1Although some people had commented it becomes all stale and boring in the long run, I don’t see that. All I see is Song Hye Kyo and that cute chemistry she had with Rain. The bickering and never ending I-hide-my-feelings-because-I-think-I’m-falling-for-you-now charade is what made me love it more. It was a romantic comedy which made me laugh my ass out and then squirm in the insides for the main character’s cat and dog antics.
I’m starting to like you. You’re starting to like me. BUT we’re SO not going to tell each other about these absurd feelings.
That's the whole concept of the main character's convoluted feelings.
In Full House, it was all fair in love and… eerrr debt? That’s how everything started. A contract (oh what a cliché!) and the jealousy induced acting between strangers. In the story, the ever bright Han Ji-Eun is a wacky lead female which lead to a ridiculous story line. Crazy as her character is, Lee Young-jae is the logical one but eventually becomes irrational when it comes to Ji-Eun.
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I've seen 400+ dramas, and this is the only drama I've ever given a 10.
I am a vampire freak, who loves romances when they are dark, slow-burn, supernatural, obsessive, angsty and passionate. I love stories with an ML who is red-flag, possessive, controlling, antihero, badass, or morally gray. I like stories about demons, devils, gumihos, legendary beings... you get the idea.This drama isn't about vampires at all. But it's so close it might as well be. He looks, talks, acts, and thinks just like a vampire. All that's missing is the fangs and the superhuman abilities. And it's funny that a drama that is in no way about vampires, is the best vampire romance I've ever come across. It just satisfies my vamp-cravings so perfectly.
SoKP is deliciously slow burn. The best slow burn I know of besides Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre'. An unbelievable amount of patience is required to get to the payoff. But what a payoff. The fire that finally sets off is so hot that it permanently scarred my brain.
Aesthetics and color palate, styling and makeup and costumes... everyone in this drama was made to look incredible. Even the tertiary characters. I'm not saying everyone was stunningly model-hot. I'm saying they brought out each actor's best. This is true on an acting level as well. The directors and producers cared about each actor and actress, about their inner beauty and their natural talent shining through. The execution of this story was almost completely flawless. The casting was perfect in every way. Ling He is so excruciatingly gorgeous, and Bai Lu is beautiful beyond compare in her role here. Supporting cast was incredible and perfectly suited to their individual roles.
The political/intrigue part of the story was interesting, immersive, sufficiently complex to hold your attention, but not overly complex to make you feel muddled and mentally taxed as you watch.
I cannot recc this drama enough. HOWEVER. You will not like this drama if you fall into one of the following categories:
Looking for a green-flag ML---> this ML is morally gray, controlling, manipulative, forceful. There is some throat-grabbing and forced kisses as well.
Like to watch "boring stuff" on 2x and FFW'd during dramas regularly when your attention isn't engaged ---> this story requires your full attention, immersion, and patience in order to experience the full effect of the romance. It will not hold up to someone who is skipping or 2x-ing through parts, because you'll kill the pacing and atmosphere that needs to be established. You can skip some parts in episode 1 to get you going, but after that, I'd strongly advise against it.
This is a very special drama. You can never watch it for the first time twice. So, if you do decide to give this a chance, savor your first watch-through. Watch it on a dark, rainy weekend when you can binge it fully. with the lights out and some candles going or something, and let yourself get really into it. Happy viewing <3
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This review may contain spoilers
Soooo boring
Honestly, I've seen slower paced shows than this one, without being this bored.Throughout the entire show, all I remember is constantly checking which episode I was on and thinking "How is it only episode 8??" or "How am I supposed to make it through another 20 of these?!"
The cast was good, the music was okay, the plot seemed interesting. All the ingredients were there. And then you start watching and you don't really care about the FL, and you get tired of all the marriage talks, and you're no longer sure whether the characters have chemistry or not, and the only interesting person ends up being the CEO.
And then that ending. That stupid ass ending. What's the point of deciding to never get married if you're going to exchange the couple rings. And then hold the ceremony where you exchange promises to each other. And proclaim your love and announce your life plans to your entire extended circle of friends and family. That's exactly what weddings are, dammit!!
Just. Skip this.
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The story contained a lot of lessons, which are realistic, and it was not only focused with the two young student, who happened to get to know each other unexpectedly. I like how the ending left a strong impact to its viewers and somehow it successfully made me feel how weary and guilty the characters are.
The theme of the story was truly melodramatic which was given justice by the cinematography, music, dialogues and even the characters. Everything just fits well, great enough to make me feel what the director and actors were trying to portrait. Probably the reason why I was deeply affected and bruised at the end, so a great kudos for that!
The story was meaningful and realistic to this generation specially to the young ones. Romance was just right, enough to make the viewers feel the connection behind the Minsik and Yejoo. I'm glad it wasn't overly done like a typical romantic movie to attract most of the viewers taste. Like I said, romance was just right for the story plot.
The acting was great! I guess I wouldn't feel as wrecked as this if the actors/actress did not give justice to their characters. Yejoo's character was on point. An isolated girl, who only wanted an acquaintance and comfort. She was only being tough to everyone but she's really a soft and kind hearted. I love to see her smiling at most parts. And, I really like the way she opened up with Minsik. I felt relieved somehow. Minsik's character was also on point. Although, it's somewhat hard for me to describe his personality, I personally think he was locked with his own self, which caused him to restraint his actions, making him like a coward. Most of the viewers will probably hate him, and I did because he just triggered my every nerve! But I honestly felt bad at him more than how I felt bad at Yejoo. The ending was impactful to the viewers and it was strongly addressed to Minsik...
I think the story wanted us to step forward and act ourselves because no one will act for us. Guilt will forever serve us if we acted too late. Also, it tells us that attending Church meetings wouldn't cleanse our souls if we do not act and think accordingly to what was being preached there.
I don't know what else I am missing but this story is too meaningful!
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Girl Who Got Loved In A Painful Way
This was a very unique, creative and well acted black comedy psychological thriller series. There are three departments where i absolutely adored the show.Firstly, the production quality is visual stunning and stellar. Starting from cinematography, background music, editing, lighting, color grading, styling, set pieces to locations. Everything was refreshing and eye pleasing.
Secondly, the acting here is award winning, amazing and heartwrenching. Each and every character be it positive or negative has left a mark of their acting chops on me. I personally loved everybody's performance. Yes it was damm amazing to watch such a star studded show.
Thirdly, the storytelling is very unique and engaging. The X factor about this show is that each character here be it positive or negative is always a protagonist of their own story. The characters are extremely complex and the narration shows that very well through giving equal screenspace to every character.
Every episode shows different kind of drama. There is office drama, school drama, prison drama, sex drama, family drama. Each episode tells a different story keeping one protagonist in constant but with 3 different faces. So i would like to applaud the webtoon writer for being so creative and Mask Girl team for being so unique with their visualization that they presented such a highly dark and gritty psychological story through elements of adult and black comedy.
Overall i simply loved and enjoyed. For me this is a sheer masterpiece. I only wish this had more episodes so i could have enjoyed it a little more.
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Drama Stage Season 3: Everyone Is There
30 people found this review helpful
Good short movie
Story:It was good. Well it made me clench my fist everytime the bullying scene appears.
Acting:
I'm not a pro in this case. But judging from how much i got immersed into the story, the actors really did a great job.
Overall:
If you think it's boring, just keep watching. It's getting better.
Just dont try to think of whats gonna happen next and go with the flow, you'll enjoy it!
Well at first i dont understand what the ending, but after rewatching i kinda get the hang of it.
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If you are looking for a drama that has great acting, great chemistry between the characters and is a comedy...This is the drama for you!
If you want to be entertained and REALLY just enjoy a drama from episode 1 to the finale...This is the drama for you!
STORY: This drama sure has a roller coaster of a ride for a story. Every episode has a cliffhanger which makes you want to click next episode as fast as possible. It is just a fun and wild ride. Basically the story is a group of people with different backgrounds and skills come to together to fight against corruption. It is so much more than that but you know...spoilers. The only downside of how this story structure turns out is that at the beginning of the drama, the action and story is like a 2 episode story arc and then moves onto the next mini story arc. I loved that but the further along you get into the drama, the less and less the writers told the story that way. I completely understand why and it didn't become distracting or hurt the story in any way, I just liked that the story was episodic BUT I usually like my crime dramas episodic.
ACTING/CAST: I thought the acting and choice of cast was PERFECT for this drama. Everyone played their role beautifully. It was like they were made for the role they were given in this drama. Also the cast had such great chemistry together too. Also anytime I see Kim Won Hae in a drama...It goes to the top of my list.
MUSIC: I usually don't notice the music all that much but this drama's music stood out. The OSTs for this drama are fantastic! I have been listening to them on repeat. I think the music that is played during the intense parts and the themes played with each character really added to the ambiance of the drama.
REWATCH VALUE: I will 100% rewatch this drama again...I WANT A SECOND SEASON OF THIS DRAMA!
OVERALL: I just loved that I chose to watch this drama. I kind of picked it up on a whim but NOW I am sad that it is over. I will miss the hodge podge group of ruffians that I was used to watching every week. WATCH THIS DRAMA! You won't regret it. It is just a fun time with great characters that are well rounded and have depth and flaws and a drama that has a good storyline (granted could have stuck with the episodic structure for a little longer).
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is so intense and dark... it’s way darker than voice 1. The story outline is so tight and detailed... maybe that’s why it took 2 season to finish this arc.The brutal scene and music that can make you cringe and hold your breath for a few seconds.
I didn’t even expect the cannibalism part... that was so unexpected.
For the ending... it’s the most suitable and realistic. Try to understand that it’s not easy to fight his demon... let’s give him a break and hold your idealistic happy ending.
There’s a post credit. Hoping for next season.
If you haven’t watch this... then give it a go and prepare yourselves.
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This review may contain spoilers
Story: Having seen the Japanese version, it was nice to see this version change things up slightly. I really enjoyed these changes and really liked the ending!Acting: 10/10!! I number of times I cried watching this. The Kids were amazing!! The chemistry between the maknae and the housekeeper just make me emotional, they were the best! All of the actors were fit for role! I have no faults! If you must, just watch it for the maknae :')
Music: Beautiful/emotional songs like Lim Kim-I'm Asking You with the emotional/tense scenes just turned me into an emotional mess. It was perfect! Gah
Overall: I would highly recommend this. It is a bit long and I asked myself at episode 9 "What are they going to do for the rest of the episodes?'! It could have easily ended at episode 18 but I'm glad for the last two episodes, as we got a clear ending which wasn't rushed.
Gah I can't get over how well the kids acted. I loved watching them so much!
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An overrated drama that's worth a watch
I was eagerly waiting for this drama's subs ever since it came out. I saw some clips posted on Instagram which looked cute and the people couldn't stop raving about it. However I am coming out with a disappointment - maybe my expectations out of this were too high. It was also a struggle watching this drama with very subpar subtitles but I'd like to thank the subber who gave us the subs out of their goodwill.STORY + CHARACTERS:
It's a run of the mill contract marriage story. However the professor and student twist was something new and for once the girl isn't treated badly by the male lead. The leads have decent chemistry and are quite natural with each other, which is hands down the highlight of this drama. The supporting characters were all nice and cute but the spark was missing for me. I cannot pinpoint to what was missing but this drama didn't leave me satisfied by the end. The slow burn between the leads was nice but Yun Shu was a very average character. Her sister was annoying at first and I couldn't care less about her romance with the actor dude. I think I rather preferred the storyline of her best friends. Sadly I am not the biggest fan of the male character either - he was a typical tsundere but albeit a little less likable. For example- he reminded me of the male lead from Intense Love who was far more lovable and cute. Zhang Shinan's character and childhood were cliches. I did appreciate the relationship he (and Yunshu; later) shared with the grandfather.
ACTING:
The biggest issue for me with this drama was the main actress. I understand this is her debut drama and she is very, very pretty but she just fell absolutely flat for me. Miles was alright- he had some cute moments but sadly his character was very cliche. The supporting cast was also just ok- nothing that great as is the case with most C-dramas. Maybe if the casting was better this drama would have been upped in quality as the writer at least tried to make it a bit different.
REWATCH VALUE:
Won't be rewatching this. No parts were that memorable for me. The kisses were sweet and became better towards the end.
OVERALL:
Meh. Like I said - it's cute but terribly missing out on a lot. I think good thing is that there aren't overbearingly annoying second leads. They back off rather quickly. There was also nothing too sad in this drama so it retains its airy atmosphere till the end. Even the ending is full of hope and positivity with the grandfather which I liked.
I can recommend to the people who are looking for something where they wish to turn off their brains and enjoy the romance. Romance is quite alright and the male lead is getting quite popular from what I understand. I'd tell people to give it a try although I'm in the minority who didn't really enjoy this one much. Time to move to the next drama.
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They are beautiful and hardworking ladies BLINKS let's keep on supporting them
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Story: I loved the idea that the 2 main leads had a history for a really long time before they broke up. I didn’t think it could be romantic watching their journey back to each other but man did I eat all that angst up. I also enjoyed the romances of the main female character’s 2 friends.The plot is really simple though but if you love romance than this is a drama for you! The ending though is a bit unrealistic but i dont care cause im a sucker for happy/cheesy endings=)
Acting/Cast: Like I said I didn’t like Jung Yu Mi in Q.S.S but have seen a movie she was in and I’ll admit she is a pretty good actress. She definitely changed my opinion of her as she made her character in this drama really likable. I wouldn’t mind seeing other things she does in the future. When it comes to our first male lead Lee Jin Wook, I thought he was perfectly casted as he made his sometimes jerky character human and just very likable. I was soo obsessed with them being together because their chemistry felt so intense but I liked that it didn’t seem forced. As for the second male lead Kim Ji Suk, I'm just going to say it now; I didn’t like him! I don’t know if its his acting style or his character(came off really obsessive/too eager) but yeah lets just say I wasn’t rooting for him at all to get the girl. When it comes to the supporting cast, I didn’t know the actresses who played the female lead’s friends but I loved their characters and also the actors that played their loved interests. Everyone had chemistry as far as friendships and romances goes.
Music: I wasn’t expecting to get an OST that I could put on my ipod out of this but I just really enjoyed the songs (gave off an indie vibe).
Rewatch: The drama feels short and since I had a lot of fun watching the first time I wouldn’t mind watching this every year.
Overall I Need Romance 2 is a very easy breezy watch with realistic characters.
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What makes Knife and Flower most alluring will be cinematography. Only full length films can compare with the high quality and artistic direction which can be seen in this drama. Occasionally I tilted my head at an edit, but these moments can be counted on one hand. The world looks deep and authentic, though colors dictate mood and atmosphere. And how about the action scenes, you ask? More than impressive, since most of the actors appear trained and capable.
Like the introduction implies, Knife and Flower marries literary archetypes to elements of reality. Many characters actually existed and several events portrayed actually took place (albeit embellished for dramatic effect). The historical backdrop imparts solid atmosphere, bolstering weaknesses with varying potency. I loved how brutality and unrest, definitive of the times, was neither gratuitous nor shied from; the elegance of the story shines because of the deep tragedy marking it. Some problems exist, admittedly. As in Romeo and Juliet, the love line begins dubiously due to chemistry. The entirety of the "Golden Flower Agency" felt underdeveloped, despite its necessity to plot motion. Execution of the time skip initially had me frowning. In the end, everything comes to maturation with surprising clarity and beauty. The viewer will doubtlessly be bitten and drawn in before they even realize.
Performances in Knife and Flower are incredible, many perhaps even award worthy. Choi Min Soo, in his turn as infamous Yun Gae So Mun, hits the master class. He is mysterious, compelling, and intimidating; if a glance could kill, the entire region would drop dead. But the nuance Choi brings to the role could make even the real thing proud. Uhm Tae Woong and Kim Ok Bin are masters of speaking with the eyes. Reserved silence is required of them, but what isn't said is almost as powerful as the implicit. Others of note include No Min Woo (Nam Sang, of beautiful appearance and withered heart) and Ohn Joo Wan (Bo Jang, a more sympathetic echo of Hamlet).
Music must enhance, not get in the way. After the quirked eyebrow misses of the first episode, the soundtrack honestly excels at this. Orchestrations hit the right notes, especially those tied to suspenseful or moving scenes. Wax provides the tearful anthem "Dear Love," and with lyrics so lovely, whether or not it played meant the difference between dry and wet eyes.
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One of my personal favourites but might not be yours
My humble apologies as this review is not in my normal style. I did start to write the typical review but after several paragraphs, I had to stop. I was doing my usual breakdown of the plot, discussing certain scenes and review the acting when I realised that I'm not making sense why I like this show so much. So let's try something different . . .On paper, this is a mid budget, college romance with no big name actors. AKA a B-grade c-drama that is turned out by the dozen every year to feed the programme scheduling beast. I would go as far as saying that it is better than a typical idol drama but still hardly a top tier show.
Now that we have laid the cards on the table, please indulge me with a bit of subjective rambling. ;)
As a college romance, my expectations are quite low. I’d be happy with a decent filler while I wait for the next blockbuster release. What I didn't expect is to binge watch all 24 episodes with barely a pause. I still can't quite quantify the reason why I liked it so much but it just clicks with me. May be a lot has to do with the script resonating with me. I was fully invested in their lovelines. Even the little acts of love and kindness feel just right to me and spark joy. I actually watch with anticipation which is rare these days. Meet Yourself was the last show that touched me in a similar way but that show is S class.
Similarly, the acting of the leads resonated with me. Yes, their characters are cliches. The usual feisty FL and ice king ML but there is depth to their characters. Both have damaged psyches due to their upbringing and the breakup of their family unit. They have a fear of abandonment and while the FL hides behind a facade of exaggerated cheerfulness, the ML learns to show no emotions as a way to survive living with his demanding and abusive mum.
While many shows have used the fate card to tie the leads together which usually involves some form of childhood entanglement or accidental encounters that are nothing more than contrivance, this show actually sticks the landing. The leads' childhood friendship is quite poignant and has a long lasting effect on both of them. How they resolve their historical misunderstanding is beautifully done. Once again, this is a very subjective point. Some might see it as dribble and a blatant act to tug at our heartstrings. That is a fair call and I can only say that it works for me.
I am also surprised that the 2CP is good as well. They are not the lazy pairing of the typical BFF's just to fill the quota and use up some screen time. Their romantic journey is heartfelt and I can ship them wholeheartedly.
Both CP’s have great chemistry and a decent amount of skinship. Once again, they just appeal to me. I like how they complemented each other. They're provide each other with what their SO is longing for.
Of course it can’t be all rainbows and unicorns. There are some narrative issues. For instance, while the show is angst lite, it is not all smooth sailing. Although none of the protagonists are really evil, their actions still have a significant impact on the leads and their friends. Yet they are readily forgiven and everyone just carries on as if nothing has happened. That doesn’t sit comfortably with me. Some of the side plots are meaningless and some of the support roles are straight out of central casting. I don't mind them in the bigger scheme of things but others might take umbrage.
I can see the good and the bad of this show. They are not dissimilar to other shows. Yet, it hits me in the feels like few others. So my score for this show is more subjective than usual. You might have a different opinion and I respect that.
I am happy to recommend this show but your mileage may differ.
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At the beginning of the series, Lee Kang Hoon, the main character, is presented as a typical male lead. Cold and cruel, I was expecting that with the influence of Ji Hye, the female lead, his coldness would 'melt' as he fell in love. This usual formula for k-drama that I've grown so accustomed to turned out not to be the case in Brain. Rather than a romance of any description, the way I see this drama is that it's more of a character study of Kang Hoon, a deeply troubled and, quite bluntly, deeply unpleasant man than anything else. He's portrayed to absolute perfection by Shin Ha Kyun, who executes the many layers to his character flawlessly, yet I wouldn't say at any point his character becomes likeable. There are elements of pity and sympathy evoked by his character, but on the whole his character works to be so memorable and defining in this drama by how unswervingly calculating, vindictive and petty he is. This is actually one of the things I most admired overall. It's a bold move to have a lead character who simply isn't a 'good', kind person that's easy for an audience to root for. It sets Brain apart from a more typical series to have it lead by the kind of character who would be cast as an antagonist in most dramas.
With such a strong lead character as Kang Hoon, there's not a lot of room left for a convincing romance to be built up. As I've said, I was expecting this drama to orbit around the romance between Kang Hoon and Ji Hye, but this really wasn't the case at all. Their romance felt much more like an after dinner chocolate at the end of a meal than anything substantial. I'd have perhaps liked it to have had more resonance in the series as a whole (I'm so used to k-dramas being love and nothing else that I was disorientated...) especially in shaping Kang Hoon's character. The synopsis hints at this but it never really happened to any marked degree in my eyes.
I would say the driving plot behind this drama is the politics of the hospital and the battling of egos amongst the surgeons. This is part way facilitated by how Kang Hoon's unchanging motivation is to be recognized as the best neurosurgeon, regardless of who he has to step on to get there. While I found this whole theme fairly interesting from a character development point of view, it did get tiresome when other plot threads were overlooked in favour of yet another scene of arguments over who was going to get to do the next complex (and therefore prestigious) operation.
As I've hinted at, there are a large number of sub-plots to this drama, many of which had the potential to take this drama from being just good to really excellent. Unfortunately, I felt a lot of them weren't really filled out as far as they could have been. Some, for example the whole role of Seo Joon Suk in the dynamics of the drama, felt like they just fizzled out and I was left wondering why they'd even been introduced at all. It was as if the writers realized they'd added in too much for a span of only twenty episodes only after they'd piled the drama too high with potential plot threads. I wouldn't say this was a major hindrance, as the main plot remained strong as it was and didn't need a lot of back-up, but I still came away feeling a little disappointed that other elements hadn't really received much of a resolution.
With this drama, I think almost inarguably its strength lay in the quality of the cast. Superb performances all-round. This isn't just the main cast, but also the secondary characters who played an important role in giving colour and a sense of warmth to the hospital setting. I especially enjoyed the little romances hinted at and forming in the background throughout the whole drama, which were not a focus but were adorable nonetheless.
Overall, I was addicted to Brain while I was watching it, and got through it back-to-back over three days. Although it wasn't everything I hoped and thought it would be, it definitely had that je ne sais quoi that kept me watching fanatically, compelled to know what happens next. I'd definitely recommend people give it a try. If you're trying to find something a bit different from the usual formulaic Korean rom-com, this might be just what you're looking for.
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