Reviews

A Rom-Com at its Campy BEST.

I don’t usually write reviews, but this one deserves one. For anyone who dropped this series after one episode, or has not given it a chance, you’re seriously missing out.

First thing to take into account is that this is most definitely a rom com. This is not dramatic in any way unless it’s making fun of drama, or the few wonderfully touching moments it touches on important topics. This is a very campy funny series that doesn’t try to be more than what it is: a story of 4 very “out of the norm” bffs that don’t need to change who they are to get the “big man” on campus.

Unlike the mayority of “ugly duckling” movies and tv shows, here the main lead does NOT change in order to get the hot guy. Toh is who he is and Nuea loves him as he is.

3 of the 4 main group of friends (the boys) all have insecurities (for which they are bullied) that are so well handled: all 3 have different body image issues, Toh not being (traditionally) handsome, Jan for his weight and Daisy’s gender identity.

The mains Nuea and Toh do suffer from a lot of miscommunication early on, as both believe the other is interested in another person, but their communication skills blossom beautifully. I give 10 stars to actors Billy and Seng for the scene near the end when Nuea discovers Toh’s secret boxes. These actors went all out with their emotions and tears.

Actress Looknam (Som) also brilliantly played the scene where Daisy tries to change who she is. Som defines what a true friend and ally is by supporting Daisy’s gender identity while also supporting their decision.

Really, every one of their insecurities are treated so gently and perfectly, and none of them is forced into being something they’re not in order to “get the guy”. The parents are supportive, loving, and flawed in their own ways, but still wonderful.

And the main couple’s chemistry is hot like burning. Nuea looks like he wants to eat Toh alive everytime they kiss, and they kiss a lot. I wish they didn’t pan to the side everytime they got to the sexy times, because with the chemistry between these two, my screen would be of fire.

To say that this show is the best bl series would be exaggerating. But for what it wants to be, a campy rom com, it IS perfect.

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Skip it

I started and stopped so many times to complete this drama. It could be best described as hodgepodge of various genres which was not appetizing at all. It included mystery, crime, romance, friendship, abuse, melodrama, comedy etc but nothing stuck.
I had begin to think that there were only top notch K actors who did excellent job regardless of age, sex, role, screen time etc. however this drama dispelled that illusion. I apologize I could not become a fan of the FL’s visuals. The ML was better tolerated and acted better as well. There was no chemistry between the leads even though there was some excellent script in regards to their banter and a gorgeous scenic view for their first kiss. However my heart did not skip a single beat but instead went into bradycardia. The romantic scenes had them significantly apart with constant smiling at each other with those emotionless, dead eyes. Even when they cried or hugged, I did not feel any emotional tug. The mystery just couldn't keep its tempo or grip because of so many interrupted elements. The background childhood didn’t show much effect on the grown adults due to poor acting skills.
I barely tolerated the side characters which were really really annoying most of the time. The only one I liked and who acted best was the supposed villian.
Not even worth a quick watch. Do your self a favor and just skip it.

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Cringeworthy second couple stealing main couple screentime

LOVE: Yu Mei Ren and her character antics and fashion, Xin xin's acting, the main couple chemistry

HATE: what else if not 2ML and 2FL! They're disconnected from the main couple and steal so much space!

Agree with others, it has become a romance of FOUR little forests. Felt cheated, they uses the main couple for publicity but in secret pushes out a lot of the secondary couple. What kind of shady situation is this? YMR sweet beauty and the main couple chemistry can't save this, even the main couple storyline was a bit too slow burn and going back and forth ffs. It took more than 30 episodes for them to hold hands....really. What a shame, if the writing was better their chemistry could've been more sizzling, still good job to Xin xin and Bin Bin for doing their part to make their chemistry work although the storyline was weak.

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I Can Speak -hell yes she CAN,
The movie starts off as an easy-going narration of a growth of friendship between two characters. It's fun and entertaining, and you can't but fall for those characters. Na Ok Boon aka Goblin Granny is that character that everyone seems to avoid, and is such a pain in the ass for civil workers in particular. Park Min Jae ,a 33-year old civil worker that was assigned to deal with Granny's complaints. Throughout the movie, the relationship between both leads starts growing into something lovely.
The acting was really good, whether it were the main leads of the supporting cast, it was truly fascinating alongside the amazing cinematography and story flow. You won't leave after watching this movie feeling like it was a waste of anything cause it has its own purpose, its own morale, and also an impact on the audience.
Since this is a spoiler-free review, the only thing I can say is the story is definitely not what it seems to be and it has a much deeper meaning, on the more serious wavelength.
Thus, watch it for it will really bring out several different emotions. I did tear up several times, I mean you can't not!!

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One of the saddest kdrama

A drama about the truth of Gwangju uprising. It breaks my heart that this drama happened in real life. The way they treated the people back then.

The story is well writen.
The lives of the two leads is hard. They did everything to be happy together.
Almost every episode makes me cry. Myung Hee experienced a brutal death. They didnt even bury her or tell her family about her. She doesnt deserve that.

Lee Do Hyun's character also breaks my heart. The fact that he doesnt know where to find his woman. He waited alone for 48 years without knowing what really happened.

This drama is one of my fav drama even though I cried a river about the ending.
Prepare a tissue before watching this drama.

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Cruel, Bleak...and Totally Worth It.

Honestly, I hate when reviews rave about a show like it's a life-changing experience. When someone starts throwing around terms like "masters of the craft," "tour de force," and "magnum opus," I usually just roll my eyes and scroll away. So now watch me become a hypocrite and get positively gushy about this drama (almost as gushy as all the stab wounds in this show):

If you are a fan of neo-noir film, this is absolutely a must-watch. Or, if you are simply looking for something different than the typical Kdrama tropes, give this a try. Problems do not get tied neatly with a bow, romance is intense but not the central theme, and characters are painted in shades of grey (rather than obviously good or evil). Yes, you'll have to decide for yourself if you like someone, rather than letting the plot tell you if you should.

Expect atmospheric camera shots and seductive music to frame each scene. It's easy to get drawn into this sordid but glamorous world, where heroes and villains alike will do anything at all to move their own interests forward and protect those closest to them. The characters you despise in the beginning may tug at your heartstrings later on.

Central to all this is Doctor's Son, played with hypnotic finesse by Jung Kyung Ho. I really have not seen an actor play a role quite like this one with such elegance and sex appeal. His character is defined by calculating ruthlessness, but there are glimpses into his emotions that are just as powerful. In different hands, one might wonder how such a cut-throat person is able to consistently gain loyalty and affection from the people around him, but in this performance, it's completely believable. I have seen Jung Kyung Ho in other dramas, so I already knew he's a good actor, but this one was truly captivating. I'd love to see him return to this style in the future.

The other characters are intriguing and well-cast. In my opinion, the standouts were Kim Yoo Mi as Lee Jin Suk and Choi Moo Sung as Safari, but everyone was truly wonderful to watch. The actors brought that special "something" that makes a drama feel alive. I didn't feel like I was watching actors, but rather, real people. One could easily go into a character study for almost of all of them, taking quite some time to break down their motivations and personalities. Don't worry, I won't do that here. I do encourage you, though, to do so yourself as you watch!

I'm sure you've heard other people go on about the music and how great it is. It really is that good. The ending theme gives that strangely pleasant feeling of melancholy. Yet, it's actually the instrumental pieces that give the most sizzle. I would pay good money to have that sexy guitar be the soundtrack to my life. I'm sure everything I did would look about 100x cooler.

So after all that long-winded praise, why did I only give it an 8.5? Let me briefly explain the beefs I had. You read this far, might as well see it through to the end.

Yes, there were some plot holes. I can get past them, but I recognize that the scripting isn't perfect. But seriously, where will you find a show with perfect scripting? Seriously, if you know of one, let me know, because I haven't seen it.

The character of Lee Jin Suk was the character about whom I was the most uncertain as to how I felt. She is portrayed as a loyal and intelligent woman who will fiercely protect those she loves. By the end of the show, I really did care about her and empathized with her pain. But...it was never addressed whatsoever that she was literally an attempted child groomer. In the flashbacks to Doc's childhood, she speaks to him flirtatiously, and at one point even overtly sexually. Once he is an adult, she tells people that he's her boyfriend behind his back. I might have been able to get past this if she had ever apologized to him, but that never happened. Instead, it all seemed to be written in as part of her deep love for him. What? Does no one else find that icky? The other issue I took with her character was that, after fighting tooth and nail to drag herself out of prostitution, she chose to enrich herself by becoming a madam. She even tries multiple times to dissuade Soo Min from working there, as she is fully aware of its horrors. Yet, she has no problem employing other women in that capacity. Why?

I also couldn't understand why they introduced that alcoholic reporter girl as a half-baked attempt to give Ji Hyeong Min a (living) love interest. This woman is fully aware that he is still grieving the loss of his murdered girlfriend, yet she weasels her way into his life by offering tips in his case, some of which turn out to be worthless. They don't even give closure to that relationship in the end. So, why was she included at all?

My other very important and not-at-all nitpicky gripes:
Why are the women always wearing stilettos to scenarios in which they know they'll need to fend off attackers or run for their lives? Why does everyone slam on the brakes so aggressively? And why is Doctor's Son's hair so perfect all the time? Doesn't matter if he's in a knife fight, getting beat up, or having sex, his hair stays gorgeous. Major plot hole, I tell you!

Okay, got all that out of my system. Overall, this was a truly excellent drama. I highly recommend it. Sexy, thrilling, and sometimes brutal, it's definitely for adults. If you're interested in something darker than most Kdramas that still feels human, put this at the top of your list.

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As someone that have finished the novel, throughout watching the drama. There was some changes in the plot which is rather nice to see since it can be seen as a way to hype thing to give somewhat a more realistic feel of the novel. The reason why I rate the acting/cast 8/10 is mostly because of a drastic changes of 2 characters and a few other characters. The 2 characters with the drastic changes in the drama without the doubt is Chen Guo and Bao Zi as Bao Zi isn't really a type of person that actually think before doing thing or capable of thinking alot of difficult which make it abit weird for me to see him as Bao Zi. As for Chen Guo, in novel she isn't really exactly the type that is really thoughtful or likable character since in novel, she usually justified all her wrong doings as Ye Xiu's fault and she's quite a really insensitive person as well with a judgemental view of other at times unlike in drama where she portray a person is really thoughtful and all. Overall I have to say that it was a quite nice to see the drama ver of this novel since it was one of my all time favorite.

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My expectations were so beyond reached

When I started this I didn't think it would be as good as it is.
My expectations were not high but WOW they should have been because this drama was so good!!
I love when romance dramas have a really good plot aside from the romance. All the Ice skating scenes were so epic and I really enjoyed all the competition scenes. SO GOOD.
The music was also so fantastic! Every time "One More Time" came on during one of the training montage scenes I get goosebumps and get sooo pumped up. Love all the characters' relationships. I also really appreciate that there wasn't a big breakup or fight scene between the main couple - usually there are so many of those in dramas and they get so overdone but this drama was so refreshing and didn't have those. Overall I definitely recommend giving it a watch :)

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The Synopsis does a diservice.

The synopsis does a disservice to this wonderful gem. This is a tale about two people at opposite ends of their lives coming together and finding solace through their journey together, Shota who is at the main starting point in his life and Jun-chan who is at the last part of his life both try to runaway from their realities. Shota who for the most part of his life lacked adult guidance, is mature but innocent as a neglected child of that age would be. Jun-chan who is still contemplating the passage of time and how he is at the end of his life, a frail old grandpa who has no one he knows alive anymore. At it's heart this is a coming of age story. Just because we age doesn't mean we learn to be adults. Naoki-san with his expressions and body language portrays the frailty, vulnerability and stubbornness that a young man who suddenly realizes he is an old man and life has long passed him by and the window of opportunities have long shut. While the young Kamiki, is phenomenal as Shota, I would go as far as to say this is his best and most realistic acting of that era. We see Shota at the beginning of the drama, as a mature child. He calmly leaves his home, carefully packs, even is aware enough to bring first aide and money along. However during uncertainties he breaks down and we see the innocent child trying to hide behind an adult mask, A child so desperate for adult guidance, that when he finds the reliable Jun-chan, he sticks to his side like a glue, from that point we finally see the whinny child, who wants attention, who is curious and hurt easily. His inexperience with the world is paired well with Jun-chan's life experiences. One has all the experience and the other has none, but neither of them are truly grasp the current world they live in. Jun-chan whose world has long gone and Shota whose hasn't started. They are aliens to the current world they live in. Jun-chan feels relevant while taking care of the young Shota, he feels needed. Shota on the other hand feels he is being heard and seen. In most scenes they are at conflict with each other, a battle of different generations. Not very different from arguments grandparents and grandchildren, each coming from their own life experiences while not trying to understand where the other is coming from. By the end of their journey they learn lessons from each other, forming a bond deeper than bloods. This is a very worthwhile drama to watch. The innocence and vulnerability is charming. The acting grounded and layered. The story is relevant for every generation, as most people in their lives will have been Shota and Jun-chan at different times. What happens when the end and the beginning meet. This is charming drama full of nuances and allegories. The drama is full of juxtapositions as it is both hopeful and depressing at the same time. I was watching it with my mother, who is not interest in jdramas nor dis she understand what they were saying but multiple themes of connection, negligence, childhood, and the eventual death were things she picked up right away. Honesty it is a masterpiece and more people should watch it.

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A sweet, lovely, funny, cute office romance !

I loved this drama ! I had a wonderful time watching it !
I loved every character. The relationship between Min Ik and Dae Ju is really beautiful (calling each other "wifey" is so damn cute), Gal Hee is a lovely and lively woman, and Veronica Park is undeniably one of the most memorables K-drama characters.
I will certainly miss this drama a lot.
The story in itself is very simple. It's a typical office romance but... I like that haha
There is no love triangle (thank God, I think it feels nice not to have anyone disturb the romance of the main leads).
The side characters are interesting. And there is also a part of mystery.
Well, to sum up, it is an interesting drama for people who want to enjoy a sweet romantic storyline with beautiful leads and side characters. Aaaannnnnnddd a very very very cute Do Min Ik !

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As a lot of reviewers have said before me, the drama ends up being a lot less about the couples you see in the earlier episodes, and more about the problems that the parents (and grandparents) cause. You do see the love stories of each couple progress, but the drama and misery other people cause for these couples tends to be the main focus.

This fact wouldn't be so terrible if there was any progress with these "bad" characters. The problem is that there isn't. In every episode, again and again and again, the same people cause the same problems with the same victims. It's like watching a car drive into a wall, reverse, drive into the same wall, reverse, drive into the same wall... until the drama ends.

Another thing I feel I should mention very quickly is that it is not a typical romance drama. The story eventually shifts towards another character, and their storyline is absolutely heartbreaking - genuinely painful to watch, at times. But sadly, the emotional "punch" of these parts are diluted by the boring, monotonous, and unchanging characters and plotlines we are given, which totally drown and drag out everything else.

Anyway - in conclusion. :) For story I have given 5, as despite the drama being boring overall, there are some really cute scenes and some incredible, heartbreaking moments - it's just a shame you have to search through a load of filler to find them. If the drama had been shortened to 25 episodes, this score would be much higher.

The actors I have given an 8. They aren't the ones who write the drama, and so for the scripts they were given each person acted out their part incredibly well. The music was well-written and really cute, but for something 50 episodes long you do need a little more variation, hence the 7. Finally, the re-watch value is a resounding 2. I would have dropped it to a 1, but as A Thousand Kisses was the very first drama I ever watched, I might dip in and out of it again for nostalgia's sake. However, that is very unlikely...

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This was a cute and funny movie that really got me laughing. I love almost anything that can make me laugh and this did a pretty good job at doing just that. I will say this movie was a little gross at times, but it wasn't something I couldn't endure. I think there were probably only two scenes in this whole movie that I didn't like, but there were quite a few good ones that made me like it. This is also definitely a type of weekend movie. One of those movies where, when you have a little extra time, can just sit back to watch the movie and have a happy feeling when it's all said and done. I think that more could've been done with the story but it kept my attention. It's not one of the best things I've ever seen, it's not the worst, but it's not regrettable.

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One word foodporn. This show was all about food and eating from ep 1 to 16 and sometimes 3 times an episode. I liked it because it dint have the crazy ex syndrome. It was all fun and friendly with a lil bit of spookiness. Dojoon was just eye candy and though he talked fast i just could stop staring and longed to see him. He was a liar, player and straight forward guy. My favorite has always been soo kyung. Her acting has always been a hilarious character like in "soul mate and agent oh". I liked how enthusiastic she was about food and eating it, she made us want to eat. The other hilarious characters were attoney kim and oh. They dint really have to do any practice, just their movements and acting made u laugh out loud. Funny by nature.attoney oh was just oblivious to the end just thinking that everyone wanted a piece of her
I dint give it a 10 coz they took too much time focusing on eating that it got monotonous also some hanging and cliché moments.
The theme music was actually weirdly good coz the lyrics is about food. (lets eat by k jun)

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