This review may contain spoilers
The first good point about the story, it's the fact that it really start at the first minute of the first episode. Don't say : "I'll watch the first 10 minutes now and then I'll watch the rest after work if I find it interesting", because you'll end up skipping work...Then, you get to know the characters, and each and every one of them have a real personality, so you can be sure you will be moved by at least one of them. All the characters are slowly evolving during the drama, in a quite subtle way. I gave the story a 9 because I felt it was sometimes a little too slow.
Personally, I was really impressed by the two lead's acting performance, as well as the second male lead (while the second female lead's acting was so average it made me drop a point in my review). Thanks to their acting, you really beleive in the story, and in the characters.
Finally, I'll talk about the music : I just love it. My special award is for the song "Gu Rae Do"(Nevertheless) by Soo Ji, and its instrumental version which were so beautiful and unique they became a real plus to the drama.
Oh and, no spoiler, but I love the ending. I won't say if it's a bad or good one, but I just think this story deserved that kind of ending.
This drama is really worth watching, and I hope you'll enjoy it too!
That's the end of my review, hope it's been helpful.^^
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Put the remote down and walk away...
First off, let me say that I LOVE Dilraba - she's probably my all-time favorite Chinese actress! This series was so tough for me to watch and stay interested. I lost interest half way though as the storyline became stale and blah. The 4.5 stars are mostly for the Jay Walk Studio actors. The chemistry between Dilraba and Vic Chou was horrific, and often times unbearable to watch - I think it may be due to the age difference (and Vic Chou is too old and too feminine to play a lead male role with younger cast - IMO). I'd take back the 50 hours spent watching this if I could.Was this review helpful to you?
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WTF was that ending?
I feel bamboozled, I paid for the Iqiyi subscription to watch this show and I feel like they played with me.I feel like the story was building to something it never reached. During the story the Viewer is taken on a journey with the male lead who is trying to design a robot and the female lead is a streamer working towards a big competition. The issue is we never see them reach their goals. This show could've had 32 episodes so that the viewer could've seen the leads achieve their goals. Instead, they decided to abruptly end at episode 24 without any real conclusion. Yeah the leads are together but the story is unfinished, did the FL make it to the competition? Does the male lead ever reach his goal with the robot? All I can take from this drama is the leads were cute and had a healthy relationship there is no angst or drama just a cute story. Don't look for this story to have a resolution or complete ending because it doesn't, it's so weird.
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Once in a very long while, the stars align to create truly transcendent art on screen. "Goblin" is an example of this, as the maturation of talented writer Kim Eun-Sook blends with nuanced directing, breathtaking cinematography and the formidable acting skills of Gong Yoo and the rest of the stellar cast.
This is great art and great television, regardless of the country of origin. That is not to minimize the South Korean expertise that created it, but simply to avoid the sometimes- backhanded compliment of "great...for a KDrama." It's just great TV, full stop.
I've watched KDramas for about a decade, and this one is the best I've seen. Highly recommended, not just for drama fans, but for all fans of quality cinematic art around the world.
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Just feels right
Everyone is cute, (almost) everyone is nice, no horrible horrible angst, just a bunch of lovely and brave kids growing up and turning into adults. It's relaxing, the friendship is solid even when there is obvious romantic feelings budding and there is no awkward second hand embarrasment for us viewers. The acting feels natural, nothing over the top, and the main couple is just adorable. ML and SML have this weirdly nice husky voices that I enjoy a lot. The FML makes sense most of the time. The only thing I find annoying is when they switch Bull's Nikon camera to Canon.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
NOT ME IS A SERIES ECHOING THE VOICES OF MANY
Not me is an absolutely stunning series focusing on the underlying real-life issues of how powerful people use their power for corrupt practices. The series is more of a plot-driven with elements or themes focusing on action, politics, social problems, thriller along with the BL romance. If you love series that mainly focus on the story and character then you are at the right place, romance is like a treat that you will find along the way. Also, you are not going to find a fluffy romance here.STORY
The story sequence of the series is mainly focused on the individual motive of the characters which pushes the events in the story. Not me has successfully portrayed the voice of the youth demanding justice due to their broken system. I loved the portrayal of all the energy of the students demanding an explanation and transparency of their government. " The power of Unity" is echoed throughout the series making it a remarkable and meaningful series to watch. The symbolism of White and Sean holding hands under the Pride Flag in the parade was so powerful and emotional that it literally gave me goosebumps. I think it was probably one of the most powerful scenes in the series. The discussion on politics, law, and crime, and art is something that makes an audience more interested in the series. I personally like that they kept the romance slow burn, This was befitting for the series like 'Not me'. You get a pure example of how circumstances bring together people of diverse notions. I found the ending to be good and justified. Not me has taken on the example of Tawi to show us that there are several powerful people like him who take advantage of their power. Even in the end the fate of Tawi remains undetermined and is left for the audience to interpret its actual ending.
ACTING/CAST
Off has done a remarkable job in portraying Sean. I have been watching his series since SOTUS and one has to applaud for his immense improvement in his acting. Gosh, his acting was so freaking powerful that his expression was enough to convey his emotions.
Gun never disappoints in whatever role he has been given, but I guess he broke his own record by playing Black and White. The transition of his portrayal in playing both of the characters on the same screen was hair-raising. Personality-wise I like White more than Black, but I like watching Black more because I have never seen Gun playing such a character.
First is an immensely talented actor, even as a supporting cast he dominated his role in such a way that it left a deep impression on me.
Gawin did such a great job in portraying Dan, since the beginning, his eyes showed so much emotion, I could from the very beginning understand that he is portraying someone with huge guilt weighing him down.
The chemistry between both the main and side couples was amazing. I am glad that both the couple got a happy ending. Towards the end, I was so devasted to know that Dan had betrayed the gang but then he was helpless in that situation, and with no way out he had to follow his superior's instructions. It absolutely broke my heart when Yok comes to know what has happened at that point, his expression of hurt was so on point that even I cried along with him. I would also like to point out the friendship between Yok and Sean, It was well played out that you can't help but smile at how much they care for each other.
OST
I want to know who was in charge of selecting OST for the series. Each and every OST never failed to echo unexplainable emotions within me and it only made me draw more towards the series.
REWATCH VALUE
The direction, visuals, storyline, and acting are enough to tempt me to watch the series again.
Overall NOT ME is a series that left a deep impression on me by successfully conveying powerful messages and symbolism.
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Dethrones Love O2O and Put Your Head On My Shoulder as my favorite RomCom!
I almost didn't watch this drama based on some negative comments and also the first 2 episodes had a rocky start, but once episode 3 hit and our leads finally interact via the game I was hooked. This drama is one of the funniest ones I've watched in recent memory. I was cackling nearly every single episode. I loved Lu Jing's roommates. Not a single brain cell between them and I love them for it. The gaming scenes were my favorite. Great CGI and funny interactions between our two leads. It made me excited to see what would happen when Lu Jing realizes who he's been gaming with. One thing I did not expect going into this was our main cp's chemistry. When I tell you that it was SCORCHING HOLY SHIT. Lin Yi has such a baby face but he amped up the sexual tension once he and Liang Chen finally meet in person. WHO TAUGHT THIS XIAO DIDI HOW TO KISS LIKE THAT??? He looked like he wanted to gobble Liang Chen during every scene. I was literally hiding behind my hands and giggling because I couldn't handle how sensual it was. Their first kiss had me in hysterics. Their first time in bed had me on the floor. I would say this drama is a must watch based on the two lead's chemistry alone. It's well worth it. I loved most of the supporting characters. The only things I didn't like were Jia Yun and the Ma Shan Shan/Taro relationship. Jia Yun creeped me out. He wasn't crossing any boundaries but the way he would try and reign in Liang Chen at times just put me off. I wish the writer's had axed this love triangle because he is way too old for her. His style of dress and speaking doesn't help either. Ma Shan Shan I also had issues with. I get she suffers depression due to her past relationship but she was so damn boring. I fast forwarded through most her scenes. And don't even get me started on her relationship with Taro. He really creeped me out in the beginning, too. He never respected her boundaries, borderline stalking her, wouldn't take no for an answer, etc. I wasn't rooting for them at all. They did grow on me a smidge at the end, but I wasn't invested in them at all. Over all, this drama is simple, romantic, and makes you smile. The plot isn't complicated, the leads shine with every scene they're in, and it's hilarious. No miscommunications or petty breakups for drama in the relationship, which I appreciated. The drama has a slow start and some may find the constant near misses of Liang Chen and Lu Jing frustrating, but if you can look past that and just buckle up for a fun ride, then it's well worth the time to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
If you want to watch a historical drama with many funny moments and no tragedy then this is a good watch. I liked the dialogues in this movie, worth reflecting on.
Not many romantic scenes, but enough to keep you happy.
The whole cast did a great job! Lee Seungi was perfect as usual <3
I liked the interaction between Lee Seungi & the other astrologer lol it was hilarious
I especially liked the progress of the story, was well balanced. Even though I have watched many historical dramas I could enjoy it because of its interesting storyline.
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In a word, Switch is exceptional and definitely the biggest surprise of 2018. I normally do not write reviews, but I want other K-drama fans to see this show so that it can get the attention and viewership that it deserves. The writing, acting, and cinematography are phenomenal. I would recommend this drama to everyone who enjoys an intelligent, exciting, and creative show that will keep you guessing until the very end.
But let’s start with what I didn’t like. You have to suspend your disbelief during certain parts, and a couple of the plot devices are not 100% airtight. Also, there seemed to be more names to keep track of than in most shows. That is about it for the negatives.
While no script is perfect, the highlight of this drama is the writing. The plot is like a fast-paced chess game. I love shows that are plot-driven and have great characters, and Switch does not disappoint. The plot is unpredictable, and deception abounds. I can tell that the writer is smart because the script is thoughtful and shows attention to detail. In fact, some of the plot twists and cons are simply brilliant. I typically expect dramas to begin to lag around episode 12 or so, but Switch had excellent pacing and never lost my interest. The ending was so good that it gave me chills.
The awesome and memorable cast of characters was another key part of this drama’s success. It was a joy to watch the interactions between the crafty Sa Do Chan and the upright, driven Prosecutor Oh Ha Ra. The protagonists were people I really wanted to root for, but the antagonists were also impressive thanks to their brains and resources. Heroes and villains were well-matched, and it was hard at times to know who had the upper hand. The con team deserves a special mention for being hilarious and providing lots of light moments throughout the show.
I was unfamiliar with most of the cast before starting Switch, but I was blown away by the acting. They got the facial expressions, demeanor, and emotions exactly right. Han Ye Ri is perfect for her part, as is Jung Woong In. Jung Woong In was great in I Hear Your Voice and My Sassy Girl, but Switch is his strongest performance. Jang Geun Seok similarly did very well in his demanding role, and he had excellent on-screen chemistry with Han Ye Ri.
As for the overall production, I liked the camerawork and editing. I have no idea how they shot some of the more complex scenes (you’ll see what I mean if you watch the show), but I was seriously impressed. The scoring is also perfect. The OST features a range of instrumental and vocal tracks, including some that would be right at home in a spy film. Switch is one of the few dramas where I would listen to the entire soundtrack on its own.
In short, a wonderful and endlessly entertaining show. Switch is a truly exceptional production that should not be missed.
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This review may contain spoilers
A light easy to watch coming of age romance
The core of this show is two young teenage university freshman dealing with their respective struggles that stems from previous trauma and how their actions and words or lack thereof affect other people. I found the conflicts that arose very understandable and true to character and importantly it's dealt with within the narrative for character growth.Daonuea is the art student and extrovert of the two whose cuteness and charm stems from how friendly he is and gets along with everyone. Kluen who plays sports is the introvert and he's shown to genuinely not understand certain kinds of social communication as the show progresses. He reads as socially awkward but is not outwardly noticeable because he's handsome and surrounded by outgoing people, so they just assume he's cool.
The story starts off with Daonuea whose primary experience with love is being seemingly rejected by Kluen so he wants to avoid him. I really like that he easily becomes himself around Kluen once it's clear their scholastic activities keep them together for a while. This leads him to not want to hurt others as he himself was hurt so this causes complications when he has to deal with rejecting his own suitors.
Kluen does everything he can to spend time with Daonuea coming from the school of thought that actions speak louder than words though he learns that words is also important to speak along with the actions. I quite enjoy the acting of Dunk who plays Daonuea. It's his first role and quite close to his real life personality. He's very natural and effervescent on camera. Joong who plays Kluen does well in communicating with his eyes and little detailed actions. The music is pleasant and the show overall is easy to watch.
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EPISODE 1 "T": after watching it I was like "whaaaat wait what is this?". it's about a transgender girl who has sex with a random guy met at a party, who the morning after steals her motorcycle. Then she meets a friend from high school who helps her look for the motorcycle but they have sex (damn why is my life so plain), even if the guy has a girlfriend. Then they see the guy that she met the day before and she slaps him. End. Good acting, confusing plot.
EPISODE 2 "B": the one I was looking forward to, since I'm a bi girl myself. But I ended up disappointed. This girl is in a relationship with another girl, but she meets a guy, they kiss and the girlfriend sees them. This was based on the stereotype that "if you're bi, you'll surely betray your lover". But it is not true. On the other hand, the acting was pretty good.
EPISODE 3 "G": the one I liked the least actually. It's about a group of gay friends who knew each other because they all were in a relationship (in the same time, yes) with a guy named Joe. One day, one of them announces he's been in a relationship with Joe for more than 5 months and they're marrying soon. But then he promises to not marry him and the ending was quite confusing. I didn't like it that much, the acting was not that good.
EPISODE 4 "L": the best out of the 4! A girl who works as an assistant producer meets this actress, whom she helps to practice the scripts. Then they kiss. The two lead actresses are really good and had a great chemistry. The thing that disappointed me a bit was the sad ending, but I still really enjoyed it and I could watch it over and over again!
Overall, not bad, it's the first time I see something about a transgender person and a bisexual person and I still enjoyed it. Recommended if you have a spare evening and don't feel like watching a movie.
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So Ji Sub and Shin Hyun Joon, what more could a viewer possibly ask for? I’m so glad, genuinely glad that I waited 7 years to watch this! Why? Because it made me appreciate it even more than I would have back then considering that NONE of the recent dramas could ever match up to. We tend to value things more if we know it’s no longer available and is no longer easy to get by, thus I value this drama very much now.
Let me say this, a huge part of this review is dedicated to SJS's and SHJ's phenomenal performance! Because with all do respect to the very well-written story, those two wonderful men will steal you from the very first scene before the story gets to take a place! Their chemistry, is simply breathe-taking and heart-wrenching at the same time!
SJS’s trademark is his “sad eyes” and people have known it since I Am Sorry, I Love You (and what a trademark it is!) Trust me it is not easy to show such a sincere sad eyes like he does when he acts. His “sad” act, his crying scenes…he looks so damaged and destroyed it looks so real that you’d lose where you were at when you watch him act. His sincere-heartfelt act changes the “too overused” plots into a piece of art and a classic one even if it is a 10/20 years old. If you want to truly "feel" SJS, it has to be I Am Sorry I Love You and Cain and Abel.
Cho In has became my favorite character for SJS because he is a warm-hearted decent person, with cute smile and soft voice. This character has allowed SJS to show different side of him, different expressions… mixture of many expressions that I’ve seen for the first time while watching him. I loved Cho In’s kindness, naivety, innocence, sweetness, softness and vulnerability.
If SJS’ Cho In is half the reason why I loved this drama, Shin Hyun Joon ‘s Sun Woo is definitely the other half! This is the 2nd time that this man pushes me to tears (first time was in Stairway To Heaven). His portrayal of the antagonist is simply majestic and too beautiful to be put in words. Sun Woo is definitely a worthy rival of the great Cho In.
The story is very well written plot-wise and character wise. It struck me as slightly slow and scattered in the first episode, but things quickly gathered together and progressed in a way that really draws in the viewer. The characters and settings that were introduced kept things new and exciting without being overwhelming or hard to follow. I especially appreciated Young Ji because she was flawed! But not in ways I found to be cliché. She felt real to me! Which something I don’t normally see when it comes to the main female character especially this genre.
I have always for *some reason* thought that this is a revenge-themed drama but to my surprise this drama had so much more to offer other than plain revenge and for a revenge drama fan such as myself I still loved it very much, that didn't disappoint me at all, so kudos to the writer!
The OSTs are wonderful, the painful lyrics make the drama even more sad which contributes very well to the story. I loved it.
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Though predictable, this is one of the better BLs
Maybe I'm a sucker for a predictable, cute story line, but I was just grateful this actually had a reasonable plot and didn't involve dysfunctional relationships. The actors did very well. The story was cute and believable. The relationships felt realistic and I genuinely wanted the characters to be happy. Yes, there was the misunderstanding each other trope and it did go a bit far, but compared to some recent BLs I have been watching, I found this incredibly refreshing and heartwarming. I am already invested in the spin off "Sky In Your Heart," sight unseen. The OST was good, though nothing outstanding, it hit all the right notes. It's a love story, start to finish, so their isn't much for a deeper plot, but it's cute and fluffy.Bottom line: If you're in the mood for a cute love story with some heartfelt moments that will make you cry (or smile dreamily), this is the story you are looking for. As a side note, this show doesn't veer off into porn territory, so it's appropriate for a younger audience, which will be a plus for some BL fans.
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This review may contain spoilers
Bluest May
PLOT.I started watching this drama knowing it'd be a really tragic one, and finished watching it bawling my eyes out. I probably can't rewatch this drama anytime soon 'cause it was too painful, everything was too much to handle so I must recover first. Sad to know my theories were right since day one, and even sadder because most of it probably happened irl. I hate Heetae's father so much, he wasn't human istg. Many of us saw it coming but thank God it was still possible to laugh throughout some episodes. Ngl, there were moments where I coudn't dare to feel a bit of happiness watching the episodes since I knew it was just a warm breeze before the cold storm. Youth of May is a great drama to bring awareness as it was extremely realistic, and it definitely left a giant impact on me.
CHARACTERS.
- Hwang Hee Tae & Kim Myung Hee:
They deserved WAY better, life was immensely unfair and cruel to both of them. Sometimes I just wished Heetae would stop talking so much to refrain getting on his devil father's uglier side. On the other hand I also wanted to see a less sour and regretful relationship between Myunghee and her father. She had a whole life ahead of her with so many dreams, it was really sad.
- Lee Soo Chan & Lee Soo Ryun:
I felt bad for Soochan, he wasn't a bad person. He didn't care Myunghee was poor, instead he admired her for being so strong. He tried helping her out as much as he could despite knowing how much she loved Heetae. He had yet to find a way to live after feeling guilty. Sooryun started the drama as a revolutionary rich girl who wanted to fight and protest, but was way too comfortable inside her bubble. She had a good character development imo. Almost too late but she got out of her comfort zone even being scared of the consequences of her doings.
- Hwang Ki Nam & Kim Hyun Cheol:
It's just unbelievable how cruel and heartless Kinam was to his own family. He even killed Heetae's best friend, what a monster. What goes around comes around but unfortunately his younger son suffered the same fate as his childhood friend/neighbor. Hyuncheol's entire family was destroyed by Kinam, that's too much. As I said above, I really wanted to see him and Myunghee getting back on track somehow. He also deserved better.
CAST.
Hands down to everyone involved into this project. Everyone's acting was on point, I was left empty on the inside many times but I could be comforted as well somehow. Both Go Minsi and Dohyun nailed their lead roles! The two kids who portrayed Heetae's and Myeonghee's little brothers did a pretty good job. Also, last but not least: Won Young Choi was awesome as Heetae's older version. I could see the younger one there for sure.
COLORS & OST.
Wah, such beautiful sceneries! I really appreciate how well they used the color scheme to create the whole atmosphere from the 80's. They delivered that nostalgic vibe perfectly here so I have at least 3-4 songs I really really like! The ost will be even more heartbreaking to listen to once you finish watching it.
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Well executed revenge drama - highly recommend to watch!
I'm not usually a fan of Ch7 lakorns as I find previous ones to come across very 'nam nao', which basically translates to trashy or a drama with no real substance filled with bad acting. So when I saw the trailer for Fah Mee Tawan, it peaked my interest as i'm a sucker for a revenge lakorn! I started watching this with no expectations or preconceptions, and i've not watched a lakorn with neither of the two leads before. The director is the same one from Nang Rai, which was imo a complete mess. I dropped that as it was too OTT and frustrating to the point where the storyline became nonsense. Boy, he turned it right around on Fah Mee Tawan as this was a surprising hit in my books. It's one of the better lakorns that I've seen in a long time, i'm super impressed by it and i've watched A LOT over the years. It was well executed from start to finish, let me explain why.The main focal point of the lakorn is based on Paul's thirst for revenge and the constant battle he goes through to see it through to the end against his emotions of gaining acceptance and love from his estranged father. I would say that the romance storyline is secondary here, but there are still plenty of 'will they or won't they?!' scenes between the leads to keep you on the edge of your seat. The director has cleverly built up the romance over each episode to keep you invested in the developing relationship of Paul and Nai. Every episode served a purpose and the storyline was not rushed nor was it dragged out for too long neither. Surprisingly, I did not find myself skipping any scenes which I often have a habit of doing. I found the production of the lakorn to be of a high calibre, and had a very 'cool kdrama' vibe to it. There were a few typical lakorn traits where you will end up feeling frustrated at certain characters but nothing was too overly dramatic which I can appreciate.
The cast and acting was 10/10. Donut and Prapye did not come to play about! These two are some great examples of fresh new talent for ch7. But, Donut emerged as the real star of Fah Mee Tawan, as he was spot on in capturing Paul's complex character. He had many emotional scenes and you could vividly feel his pain, his long kept anger and the angst that he was trying to portray. He is a natural on the screen, and I hope ch7 continue to give him more grown up roles as he has excelled in this. The chemistry him and Prapye had was SO good and believable, the tension was steadily building between them from Ep1. Even though the romance is a slow burner, but it was very satisfying when you reached its conclusion and could scream YASSS! And there are some real hot kisses ;) I'm sure they are now a koojin and hope they will be paired together in another lakorn soon. I was unsure of Nai's character at first, as she came across as a weak and submissive FL but this was all part of her character development because in the end, she is the most reasonable character with a genuine heart. P'Jeab as the nang rai/evil adoptive mum was fantastic, her facial expressions were on point! I've never seen her in this type of role before, as in real life, she's very sensible and soft. The support cast were also funny and cute to watch as they added light humour to the storyline.
It's also a major plus for me that Paul's character was not an power trip abuser, and did not ever use sexual force or rape to gain the upper hand over Nai. It's important for Thailand to stop glamorising rape culture in their lakorns. It is not okay and should not be used for entertainment purposes. I enjoy a lil slap/kiss but within reason. Fah Mee Tawan had the perfect balance of the love/hate relationship between the leads. Although, I wish there had been a bit more romance/playful scenes between them, there were a few opportunities to take advantage of this which was shut down swiftly. Lastly, the OST has one of my faaaaav songs, 'Foon' by Big Ass. This bring back memories from my teens!
You will not be disappointed as this lakorn exceeded my expectations, thank me laters and go watch FAH MEE TAWAN now!
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