Reviews

A TV drama with a dragging storyline, but still worth watching

This has been the longest K-Drama I've watched, the last one being My Only One and Queen Seonduk. I originally planned to watch all 103 episodes in about 2 weeks, but managed to finish in just 5 days. I must admit that in the beginning, I got really annoyed on how the story is dragging especially on the mid part, but I've grown to like it until the last episode.

This is a "makjang" drama. Main plot twists are quite predictable, especially the main character's arc. But what makes a makjang drama effective is not just a great storyline and script, but also having superb and amazing actors to pull off such story.

Park Ha Na and Wang Bit Na are truly amazing in this drama. Kyung Hye (Wang Bit Na) is the character I'm attached the most. Kyung Hye somewhat reminds me of another Wang Bit Na's character Boo Young in the period drama Hwang Ji Ni. Both characters started off as villains, but eventually became the likeable ones towards the end. It is no wonder that both Park Ha Na and Wang Bit Na won awards for playing Se Yeon and Kyung Hye, with Ha Na winning the Best Actress in a Daily Drama award and Bit Na winning the Top Excellence Actress award back in 2018.

Can I also say that Kyung Hye and Se Yeon's affection towards each other is lowkey gay? To be honest, Se Yeon and her boyfriend Jae Jun have no chemistry at all, but Se Yeon and Kyung Hye? I ship them like the Titanic. I prayed hard they'd end up together, but the writers decided to make them straight and that's very disappointing. I've read somewhere that the writers might be testing the waters by writing such characters to see if Korean audience is ready and accepting. But man, international audience is thirsty and dying.

103 episodes could be too much but hey, it's not bad especially when you're under quarantine. I recommend this drama.

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A good way to finish 2021

Even if the story is a little bit surrealist, it’s a really good drama. The cast is great, really loved Jenna and Jihan’s actors !!! Every member of Cotton Candy is played well, and the characters are really touching. I cried a lot in this drama. I think the story of a failed idol group is original and a so good idea ! The songs are incredible, so much good work ! The production is really good as well. The little romance between the director and Jenna is sweet but it don’t take much place, I think it’ s a good choice from the scenarist. I want a second season !!!! Worth to see !

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The title angel revenge revenge is perfect for this series. This was 103 episodes. Of those about 99 were trying to get revenge. If you’re into revenge dramas you make like this. The acting was good and there was always something going on that kept you engaged. The only thing that I didn’t like was the length. Again, the show was okay but due to my personal preference I’m 50/50 on this one. #1 I’m not a fan of drawn out dramas #2 I absolutely dislike dramas that have drawn out reveals and I mean drawnnnn out. Literally took 90 episodes for everyone to know the truth. 90 out of 103 is too much secret. #3 that sacrificial breakup and the rushed ending of togetherness. #4 relationships built of deceit changes everything which is boring and makes the previous episodes somewhat obsolete. No rewatch value here.

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Relatable Stories, Life Lessons + Beautiful Scenery

This is my first time writing a review about a drama-- I just felt the need to share how beautiful this was.

I watched this with no expectations whatsoever, and after having finished it I can say YOU HAVE TO WATCH! The story of course follows Jia Jia and her journey rediscovering herself in the countryside (which is also something I haven't seen any other drama do)
But it also shows us the side characters and what they went through. Each story was gorgeously depicted both through script and visuals, it can make you cry, laugh etc. Overall, this series was very comforting not only because it is very relatable, but it can teach you a lesson every time!

Alsooo something I really enjoyed was that at the end of each episode there's a brief round of interviews with real people and their opinions about the things that the characters went through which in quite interesting :))

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This drama , misuzu kaneko monogatari was AMAZING. Honestly I think that whenever I will think about it I will cry… I was so deeply shocked by how amazing aya’s acting as Misuzu Teru was… honestly she nailed the role and her crying scenes were the best i have ever watched. I felt so conflicted whan watching it the whole plot is sad, it has something optimistic to it yet I cannot help but cry. Misuzu’s story is really shocking. her acting as a mother was amazing…Even the bad person in this guy acted so well that my hatred for him was too strong. It has been a long time since I had so much strong feelings after watching a drama. Some scenes were heartbreaking to the point that i could not stop crying throughout the drama. Bonus for this drama is the pure poetry of Teru. If you want to see a drama that is worthwhile then definitely watch this. I guarrantee it is not a waste of time. As a drama it has the 2nd place now in my top 10.

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Wow, that was good...and I mean really good. Well, not really good, but it was pretty decent.

This is the kind of horror movie that everyone would enjoy watching.
It had a good story, great acting, pretty good music, and a cool ending.

The characters were good, but I didn't really 'like' all of them. They're not really the kind of characters you would 'like'...You'll understand what I mean if you watch the movie.

Anyway, "Infection" turned out to be completely different than from what I expected.
It was thrilling and fast-paced, so I was really excited while watching it. The gore was just wonderful...well...er...I don't really know if it can be called 'gore'...Haha. Once again, watch the movie so you'll be able to understand what I'm saying.

Either way, I really liked the story, and I enjoyed almost every minute of this movie, so...I recommend "Infection" to people who want something fast-paced, with action, 'gore', and thrills.

Hope my review was helpful~

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After a long time of watching this, and finishing it, I am finally writing a review of this drama. here we go:

Story: 8/10
Basically a woman who is probably in her late 30's who wants a divorce from her rich husband, who is committing adultery. Then she goes on and try to pursue her dream and do what she wants: create a rock Madonna band with other ahjumma friends. Then she meets a guy who also helps her and the story goes on as she struggle with the problems with the divorce case and the issues within the band.

Acting/Cast: 8/10
The acting was okay in here. But the thing that helped was the characters of the story. Especially Seol Hee. In the beginning we were shown a woman both weak and strong. A woman who obviously was not shy to show her miserable crying face to her husband, trying to make him to divorce her indirectly. We are shown someone who is hanging by an edge, keeping her composure though she is struggling deep inside. & btw, her fashion. Then we have the husband and the woman he is having an affair with. They didn't shine that much in the story as the main character, but they did a good job at not being shameful at what they were doing and making the audience hate them. Though the husband did finally serve a purpose toward the end a bit. They we have the other guy, Tae Hyun, which I don't even know if he is actually needed in this drama. Like c'mon, especially the ending serve no purpose in him being in here. THough we know that he is supposedly the love interest for the main girl in the present, .. or in the near future. Then other ahjummas in the band. Just think: Sunny. Yeahh.

Music: 9/10
The best thing of the show. Really. I love the Kim Jun Eun version of 'Million Roses' & 'Genie'. I might be bias since I love rock. It was interesting to see that the band being form and the efforts they put in for the music.

Rewatch Value: 5/10.
Why a 5? Because the story is something I can only go through once. Also, I disliked the ending. Seems like it was rushhed though I rather not go there.

Overall: 7//10.

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"Everything is transactional"

Tokyo Vice was based loosely on the first foreign reporter to work at a prestigious Japanese newspaper. Driven by ambition and a fierce intelligence, Jake Adelstein was determined to be a success. Problems arose quickly as neither his bosses nor the police officers he relied on for information had any use for a Gaijin.

This drama carries the mood of a noir between the lighting and acting. The police accept that the Yakuza aren’t going anywhere and it’s their job to work with them to keep the peace. Deadly problems begin when a gang from out of town seeks to take over another gang’s territory. Jake is slapped down and betrayed repeatedly by the police, his bosses, and the Yakuza often derogatorily called a Gaijin and other racist names. He digs in and finds leads to a series of suspicious suicides. Along the way, he attempts to make a police source out of the handsome and shady Miyamoto. But it is with the righteous and wise Katagiri that he begins to learn more about the criminal world underlying most of the businesses. Jake’s boss, Maruyama Emi, initially resents having to work with him, but slowly learns to respect his desire to uncover what is hidden beneath the police reports. Patronized by the men she works with on and off the paper, Jake treats her with respect and she finds an ally for looking for the truth. Before long, Jake has made friendly acquaintances with two other rookie reporters, a low-ranking Yakuza named Sato, and an ex-pat American with an ambition rivaling his who works as a bar hostess.

The stories in Tokyo Vice were often slow burn but never slow. The people and plots were intricately woven together and took time for the characters to discover who was pulling the strings and why. As one character said, “Everything is transactional.” People used each other for information, power plays, money, sex, and protection. Fair warning, there was no shortage of tattooed and bare bottoms. Speaking of tattoos, there was some spectacular fake ink work on display.

Tokyo Vice benefited from strong performances. Watanabe Ken can always be counted on to deliver a strong performance and he came through here as Katagiri who bravely faced down the Yakuza and also knew when to lay back and set his traps. Katagiri had a gentle side as a devoted father and husband. His home and relationship with Jake reminded me of Shimura's Detective Sato in Stray Dog. Baby Driver's Ansel Elgort, brought a twitchy energy to Jake as the character sought to make contacts and learn the truth of how Tokyo and the newspaper operated. Favors required payment, for some a lie was as good as the truth, and for others, “a path opens to the one who is honest”. Kasamatsu Sho as Sato, gave a nuanced performance as the young Yakuza who came to understand the bloody payments that would be required and also joyfully sang along with the Back Street Boys while driving in the car with Jake. A son, an enforcer, and a lover, a myriad of emotions could cross his face in a matter of seconds.

Answers were hard to come by and season 1 ended with upping the ante for everyone and leaving others in peril. I’m looking forward to where this drama takes me in season 2 if they can sustain the tension and character growth begun in the first season.

10 February 2024

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Captivating, Refreshing, One Of A Kind

This drama was amazing. I wanted to write down all my thoughts about it here, so that you can decide whether or not you want to watch it. Personally, I think it is fantastic and I definitely recommend at least trialling it and it is much shorter than your average kdrama.
The acting was BRILLIANT! I think they cast the right people for these roles. Ji Chang Wook who played his character fabulously! Choi Sung Eun and Hwang In Yeop were also amazing. They could all sing really well too! I feel like I have to mention Hong Jung Min and Nam Da Reum (this guy never disappoints, his acting is phenomenal) too, these guys were also fantastic.
The cinematography was stunning. It truly was food for the eye, they did not disappoint in this area at all!!! Kudos to the special effects team!
The story was good (the message of the drama and its approach to looking at loneliness/stress/pressure/poverty/depression were really good). The only thing I wish they would've added is some romance or something the cast - especially Ji Chang Wook and Choi Sung Eun - had such great chemistry with each other! (I do acknowledge that it wouldn't quite have fit it the age difference between their two characters would've been a bit weird )
The musical element was refreshing - some people thought it was unnecessary and forgotten about half-way through, I thought it added to the magic of the story and was beautiful. I will admit that it did feel a little out of place at some points, but I did love it and the songs were great too. The OST in general was so captivating, whoever composed the musical songs did a great job and the others selected were just as captivating.
I think it was really good for only 6 episodes. But maybe if it had been 8 that could’ve developed Ri Eul and Yoon Ah Yi’s relationship more, there were some sections where I felt that they cut it short.
It did take an unnecessarily darkish turn towards the end (I haven't read the webtoon so I can't compare it to that) and I think they could've gotten the same message across in a different way.
I would have loved it if two characters reunited face to face at the end (if you know you know), but the musical-like ending was really cool :)
You can tell that lots of hard work went into this drama and I think it deserves all the love and attention that it gets. It definitely won’t be for everyone and that's okay, but this drama resonated with me a lot and I think it will with others too. There were a few things I would personally would've changed/added, but they didn't take away from my enjoyment whilst watching the show.
The Sound of Magic made me laugh, cry, smile and I will definitely rewatch it! 100% recommend giving it a try :)
✨annarasumanara✨

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It is the first review I write but this movie deserves it.
First of all, this is a great story that brings to our screens a subject that is still as delicate as homosexuality is, reminding us or showing us how homosexual relationships were before our time and we can see the progress that has been made in society in comparison to that time and the previous ones, but we still have a long way to go.
I want to mention the actors who were each great in their respective performances, especially Ohm and Nott who stole my heart and my tears.
I am a little disgusted that Dew has reincarnated as a woman, but trying to see that the message goes beyond the genre of the characters I could lessen my disgust at this topic, and thinking that perhaps the fact that he had reincarnated as a boy would have caused the greater viewer rejected as it would add homosexuality to the subject of pedophilia and this could have caused a stain on the message of history.
The previous point leads me to the fact that although the story that was transmitted was very beautiful, I want to clarify that I did not like that the relationship between Pohp and Natcha (Reincarnation of Dew) had become somewhat pedophilic. Natcha will reach adulthood and if there they decided to have the end they had or another one they decided, they would have no problem with it.
I reaffirm that I loved the movie that took my heart and was destroyed in a good way because it is a great tragic but beautiful story

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I enjoyed it for what it is.

Overall, I found this short anthology series to be enjoyable for what it is, which is a short collection of different urban legends. Some of the episodes were better than others, Episode 3 is the worst, in my opinion. Some of the effects looked very cheap, most notably in the last two episodes those being: "Threshold" and "Birth".

Nothing in the series is what I would describe as being scary, but the stories were at least interesting. I think my favorites are "Birth" (Ep. 8) and "Dimension" (Ep. 6). Dimension focuses on a popular urban legend, while Birth creates its lore.

When it comes to the sound design/music of this series, I feel like I never noticed much. There was never a sound cue that took me out of the story. I think it is most common in Asian horror to use a lack of sound to create a feeling of unease, which is done here as well.

I enjoyed the series. I will probably sit down and watch it with a friend that has not seen it.

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Very romantic and dramatic - I loved this! Queen for Seven Days is a beautiful historical romance. It's a great love story. After watching it through I read the history behind this and even though I'm sure a lot was embellished, it was even more touching and bittersweet to learn that many plot details actually did happen. The love story wasn't just made up for the drama.



The costumes and actors and cinematography are all really good looking. This is a very pretty drama to watch. There is some political intrigue and a little bit of adventure, but the main focus in this drama is the emotional tension and love story between the heroine and the 2 brothers - one king and the other grand prince. It's developed very well. It really hits all the right notes to make it a very satisfying watch for romance lovers. If you enjoy romantic sageuks like Empress Ki or Scarlett Heart: Moon Lovers, you'd probably really like this as well. Compared to those dramas, I felt this one was more pleasant, less emotionally wrenching and more satisfying overall.



The pacing was mostly good, but I think the setup was a little slow. Once the story is underway when the adult actors take over it goes pretty fast. The actors all do a great job - particularly the 3 main leads. There is a lot of praise for Lee Dong Gun as the king. He's an intriguing villain. But I think the main couple played by Park Min Young and Yeon Woo Jin are lovely together. It's a juicy love triangle. And I love that the main couple are given a decent amount of happy romantic screen time together. Even though there are plenty of tragic obstacles for them, at least their faith in each other doesn't get annoyingly dragged down by misunderstandings or false accusations. It is really touching their love survived all the violence and political struggle of that time. I had my mouth agape and tears streaming down my face during the perfect final episode.



The criticism I have for this drama is that it is peppered throughout with actions that the characters take or plot details that make you think "WHAT?!" or "WHY?!" and make you feel a little frustrated. Certain things seemed that they didn't have to happen that way and just happened for dramatic effect (especially towards the end) or came out of nowhere. But then later I read that most of those things or some version of those things really did happen in real life. So I think I would rate this higher if more attention was given to certain aspects of the story or the politics so I could appreciate what motivated certain characters or events better.



But still, this didn't stop me from really enjoying this drama. Historical dramas - particularly tragedies -tend to let me down big time somewhere along the line, but this is one of the more satisfying and touching ones that I've watched and highly recommend it.

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As soon as I finished the first Let's Eat I immediately started watching Let's Eat 2. I was craving more of what I loved from the 1st season. In some ways my expectations were not met, and in other ways they were exceeded. Although the story continues from where the last one left off, it is like it's own stand alone drama. There are new characters, a new setting, and a much darker mood, but the food theme is still there, and the eating scenes are just as obnoxiously foodporntastic.

Yoon Doo Joon is the only returning cast member, which I had mixed emotions about at first, but since Dae Yeong's food appreciation is still what drives the show, I didn't miss the old cast for long. He's just as weird and quirky as he was in the original, with his signature food rants, and charming knowing smile. This time he is matched with Seo Hyun Jin, who immediately made me forget about the previous leading lady (sorry Soo Kyung but it was time to move on lol). My bias may come from how much I loved her in Another Miss Oh, but with her own stand out quirkiness, her portrayal of Soo Ji is the ideal match for Dae Yeong. So with these two leads, I felt like the romance in this version was much stronger. Of course they also share a true love of food... duh, but their chemistry, even away from a plate of food, was super strong. I was a fan of their food banter, and their friendship.

Like the first one, there is also a new strong ensemble cast, including a new dog. The major difference is that the theme of loneliness and depression in this town is much darker, so the characters aren't as fun. There are still a lot of funny moments, and this is still mainly a comedy, it just has less of a feeling of optimism and discovery than the first one did. These ensemble characters are also much messier. They are petty, they curse, they're self destructive, they're manipulative, they drink too much, they lash out... this also makes them a little more realistic. Watching them bond and create friendship is also similar to the original, but don't expect the same light heartedness.

The only character that I didn't like very much was Kwon Yool as Lee Sang Woo. It's not that he's bad in the role, just... well... kinda boring. I know kdrama romance usually thrives on a love triangle, and in theory this one brings up some interesting dilemmas and dynamics, but he's such a bland choice that it was too easy to not care about or root for him. Even his friendship with Dae Yeong seemed a bit forced, but his social awkwardness also added to the character so I'm torn.  I did like that the love triangle seemed less about who would get the girl, and more about each character's self discovery. There's a lot of self reflection in this drama that I appreciated.

Another formula that the show sticks to is an unnecessary thriller element.  The mystery in this version worked better than in the first version, but that's not saying much. It still felt very contrived, and like just an excuse to add drama to the characters' lives.  Don't even get me started on the older woman neighbor... who had me yelling "mind your own damn business" at the screen multiple times. I don't want to mention any of the details at all, to avoid any spoilers, but it's definitely a weak point for the drama, with a lazy resolution.

Let's eat 2 still absolutely lives up to the title, with gluttonous food scenes, expanding beyond Korean food more often, and inspiring food appreciation.
I think I started to get used to the extreme eating close ups, because they started to feel normal, and it felt like there were less food scenes, but those waiting for these moments won't be disappointed.

Overall,  the formula may not be perfect, but it kept me interested enough to binge watch 2 seasons back to back. That says a lot! Would I watch this again? Maybe. In some ways I enjoyed this one more, but I don't feel compelled to watch it again. I would probably only watch this again as part of a set with Season 1, to get my Dae Yeong fix.

While I still can't claim to be a fan of food-centered shows, I would recommend this one, and will definitely be one of the first people at the table to check out Let's Eat season 3.

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