he wants his brother to marry for a corporate alliance. Thus, he tries every way to break up their wedding, one being to make her fall in love with him. Ji Han and Ah Jung hate each other at first, but as he's trying, seems like he's the one who starts falling in love...It started out exciting, I was impressed with the actress Jeon Jong So who played Ah Jung, she's feisty, capable and independent. Her friend/enemy banter with Dohan and Ji Han is great. Their relationships development is comedic and chaotic. Lee Ji Han’s motive didn’t make much sense to me from the start, but it's fine as there were a lot of good stuffs.
However, the character I'm most curious about is Lee Do Han, as an openly gay man. It was intriguing when he’s introduced, but as the story goes, I'm disappointed with the lack of importance given to his character traits.
Frankly, it gets frustrating when the conflict starts. it’s hard to understand why the leads’ react so dramatically and how they made certain choices. Last four episodes were messy, and practically resolved(?!) Well, the cameo saves the ending... XD Glad it's only 12 episodes!
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The acting was great, they really managed to convey the emotions and lay it on thick and raw, really outstanding, especially from support characters
Overall this drama was a real game changer with its sudden plot twist, it always seemed to keep me on my toes throughout the drama, it was enjoyable and really made me think how important time is and how you should spend it and the overall importance.
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The Epic Journey of the True Son of Bei Liang.
This show is a wholesome package. From politics to scheming and strategies, romance and comradeship, family bonds and the journey of growth +cute beasts and martial arts manuals :).....This has a little of everything in a way that doesn't overwhelm you.This is the story of Xu Feng Nian, the much anticipated future lord of Northern(Bei) Liang. But that doesn't mean he will be under the limelight throughout the show. Each and every person he meets has a character arc that could impress us in the long run. The story is very well developed. The pace may not be uniform but the overall effect is heightened due to this.
This is a show which you must definitely watch once completely before forming an opinion because everything( even what you might think idiotically unintelligible and frustrating) make sense eventually at various check points in the story.
'Once' you finish it I am sure you will hurry to rewatch it and gather clues on what is yet to come.
Can't forget to raise a toast to the stellar cast and their solid performance. Although we have only seen little of some, their roles are too consequential to the storyline to be ignored in the upcoming seasons. So although season 1 has given a worthy closure to the first part of the story, I am looking forward to even brighter follow up seasons.
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Story:
You don't understand how amazing this movie is. To people who have viewed others who went to jail with disgust or contempt. Young lady/man you better go and watch this. It will change your thoughts/feelings on this matter. The theme of this movie is not a light one. But the director made it work. A woman who is convicted of manslaughter for accidently killing her abusive husband. Gives birth in jail and chooses to raise her baby boy, Min Woo. But heres the catch, she can only keep him for 18 months. Then afterwards he is sent to adoption. Seriously she made the right choice. You should see the baby boy (absolutely gorgeous), his always smiling and filled with life. There's also the inmates, each with their own story to tell.
Acting/Cast:
The acting was perfection. Whoever played the role for baby Min Woo is the best! I'm a sucker for babies!
Kim Yoon Jin is such an azmazing actress. Her betrayal of Jeong Hye is flawless. I could not imagine someone else even playing the role. She's a woman who loves her baby boy above everything and anything. I love her.
Na Moon Hee, Lee Da Hee, Kang Ye Won, Jung Soo Young, Park Jun Myun are all very commendable actresses. There are others as well but their the main ones. Everyone had this atmosphere, where they feed of each others energy. It was amazing!
Music:
*tears* When they all sang together, I felt like angels were singing. Especially the ending songs, I couldn't stop crying. Music is a very important part of this film.
Rewatch:
You must be all wondering why on earth I haven't given a 10 for this. There is only one reason, I don't want to have another cry fest.
Overall:
10/10. What is there more to say. Except GO AND WATCH IT NOW!
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KBS Drama Special 2012: Don't Worry, I'm a Ghost
26 people found this review helpful
While the story is nothing extraordinary, it was pretty engrossing. It was well written and cute overall. It has the right amount of humor and emotions in it. The ending was particularly good. I really wish this was a full length drama. I hope they make something similar because that would be so good!
The actors acted well and the musical score was also good. I really enjoyed watching this and wish that there could be more such kinds of one-episode dramas made. It is really worth a watch. Definitely recommended!
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Extremely satisfied
Honestly I like this story it's like a breath of fresh air, quick and short and yet it's very refreshing. Most historical cdramas are tragic and full of pain and depression. Basically they're not for the faint hearted. Even if I'm a bit "braver" than others. I too get tired of those long, stupid, illogical, time consuming and complicated dramas. Therefore even though their acting and story was generally average. It's worth it especially if you've been watching a lot of historical dramas with unhappy endings.Absolutely recommend, for people like me that is. If you're looking for a drama to relax, chill and cool down from all those other scheming and complex dramas.
Well then this is the drama for you ;)
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A drama that deserves more respect and love.
This drama was full of fantastic stories and great actors, but the romance was not the focus here and that's probably why some viewers felt disappointed - they were expecting a light medical romance. Instead, they got some heart warming family dramas, gritty medical dilemmas and a surprisingly sharp critical insight into the highs and lows of the Chinese medical system.Everything here was expertly done. All the guest actors did an excellent job and the medical cases kept me glued to the screen. The romance wasn't the focus but it was good and left me with a smile on my face. I loved how we got to see the lives of the medical staff, but not to the point that it became a medical soap opera.
If you are looking for a good drama that is full of strong storytelling, this drama is for you.
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Perfect
This is a drama that is performed perfectly by the writers, directors, actors, actresses and all the supporters in this drama.I won't talk about how sad the ending of this drama is, but I will talk about how the production team of this drama packed the storyline from the first episode that made our feelings sway (in a good way). The extraordinary emotional play of the actors made the audience laugh in some scenes, made the audience feel annoyed in some scenes, and made the audience feel deep sadness in some scenes. This drama takes the love story to a higher level compared to other romance dramas that I have watched. I really agree that this drama can match the quality of the Romeo and Juliet story.
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But I just finished all three seasons within 3 days.
It was really inspiring and enjoying to watch how the teacher, Nakama Yukie portrayed, was able to change the student's view on school, live and teachers. I noticed that teachers like her are quite rare (well I don't have one) and I guess that's also a reason to watch this drama because you'll get hope and you'll have your lessons for your live through this drama.
I really liked the chemistry between Nakama Yukie and Matsumoto Jun who portrayed Sawada Shin and I guess I'm not the only one who would have liked it if there was more.
The main teachers and students each got their own episodes in which we get to know more about their background and how they gradually change to the better.
I also liked the close relationship between the main 5 students (including Sawada Shin) and the teacher.
All in one, it was great drama where you learn about the importance of friendship, family and school (If you didn't already know it).
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Our main character Yuan Zhong Xin is a playful cunning street savvy guy, who tends to scheme and compete against Zhao Jian, a proud independent smart girl. They are the kickass otp I've been waiting for, it's so much fun to see two people on the same level, whether against each other or working together. Wang Kuan is also pretty intelligent, but tends to be rather straightlaced. Xiao Jing is a cute innocent girl who's generally the peacemaker, Xue Ying is the simple minded brawns, and Ya Nei is the one with connections. The former three are all smart in slightly different way and devise plans, while the latter three all have their shining moment, and generally follow the plan.
The group go from a ragtag team to slowly getting to know each other, go through life and death and betrayal, to a highly effective team that's always there for each other. It's an incredibly emotionally satisfying journey to watch them grow, the camaraderie is awesome, you can ship any characters you want, since most have some fantastic moments. The supporting characters and antagonists are all very memorable with their share of humanising moments, no matter their allegiance or goals. The antagonists are often temporary due to all the twists, and they tend to be pretty smart, which is refreshing. The familial relationship is incredibly touching as well, like Yuan Zhong Xin's relationship with his brother, Zhao Jian's awesome dad, Lu Guan Nian's mentoring.
The plot is very unpredictable, and this is an original script! Which is so rare in this day of (web) novel adaptations, especially for a historical, and one that's so heavily reliant on a good script. I do think the last two arcs aren't as well done, second last arc have some draggy bits, and the twists could feel little forced at times, while the last arc felt a bit rushed towards the end (There's 5 scriptwriter for the series). That doesn't change that there were a lot of choice dialogues, some awesome ones that still applies today, like Zhao Jian's rather feminist values, or Wang Kuan talking about soft power. It also doesn't lessen the heart of these kids that wants to give their all to protect people they love, and the country they vow to protect.
The filter was a little off-putting at first, since I associated with low budget not very good webdramas, this drama is certainly low budget, but the story and acting was on point! It actually quite fit the bright, idealistic, adventure atmosphere of the drama once you get used to it The costumes aren't necessarily historically accurate, but that's okay, it's an idealistic drama about young people in Song, and they all fit their respective characters, which I liked. The music is pretty decent, the fight scenes is sometimes okay, sometimes really lackluster, but it does add in some unintentional comedy.
If you want a fun adventure drama with a lot of heart, please give this drama a try!
P.S. The original creator wrote an epilogue on weibo after lots of messages were sent his way when the drama finished. This drama actually only cover half of the story (he wrote like rough outline of the story, not a script), but the latter half could be hard to write and get pass NRTA due to what it covers (more politics involving Xia). He's in the middle of adapting a well known wuxia novel, and still have two more project, as well as probably Joy of Life s2 now that s1 seems to be doing pretty well. Anyways, I'll spoiler the gist of the short epilogue in the comments for those that finished the drama and need it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Alternatively titled as: We've Got The Best Bromance!
It's been a couple of days since I completed watching Goblin and might I just say am so not over it. I've been reading a lot of its reviews, stalking the fuck out of Lee Dong Wook and basically just obsessing over this one a little too late. I usually try to stray clear of fantasy genre but I hate that I didn't give this one a chance sooner. It's like one of those overly popular dramas that have got the mainstream vibe to it because almost everyone has watched it already and I guess now I know why.I've got so many things on my mind regarding the series, the good things and the bad ones too that it's a bit hard to formulate them properly into words so I'll probably just rant my way out.
Starting off, Goblin was an extremely whimsical watch to say the least.
The first few episodes were absolutely breathtaking with immaculate cinematography both in the historical flashbacks and in current timeline, interesting choice of characters and plot will force you deeper into this drama, and once you're in well, there's no going back thereafter.
The plus point of the drama was definitely its character interactions with underlying but hugely effective humour. I personally prefer things to be serious and funny both at the same time, too much of just one set of emotion gets boring for my attention span. So needless to say Goblin nailed this one requirement of mine perfectly.
Each and every character dealt with the other in such a playful and satisfying way for most part of the series that I couldn't help but connect with them on a deeper, more intimate level.
That said, don't even get me started on the (b)romance between the Goblin and Grim reaper, probably the best I've seen yet (that says a lot considering bromance is a fairly common trope in K-drama world) they were just so entertaining together that at one point I was just watching the drama, waiting to get a glimpse of their quirky interactions (which were a lot thankfully). So if anyone asks me why I loved this drama as much as I did, I'll gladly put my hand on my heart and just think of all the cheeky moments between these two extremely good looking hunks.
Now coming to the romance, I found the story of Grim Reaper and Sunny a lot more captivating and emotionally investing than the protagonists despite the limited screen time. Not to belittle the leads or to say they were lacking or anything, they were good too in their own way. While the Reaper and Sunny had a heavy hot dose of chemistry sizzling through; the Goblin and his bride were the cutesy heart fluttering couple. The show got a lot more interesting seeing these two romantic parallels unfolding side by side. Not to mention the very evident age gap didn't bother me at all, if more I found it quite endearing and romantic since one of the involved party was a lonely immortal being while the other was an equally lonely but warm hearted magical soul. So whatever works for them in this life and after am all for it without any second thoughts whatsoever.
As much as I was intrigued by the plot and the never ending suspense of how things were going to pan out in the end, the last few episodes were a let down as compared to the heavy plot build in the previous ones. While the story went a full circle it failed to actually make sense. The logic and reasoning shredded into nothingness just like how Goblin was supposed to? But after a short amount of separation he reappeared as if nothing happened only god knows how (pun intended). Many other plot points came off as mere convenience which I possibly couldn't ignore at the end. The story of the Reaper got a whole lot diverted and complicated but I suppose it's a given since rounding up a fantasy takes an even more fantastical on the spot thinking. The writers could have done better because the plot turned out to be a sore spot for this one for sure.
Focusing on the actors, obviously they did a fine job on this one. The emotion transitions were perfect, the comic timing even more so and the inner turmoil in each of the 4 leads was something I actually felt and sympathised with especially in the case of Reaper's identity revelation. Lee Dong Wook has got me spellbound and am probably off to binge watch on his other remaining dramas.
Last but definitely not the the least. The OSTs! Oh my lord the OSTs are so on point in every damn scene and the fact that I absolutely love every one of them tunes (still humming round and round) is something that happens rarely.
So if you're looking for a feel good, fanciful world with beautiful and funny people roaming about it, be sure to delve into this one, if you haven't already.
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In particular, the cinematography is rock solid. The shots inside the Kurosawa house are some of the most gorgeous and use interesting angles to bring out the dark veil hanging over the place. Beyond those deliberately called attention to by the story, decorations and objects often appear in the same frame as characters--acting as mute symbolism for the person or their situation. This aspect is easy to miss the first time around and is a good reason for a re-watch. Some viewers might find them unsettling or even irritating, but occasionally disturbing clips and images appear between stops in the action. I find them instrumental to the feel of the story.
Music is also masterfully utilized, with the orchestrations displaying delicious moodiness. Vocal tracks will be easily recognized by most everyone, as the bulk of them are classics. The lyrics of these songs (like Paint it Black by The Rolling Stones or Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit) could not have suited the situations they were used in better. Honestly, the first time Paint It Black played over a scene, goosebumps came. I also need to give a special mention to the sound effects team, because sometimes a noise would halt the music. For instance, when Isao is talking to Mitsuru at the bar, the sound of his glass settling on the table signals an eerie silence.
All of the brothers were played well, each actor filling their role believably. If I had to pick a favorite though, Ichihara Hayato would win the contest by miles. His portrayal reminds me of a tragic hero from a Gothic romance, tortured and barely keeping it together; but on the outside he's everything you'd want your son to be, handsome, elegant, and successful in his career. Ichihara-san is especially good at acting with his eyes and often made incredible blocking choices in his scenes. It'll be a blessing if he can get more meaty roles like this; he's a magnetic presence on the screen. On the other side of the spectrum is the cartoon-ish detective, who unfortunately was present during all of the scenes inside the interrogation room. His voice drove me crazy, because he kept speaking in this strange purr that sounded more suitable for a villain in a child's anime.
I'll end by saying that while this is a story of pain, abuse, and ultimately murder, it's an easy watch...if you can handle that. The episodes are short and hook you in, especially if this genre is your bag. If you're anything like me, you'll end up eager to get to the end and watch most of it in one go; once you're there, you might just not see the end coming.
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I think Ishihara Satomi was spectacular as Konno Ecchan. She has that bubbly personality that fits the character. Her laughs always made me laugh, they are so silly and contagious. Her clothes were beautiful and fit her like glove. I love the various hairstyles and accessories she wears throughout the episodes. Since I am a huge fan of nail art, I was a bit disappointed to see that her nails were simple done, nothing fancy. I get that her character is based on a girl who loves fashion, but it was also a bit unrealistic that she wears a different outfit every day, wears a different piyamas every day, and has a elaborated hairstyle every day. Oh well, at least she repeats the shoes...
But more than anything, I liked how hard she worked (even though Proofreading wasn't her vocation) and how her work inspired her co-workers to give it all. Maybe Proofreading is a bit tedious, and I don't think it involves all the research they did, but I wanted so much to work in that Editorial, it looked so much fun. Reading books and researching, to check that all facts were correct. With a calm work group and a nice boss. What more to ask??
There is more romance than I thought it would be, but I wouldn't watch this for it (in my humble opinion, I think she falls for the wrong guy...not that he is a jerk, quite the contrary, he is the nicest, but she has more chemistry with another guy). The beauty of this show is the characters and the the motivation to and for work.
I loved the OP sequence and song, catchy and fun and kinda girly.
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