Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area - Part 2
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came for the men, stayed for the plot
Now to preface, I have not watched the original Money Heist.I originally watched the first part because i love political/crime thrillers and because the cast includes some dilfs but im really glad i stayed through the end. I came for Kim Sung Oh and stayed for the plot.
If you liked the first part, you'll love the second part. You literally HAVE TO watch this if you watched the first part because TONS of thing happen and character development is top tier. The amount of emotional trauma this caused me (in a good way) is crazy. Kim Sung Oh, my son, bf and husband, was so good playing the north korean police officer. just had to mention it.
If youre a Kim Ji Hoon or Park Hae Soo simp you MUST finish watching it because the men's acting in this is sooo good.
As for the actual plot, whatever you think is gonna happen next, will not happen. This show will leave you questioning your prediction skills. Ending was satisfying and that's all i'll say about that.
This show really had me switching sides. Am i on the robbers' side or the polices' side? Idk and i still dont know.
Overall super entertaining. I hate that my predictions were wrong because i like being right. Whoever wrote the original plot to Money Heist and the Korean variation has a huge wrinkly gigantic brain with many brain cells because wow, i loved this show!
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1This review may contain spoilers
Tales of messy relationships in a topsy-turvy world
This review will contain A LOT of spoilers. You have been warned. :)TL;DR: Oddly constructed rom-com that is weak on rom and com. A lack of direction and focus compounded its woes. Not recommended.
As with many contemporary rom-coms, this show started out with a promising idea. A rich, handsome troublemaker being protected 24/7 by an attractive, no nonsense, female bodyguard. Lots of opportunities for witty banters and close quarter actions, you'd think. It was a love-hate relationship from the start.
A decent show can become a problematic one when missteps are compounded. Let us apply the matrix to this show.
* Lack of Direction
What is this show about? Is it a rom-com? A family melodrama? A revenge drama? Business/crime thriller? At times, the show was all of the above and more. It really packed in a lot of subplots as if the writer was throwing mud at the storyboard and see what sticks. With that many threads and plots fighting for space, the main OTP plotline is sidelined without much progression.
* Lack of Focus
Case in point, most of the rescue missions were very elaborate and consumed a fair amount of screen time but it showed little return. It showcased how brave the ML is but also his recklessness and not being a team player. The people rescued or even the team members were just extras on the set. We know nothing about them, and they played no part in the rest of the show. Ditto the elaborate night race. It only served to give the FL street creds but all the people there were all forgotten by the next scene. Lots of other scenarios were thrown at us just to make a quick point and just as quickly forgotten.
* Illogical Plots and Actions
The company just carried on after the thieve of 20 million yuan (half their cash reserve), . The police did nothing. The top-level staff shouted at each other for a few minutes and it was business as usual. Another example, showing up with an expensive necklace for SFL1 in front of a crowd of squealing actresses. Why? The kidnapping in the final episode. (facepalm)
* Too Many Cooks
This is a common problem with c-dramas. When 1 CP is not enough, make it 5!
Let’s count;
CP1, ML (Johnny Huang) and FL (Wang Li Kun). Their faces are on all the posters
CP2, ML’s father and FL’s best friend (a drill instructor)
CP3, ML’s best friend and a waitress at his restaurant
CP4, FL’s mom and dad who are divorced
CP5, ML’s father’s assistant and the company’s accountant
SFL1 is a young actress (complete stranger), SFL2 is a rich b!tch from hell (old family friend), SML (FL’s college era ex-BF).
Collectively, we have crushes, unrequited love, love triangles, autumn-romance, push-pull, separations and more. This sucked the oxygen out of the OTP’s storyline, and the show suffered. (See Lack of Direction/Focus)
All these antagonists/protagonists lead to. . .
* Muddled view of Love
It is not unusual for the love line of the leads to be angst filled but this show brings home the bacon.
Both SFL1 and 2 subplots started with the ML leading them on so that they thought he was interested in them. Old trope but it was done in a very ham-fisted way and highlights the foolishness and naivety of the ML.
SML was a pest and just won’t take no for an answer.
The show suggested that ML5 was using FL5 to further his revenge plot but we are told it was true love later. Really?
Speaking of true love, the show gifted us a tropey romantic scene in the rain with a glowing merry-go-round as the backdrop. There were tears, rejection but ultimately, reconciliation and declaration of love. This is CP1, right? Wrong. CP2 got the special romantic treatment. Who is the OTP in this show?
CP2 was an autumn-romance with an age difference of 29 years! Not that I have anything against age gap love as long as it is believable but the meet-cute was a game of golf and lunch. Put together with the hint that he just wanted a bit of fun on the side, and she giving off gold digger vibes (no hint of that beforehand), it just screamed WRONG. Luckily, she came to her senses but later we were supposed to believe it was true love, again.
In the meantime, CP1 and CP3 are stuck in a quagmire. CP1 did eventually became official at the end of ep.38 (out of 40) with a hug and the CP3 was a nod and a wink in ep.40. The show really have problem closing deals.
* Lack of skinship
Some commentators suggested covid restrictions, but I don’t think so. If you were looking for kisses, there were none. Nada, zip, nuthing. There were a couple of hugs. Actually, CP5 was shown making out in the stairwell once but it was oddly unromantic and seemed to support the coercion theory. I discounted that.
Please, don't even dream of an intimate scene. This show is more chaste than some religious dramas. :)
* Lack of Character growth/whiplash changes
The FL was a cold, calm professional from start to finish.
The ML was an irresponsible rich heir and Johnny Huang did not play that convincingly. In short order, he reformed into a nice, upstanding man. In essence, he played himself as he did in other dramas. Is that growth?
Most of the other characters remained largely unchanged. The only exception is the ML’s father. Oh boy, did he change! He went from a ruthless businessman, controlling father and a boar of a man to become a nice, gentle, fatherly figure in the space of 1 episode. Cue death bed conversion to Born Again Nice Guy™ in ep.35. Never too late.
The show is not unwatchable, there are good bits. I just felt detached and despondent as I watched. The various romantic subplots were flavourless and underwhelming. The business subplots insubstantial. I almost dropped the show a couple of times.
Thankfully, there was a dramatic change in tone and direction in the last 10 episodes. It really felt like a different show, one that finally have a clear purpose and direction. Did someone whispered something to the writer?
The last few episodes were fan service. All the loose ends were tidied up. Unicorns were roaming free. The attempt at some drama/action in the last episode was a bit laughable (see Illogical Plots). Those last few episodes are the saving grace for me, but the damage is done. It was hard to ship any of the CP's and that is the kiss of death for a romance drama.
OST is serviceable but repetitive. Rewatch? When I get a big slice of that 20M yuan.
Take heed fellow viewers, I gave you fair warning with is missive. Watch this at your own peril. ;)
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Slow, steady, but confusing
All the reviews rate this drama between 9-10 and I feel bad being the first one giving it a low rating in comparison, however it's how I honestly feel about it.The main story is nice, I really enjoyed watching how the leads became close despite of being polar opposites. But it didn't make me feel anything at all. It already happened the same to me with "Where Your Eyes Linger", and right before writing this review I realized that both dramas have the same director (since that's a common denominator, I guess the problem here is the director). I don't remember much of WYEL because it didn't leave a memorable impression, so I would have to rewatch it in order to remember why I didn't enjoy it.
In the case of "To My Star", the problem that I have is that they tried to include many sub-plots with not enough time... which ended up leaving more questions than answers.
What exactly happened to Ji Woo's family? How did he end up running a restaurant with Hyung Ki? How did they ended up being friends/drinking buddies with Yoon Seoul? Why Seo Jun hyperventilates when hearing something break? What exactly happened at the bar that night? How did Yoon Seoul obtain that video of the fight? Where did that english speaking reporter come from? What's her relationship with Hyung Ki? How did she ended up at Ji Woo and Seo Jun's home? What was the place where Ji Woo went after leaving his house? Why did the intern leave and come back? What's the awkward "I studied abroad" sub-plot about?
And I could keep going on and on. They tried to include so many things without giving a proper explanation, that they ended up messing up a drama with great potential. So as I've said, the only thing enjoyable was the main story (aka how the leads meet and fall in love). The rest... a waste of time.
The actors did a good job though. I liked the chemistry between the leads, and the rest of the cast was okay.
So if you are wondering about watching this drama or not... give it a try. My recommendation is that you must focus only on the leads' love story and ignore everything else. Just focus on how they meet and their time together, and just ignore the other stuff.
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A Whole Lot of Frustration in a Gorgeous Package
Most of the other reviewers seem to have really liked The Rebel Princess, which is great, but I thought I'd offer a different perspective since I ended up being very underwhelmed by this drama even though I really wanted to like it. Keep in mind that my c-drama experience is limited (this was my 21st one) and I'm not familiar with the source material of this drama. Also, I watch dramas mostly for the romance.Positives:
+ really nice set design, costuming and lighting, which made the drama feel more realistic and quite refreshing after all the wuxia dramas
+ shot well
+ A'Wu and Xiao Qi were smart and nice and respected each other
+ the acting was fine
Negatives:
- another reviewer suggested that this drama should be watched for the slow burn romance, but I thought the romance wasn't that much of a slow burn and the main couple ended up together quite fast all things considered
- I was mostly invested in the main pair's relationship during the first ~15 episodes, after that their relationship stayed pretty much the same throughout the rest of the drama, which would've been fine had their dynamic been more interesting. And no, I don't mean that I wanted to see a drama-filled tumultuous relationship, I just wanted the drama to explore more in-depth why the two characters loved each other and what made them a great team. Now I just got the feeling that they were together because they were literally the only two equally powerful good people in the show that liked each other well enough. Actually A'Wu and Xiao Qi were mostly in separate places during the show, which might have been technically realistic but also very frustrating if you're in it for the romance.
- the drama was way too long considering how little happened in it
- there was a heavy emphasis on political scheming, which I'm never a big fan of but this time around it was somehow especially boring
- most of the characters were unlikeable and/or uninteresting
- the characters who did bad things during the story didn't get punished either at all or at least not in a satisfying way
- like in some other dramas I've seen, there was an overemphasis on forgiving absolutely everything because fAmILy and bEinG a gOOd pERsOn, which at this point is one of my biggest pet peeves
- rape and the threat of rape was used as a plot device at two different parts of the drama, and in my opinion it wasn't handled very well
- I spent most of the drama just waiting for something interesting to happen
- normally I dislike unhappy endings but now I was low key waiting for someone to die because at least that would've been vaguely interesting
- okay actually I was so unattached to the characters that even if they had all died I would've been like "huh, okay" and moved on
Watch if you enjoy:
- more realistic historical dramas
- political scheming
- heavy emphasis on side characters
- forgiving people who don't necessarily deserve it
- slow story progression
- emphasis on other aspects of life besides romance
Don't watch if you're looking for:
- a plot-heavy story
- surprising plot developments
- strong character development all throughout the story
- in-depth romance
- frequent interaction between the main pair
- revenge plot
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This review may contain spoilers
Movie just made to "compete" against Solo Leveling's anime
As someone who read the novel, and was, in a way, saved by it, Orv holds a pretty important place in my life, which makes this live adaptation even more disappointing.While at the very beginning, I was really disappointed when I saw who was going to act as Yoo Joonghyuk, one of the main protagonists, in this live adaptation, it seems like he is actually the best actor out of them all ?
Not only has the director butchered, spit, stomped, shat, burned the original story, but he took everything that made Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint so iconic and important in the eyes of the readers, and just swapped it out for some generic, stupid, male-main lead of any random isekai, and didn't even bother to try to do something decent with it. The main actors don't seem to understand even the most superficial things about their own characters. I'm not going to delve into how the use of gun is also going against what the author, SingSong, wrote in the novel, but damn the CGI was utterly trash too, but the script sounds AI made and has a few plot holes too, which makes the whole movie unbearable to watch.
Here's a few examples:
-Kim Dokja was a lonely reader who kept living for THIRTEEN YEARS just to be able to see the ending, even though TWS was literally the most boring novel in the world, so much that KDJ was the last and sole reader of the novel. It's explicitly written a the beginning of the novel that he was disappointed that the novel was ending but he was really grateful to the author tls123, and was very polite to them. SO WHY WOULD HE READ THE NOVEL FOR 13Y IF IT'S JUST TO TELL THE AUTHOR THAT IT WAS ASS. It doesn't seem like Kdj appreciated the novel at all ?
-Kim Dokja was, again, a very lonely guy who didn't have any friends, and he basically hated life smh. Anyway, he's not someone that really looked forward to living, and is a morally (very) gray character, which made him a lot more relatable that the typical mc. Why would he start to want to save the world ? Out of pure compassion ?? Compassion he doesn't have ??????
-KDJ has a few skills that are extremely important to the plot but they don't seem to exist (like omniscient readers viewpoint, yk the name of the WHOLE STORY)
-The name of the movie doesn't make any sense since kdj says he ISN'T a prophet in the novel
-Kdj straight up lies by saying he's a prophet (which he isn't btw, he's just a READER) FACED WITH A LIE DETECTOR
-Constellations weirdly enough don't exist so the whole plot can't actually be called an adaptation ?
-Butchered the characters of JHW, YSH and everyone basically.
-KDJ trying to save the character he hated the most in TWS and that he killed in the original novel lmfao ?
-Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk whole interactions, of a reader and his favorite protagonist, being weird, unnatural, unnecessarily homophobic (they're not gay, but you can feel that they REALLY wanted Kdj to be "straight")
-Missed the whole central point of the story of friendship
While the movie had an enormous budget, the results are more than disappointing, be it from the directing, the acting, the CGI and everything from start to end. The movie can only leave the readers upset after watching the movie, and the non-readers confused, about the plot.
Even by forgetting the misogyny that's hidden in the LA, the directing team made Kim Dokja (a lonely and pitiful reader who only wanted to discover the epilogue of his favorite story) a writer. By doing that, they entirely missed the whole point of the story, that was thought and written for the readers, for them to be able to relate to the main character.
I'm not going to keep trashing the story because my review is in fact very long, but I'll say, the story left me in tears, not because of how good or sad it was, but because of disappointment and anger.
The utter lack of respect from the directing team is truly maddening, and I hope, I really hope that SingSong-nim isn't too disappointed by this.
Because it can be felt that this LA was made just to compete the anime of Solo Leveling, made with money in mind and not the audience.
Thank you a lot for taking the time to read this, and please DON'T watch the live adaptation of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, it's a waste of time.
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I hope some take a moment to read this. I am not the best writer. I haven't wrote a lot of reviews yet, but this one forced my hand. I hope it isn't a waste of your time. Also, I hope you give my perspective some consideration. This is a gem.
I have thought many times how I should start this review. However, I do not think I will be emphatic enough of how this Kdrama affected me no matter how much I try.
Oh well here we go...
Playful Kiss was pure, heartfelt joy for me. I am likely going to come at this in a somewhat unique angle. I have to immediately share that I have read much of the hate or criticisms of this drama...mostly about Oh Ha Ni's 'pathetic' puppy dog love and her incessant pursuit of Baek Seung Jo. Which I will deal with later...but a HUGE 'PFFT' – whatever. I see how it made her look dependent, stalker, etc. They even took exception with the mother encouraging this. It makes me wonder what they were watching, but I have my opinion and as I said, I will cover that later. I DO NOT really want to make this negative. This drama is purely about the positive.
A short preamble of sorts. I am relatively new to Kdrama's. I have around 20 under my belt as of writing this review. I think I have a fairly well rounded resume, you can peruse my list if you like, but I have never watched one like 'Playful Kiss'...apparently. Why 'apparently'? It left many of the sinister tropes behind. The overbearing parent, the evil in-law, the person at school or work or wherever that serves as the antagonist. The heal. The 'hated' one or several in some dramas. This was completely devoid of that!!!!!!! It blew me away. It was pure love, warmth, and heart. I do not believe I have watched ANYTHING like this in my life! I am American and our purity on TV left decades ago. The closest we get is shlock filled, syrupy, inane dramas on like ABC Family that are as deep as a puddle and as interesting as insurance forms. This drama had spunk and had loads of REAL laughs. Yes, mostly at the expense of Oh Ha Ni, but in the sweetest way imaginable.
I wrote in the forum part for this drama about how it completely compared to 'Bridget Jone's Diary'. I said, how 'Bridget Jone's Diary' would be an adult, 'R' rated version, while this would be the high school, family equivalent. Both had a hapless, hopeless romantic lead protagonist that went to great lengths and often made fools of themselves over a man. 'Bridget Jone's Diary' was a critical darling and 'Playful Kiss' has a descent rating on mydramalist, but way too many high brow people looking down their noses at Oh Ha Ni because she was too vulnerable and too often let a man define her...yada, yada, yada! First question I have, um, Bong Joon Gu was EVERY bit as clingy to Oh Ha Ni. He even continued after she was married. He told her that if Seung Jo is now her house, he would be her 'insurance'. Yes, the writers or director brought in Chris to turn Joon Gu's head at the end, but he was still clinging to Ha Ni. No one mentions him as exhibiting the same behavior. It was her character only. That to me is sexist. Once again you bring undue attention to the female doing something when a male was largely guilty of the same thing. She was every bit his 'knight in shining armour' and Joon Gu said so much! Ha Ni went through growth over the arch of the series just as Bridget did. She at the end was confident that Seung Jo was every bit taken with her as she was of him. She had matured and was working hard.
I have a theory as to why there are so many pointing out Ha Ni's supposed 'pathetic-ness'. At least from an American perspective, and likely a European perspective, is cynicism. We have gotten so 'empowered' that any show of selling oneself out for another is a show of weakness. I think a lot more relationships and marriages would go a lot further if BOTH individuals were to give up themselves completely for the other. It isn't PC, especially for a woman, to want to give themselves totally to the other. It's often worded 50/50. That's a hedge. Someone may cry semantics, but each giving 100% of themselves for the other is the way to be. I think that was reached in the end albeit Seung Jo was much more reserved in exhibiting his devotion, but he did. I do wish they had him coming to her defense more and stronger, but alas, they didn't. The beginning was about her devotion and lampooned it as such. It was admitted many times to being one sided, but her perseverance paid off. I just think that too many judged her unfairly. She did nothing sordid. She didn't do anything deserving reproach, she was just wide-eyed and too full of heart.
I am not sure I articulated my point well enough the above point, but I will move on.
Some complained and some LOVED Kim Hyun Joong. I am betting some of the devotees to Hyun Joong are nearly as starry eyed as Ha Ni because he is handsome. However, he seems to be a one note actor at the moment. I have only seen him in 'Boys Over Flowers' and this. I don't hate him. What the director wants from him, he has down to a science. Hyun Joong's performance was nearly an extension of Yoon Ji Hoo. However, for me, he was not what drove this movie, nor was he what touched my heart so much by this drama. He was merely a pawn. He was Ha Ni's carrot and that is about it. I will say this because of the way he plays his part through out, when his tone does change it hits you! The viewer feels it because most of the series he acts arrogant and is brooding all the time so when he does lower his guard and shows his love for Ha Ni the viewer always feels it. However, once again, the series acknowledges that!! He does. His friends do. His MOTHER does always. Even his little worshiping brother does near the end! They all acknowledge that he has personality issues. So to point it out seems rather silly BECAUSE EVERYONE knows it! LOL! It was his known flaw that would expose other flaws in his seemingly perfect demeanor. Ha Ni wears her flaws on her sleeve. They are there for everyone to see...and every one freely talks about them too.
Here's my heart felt feeling in the end, this drama was nothing but love. It permeated the entire series. It's warmth never wavered. I would love to live in a cocoon such as Ha Ni's. In spite her flaws, she brought warmth to everyone she touched and everyone surrounding her brought the love to her too. Her friends, her father, Seung Jo's parents, Joon Gu, her senior homeroom teacher, even Yoon Ha Rae was won over!! Jung So Min was radiant! She played this part as well as you could hope. The way she stumbled. The way she bit her lip. The way she shrunk when she knew she screwed up. I get teary eyed just thinking how special she was in this role...and the hate for her character -UGH! I DO NOT get it. She was a bit naïve sure, but she was so pure in every action how could you not cheer for her. When Seung Jo's mother, Geum Hee, came to her defense and pointed out the heart she brought to their lives it was awe inspiring.
I would love to flesh out more about each of these examples in her friends, Seung Jo's family, etc, but I will only touch on them a little. It was ALL of them that lead to my captivation with this series. I could only imagine having friends such as Ha Ni's and that includes Joon Gu. Her father was so gentle and worked so hard and gave his all for his daughter. However, for me the ones that filled my heart most was Seung Jo's parents. Yes, at first the mother, Geum Hee, seemed off. She seemed to have a screw loose and was weird, but that, at least for me, faded quickly. Her character was explained deeper. She became second only Ha Ni as my most beloved, but that only seems right since they were meant to be VERY similar, if not mirrors of one another. Their out pouring of support and uncompromising support for Ha Ni and her dad was profound. It brought buckets of tears from me.
Speaking of tears, I sobbed so many times during this series. From tears of joy, to tears of sharing their heartache, but it was always a pure heartache never a malicious heartache. The type that just comes with life. People come and go. We say good bye, and if you have a heart, most good byes are misty eyed. I tell my boys the most painful things in life are good byes.
So to maybe conclude, the cynicism this series has garnered from some is truly baffling. It's charming from start to finish. Having a happy ending with everyone finding love is unrealistic. People are right, life is mired in pain, suffering, hatred, bigotry, gossiping, backstabbing, greed, and so many other morose happenings. And thank God above this series doesn't have them. This is bliss start to finish, with just the mild bumps along the way. I'll tell you what, there are plenty of dramas that explore those ugly parts of life. Once in a while, isn't it nice to experience a story where people are good and helpful to each other. Doesn't that sound glorious? We live atrocity, why then would we want to ONLY champion that and watch series about that? Why wouldn't we want to escape for a while in a gentle, sweet world that largely doesn't exist in the real world, but wouldn't it be nice if it did? I'm 44. I had a marriage of 22 years end with lies, a wife committing adultery, a broken family through divorce etc. I'm tired of all that. It was a breath of fresh air to live in this drama for a little while. I ordered it on DVD and bought the soundtrack. Now I will not just seek out dramas like this. I will still watch and love the dramas with all the usually Kdrama tropes and expect story devices, but when life has me shaking my head, I will lose myself in this series for a moment and realize how people should treat each other.
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It was all for "today".
"Right now, you feel like you're falling behind others. Even so, you should live. As you live, there will come a moment when you'll realize, it was all for today." ~ Koo RyeonThe feelings of being constantly torn between killing yourself or killing everyone around you, is dangerous and as unfortunate. In a world, where individuality has become the primary choice of us, what everyone should be attempting is to extract out the positivity out of it. Situations and circumstances definitely play roles in making us commit deeds, that we'd never thought of even. But in the end, it all boils down to the fact that, one needs more courage to live than to kill themselves. Rightfully quoted so, "Sometimes even to live is an act of courage".
Created by 'Studio N' and co-produced by 'Super Moon Pictures', "Tomorrow (내일) [2022]" is the live-action adaptation of the 2017 manga of the same title by Llama. Developed by Hong Seok Woo, the show is a fantasy cum slice-of-life drama, broadcasted on MBC and internationally distributed on Netflix.
"Tomorrow" follows the day-to-day work of the Risk/Crisis Management Team of Jumadaeng (the afterlife company for Korea) which serves to prevent highly suicidal people from committing the deed and strives to bring happiness in their lives. Choi Joon Woong, a jobless young man, gets involved with grim reapers as he tries to save a man from taking his own life. Soon he goes into coma, becoming half dead, and joins the RM team till his recovery. There he meets, Team Leader Ko Ryeon (Kim Hee Sun) and his assistant Lim Ryung Gu (Yoon Ji On); together they save countless lives while facing the threat of disbanding from other departments of Jumadaeng, including the most elite Park Jung Gil (Lee Soo Hyuk), the leader of the escort team. Kim Hae Sook plays the Jade Emperor in Jumadaeng.
The controversial concept and the criticism surrounding it about suicide prevention, might seem futile but I do not wish to discredit and disregard the understandings of people about such a sensitive matter. Nevertheless, it's a relief how this show has been able to create narratives and conversations, about this topic.
Plot development follows both fragmented as well as staircase rule, and I believe this was a best decision in the webtoon writer's part. The pilot episode wasn't very impressive to me, that could have me in it's overall grasp though it seemed decent. I would say the execution in the 2nd episode was also fine. Episode 3 is where it suddenly took me to paradise (not literally because the sufferings of people were so saddening). I mean to say that I could suddenly understand the intentions of the writer and what everyone involved is meaning to relay to all of us. The furtherance was amazing; them handling one case after another, trying their best to sort everything out and put things back to their places, all of that evoked all kinda emotions, making us think, understand and realize about the possibilities that our lives could offer us. The seens involving Jumadaeng and the interactions of all the reapers working in it, was fantastic to witness; particularly Ko Ryeon and Jun Woong conversing was always melting my heart. Everything was okay until the finale week which somehow ended up ruining things for the show. As much as I love this show in overall, the very fact that the ending turned ordinary and rather shoddy, will always bother me, whenever I am reminded of the show.
There are 3 screenwriters for the show: Kim Yu Jin, Park Ran and Park Ja Kyung, and all of them are debutants according to their bios. Nonetheless, as I have opined multiple times, it's not really easy to turn a book into live-action adaptations and the secondary screenwriters needs to be immensely attentive and dedicated while turning books into scripts. So is the case for this; I believe the combined efforts of these budding artists have blossomed into such an amazingly beautiful masterpiece, sparking deeper thoughts and evoking essential emotions. The dialogues are sometimes heart-touching and emotional and as thought-provoking and gut-wrenching at times. The storytelling method with few monologue notes is alleviating and gladdening to a large extents.
Kim Tae Yeon PDnim with the experience of both a screenwriter and a director in both movies and dramas, have been able to do a wonderful job in preserving the eseence of the show. With him co-directs Sung Chi Wok PDnim, who has been a part of several modern well-recieved Kdramas. The tone, scope and subject matter of the show, perfectly corresponding to it's title, has been justified and the inherent messages has been yielded. The pacing was perfect, dedicating each episode to a single case and also narrating the back stories of the main cast meanwhile. The screenplay management, the scenario setups, the screen-editing and the overall execution, everything is beyond 'well done', which reflects in the outcomes that have provided us with gratifying and fulfilling experiences from the show. The only thing that felt off in the initial episodes was the sound production, the background editings, I mean.
The cinematography is pleasing, each episode usually starting with dark colour palettes depicting misery, and gradually shifting to light and colourful hue, implying, the new beginnings and as hope. The designer and makeup team deserves as much credit, for both accurately and demandingly bringing out the best of the characters, through the careful works on the actors. The fighting scenes, as required in few scenes, were exciting and convincing, if not very impressive.
Composed by Jo Seung Woo and Won Ho Kyung, there are a total of 5 OSTs, and I believe this much is enough. I love how they were incorporated into the story and screenplay.
# "Red Ligh"t by J. DON is my most favourite, which is a rap song depicting the mysterious ways in which one's life operates. The vibes of the song matches with that of the show. It makes me happy rap tracks have become the most prominent in modern slice-of-life Kdramas.
# "Still love you" by Yoo Hwe Seung (N. Flying) should have been the no.1 if not for the original track, where he is a co-singer with Lee Hong Ki (FT ISLAND). The track is of high pitch melancholic and sorrow-inducing lyrics, narrating the hardships of life. The vocals of Hwe Seung are amazing enough to make you cry. I suggest you listen to the original one, as well.
# "My Only One" by BEN is a soulful song reminiscing the moments spent with a precious person that you have admired for a long time in your life.
# "My Loneliness Callls You" by SURAN is again, truly a call for having happiness back in your life, soliciting the presence of your love.
# "Don't Leave Me, My Love" by An Da Eun is a beseech of holding back everything that you think is important. I didn't really like this one.
What I liked...
# Jun woong's character development is what the writer wanted to be the cause of the story. In fact, it was for him, we got to witness jumadaeng and such lovely members and also, the lives of so many people and their different kind of struggles. I could see how he'd turned out to be by the end of the drama.
# Comedy elements in the drama are hilariously funny and glad it was mostly restricted within jumadaeng or among the reapers. Most of it is credited to the Jade emperor (Kim Hae Sook) and equally to Ryung Gu, and Jun Woong was usually the victim of their humors, haha.
# The wide range of personal and social issues introduced and the underlying messages, presented in a fresh way, surely gets through all the way to the heart, viz. school bullying, poverty, career tension, loss of loving ones, ignorance to imperialism victims, life of war veterans, workplace taboos, injustice, sexual assault victims, miscarriage, etc.
# So happy how they thought of involving an animal in one of their episodes, showcasing the importance of pet-human relationship and the subsided emotions.
# Suicide is not something to even think about easily and even so it remains controversial, you really never know what an individual get through while making such decisions, no matter how absurd it seems to me and you. Also, it's not really easy prevent suicidal thoughts of others easily, but we need to understand that this was a fictional show where the writer had to throw light upon various stories and sticking to only one would have differed from the core concept of the story. I personally have nothing to complain.
# That being said, I loved how well the writer emphasized to tell us the stories the persons concerned with the issues in each episode, giving them a bigger fraction of the show. We rarely see the main cast of the show being taken away of this (in a good way, I mean).
# No one can confidently utter that they shall live tomorrow, so death is as natural as to be born. It is very touching the way the the vehemence of death has been propounded. It's nothing new for Kdramas like this, but the ideas and the elements used to represent, definitely move your heart.
# Paralleling jumadaeng (afterlife) with the world of living is another factor that makes the drama .. From the organizational structure to the regulations and operations, everything didn't feel less than any other MNC; they have every single thing, technology, glitches, resumes, editing, and what not.
# The epilogues at the end of each episode were so satisfying and as delightful and truly exhilarating.
What I didn't like...
# The shared past story of the main leads towards the ending is one the biggest (probably the only one) setbacks about the show. I would have loved it if they'd shown it bit by bit from the beginning but the one episode dedicated to the particular matter, that too towards the ending, ruined a small part about the show. Again, it could have been done in a very amazing way, but the way they represented wasn't very likable to me. And as predicted in the 15th episode the finale was rushed.
# As everyone else, I also expected Rowoon to be the part of of something big or let's say have his own share of gut-wrenching past story. Unfortunately, the writers didn't have any such plan, instead he was treated like a supporting character, not all the times though. My disappointment about this particular matter comes from the fact that Rowoon is no rookie or substandard actor at this point.
# Lee Soo Hyuk being shown as the main cast in in the poster and then the makers backstabbing us by giving him unsatisfactory share of screentime is very disappointing. I admit, overally the entire main cast has received half the time, bcs the makers have emphasized on narrating the stories of the victims but of the half, Lee Soo Hyuk gets the least, and I didn't like that.
# I think I have already told how it turned out to be a rushed ending, so saving the elaboration again, I strongly feel the ending could have been a lot lot lot better. sighs.
Final Remarks... Overally, "Tomorrow" bestowed love, hope, everything else that you felt on personal levels. The denouement has been essentially deep, eloquent and worthwhile, provided all efforts contributed by the entire cast & crew. "Suicide prevention by Grim Repears", might interest/intrigue some while making people think for a while, but I suggest you try this out. For me, this was worth my time and emotions and I would cite this as a must watch. My rating of 8.5/10 is the reflection of it's drawbacks, as mentioned, would have given a 9.0 otherwise.
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Comedy & Crime
This drama is NOT to be taken seriously. SIG is his usually wonderful self, this time bouncing around as a shaman, who is secretly trying to avenge his friend's murder. He used to be a profiler & uses that in his fortune-telling. The team at Cafe Minamdong is just fun, although those who hate slapstick, exaggerated comedy will not like them.The police team are also fun, although the two junior detectives were a bit over the top even for me. I liked the female lead (really, people! WTF is wrong with her? She's a cop, going after criminals!), and the older mentor just is one of those seasoned Korean actors that brings verisimilitude to every role he takes.
The mystery has an interesting twist - I wondered after about the 8th episode, but it didn't fully reveal itself until nearly the end, and did so in a very good way. I've watched a lot of dramas with this kind of thing before that have not done this as seamlessly or logically, frankly - playing with the audience or using shock value (or both, like Mouse ). This one did it well.
All in all this was just a fun, refreshing drama for me to watch - nothing heavy, satisfying action, very few true plot holes or logic fails (other than some over the top kinds of comedic situations), and just, SIG being very funny & appealing throughout.
I find all the negative reviews ridiculous, frankly.
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Geniuely a really good drama, not what everyone is making it out to be
I’ve never written a review for anything, but I feel like this had to be my first. As I think people are making Nevertheless out to be worse than it is. Personally I really enjoyed this drama so much.My favorite things:
1. The cast was truly amazing and their chemistry was so good that I always found myself smiling at the screen and repeating many scenes
2. THE ACTING!! The way they portrayed every single scene truly came down to the chemistry between them but just wow Song Kang and Han So Hee's acting truly needs more credit than what they are given
3. Every single ost in this drama was beyond beautiful, I looked forward to every week adding a new song to my ost playlist to have all the tracks on constant loop
4. The story was very realistic for their situation and this is the biggest thing I think people are making out to be worse than it is
One main thing I think people are forgetting or pushing aside is this is supposed to be a friends with benefits relationship and it is very emphasized from the beginning that that’s all that’s wanted. The word “toxic relationship” keeps being thrown into correlation but I personally don’t see anything toxic about their relationship when everything was put out there about the friends with benefits narrative. Yes, their relationship can be seen as flawed as the aspect of feelings are very evident but we also have a character who has never felt any of that and it’s an unfamiliar feeling that they don’t know what to do. In addition, communication between Na Bi and Jae Eon doesn’t really happen except for the times they explode in anger since they don’t address what they’re feeling.
Nevertheless (haha), I think everyone has mixed reviews depending on your stance on a friends with benefits relationship, but if you’re looking for a drama that’s more raw with sexual scenes and tension. A cast with amazing chemistry and a lot of fun scenes when they’re all together. In addition to people trying to understand their emotions and feelings when it comes to love this would be a great drama.
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The story isn’t original as it’s a remake, in all honesty this is one of the first remake I can say was better than the original, I might seem biased as I watched the remake before the original, but I’ve done that to a few shows and always Felt the original was best. Every episode was full of adrenaline hoping everything will just turn out okay in the end.
The character development was a main point in the storyline and showed the growth of friendship and love between the two main characters
The acting was phenomenal especially from a child actress starring in her first major role of a drama she stood out to be the best role in my opinion throughout the drama
Overall this drama is the best to start off 2018 and I’m kind of sad for it to finish now I would recommend it if you can stomach a lot of tension after every episode
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While telling an interesting story, Healer manages to do brilliantly what most fictional works should and sometimes fail to do: create 4-dimentional characters, believable persona whose growth and mutual interaction reach the heart of the viewer. When characterization is so strong, the plot twists - whatever they are - fall to the background, becoming a mean to an end. In this sense, it doesn't matter how many times the same plot subject has been used in a drama: what matters is how this same subject pertains to the journey of the characters. The reason why I was constantly on the edge of my seat while watching Healer, is not because I wondered what was going to happen next, but because I was eager to know how each character would react to a certain event. Will she give up? Will he fall apart? Will that one lie, speak the truth, run away, face the challenge, cry, laugh, rejoice? What would I do, in their shoes?
And every single time I feared the ominous K-drama tropes would sneak into the narration with the usual noble idiocy, nth misunderstanding, petty jealousy or envious triangles, these characters surprised me and made me extremely happy for NOT conforming.
Someone here called this drama "a breath of fresh air" and I couldn't agree more.
This story, while simple on the surface, hides a few, much deeper and more complex subjects. One over all, the roles of adults and how their choices can make the lives of children a living hell. K dramas have accustomed us to adults who abandon their children, or abuse them, dictate them, mold them to their will, silence them. In the best of scenarios, they over protect them. This drama, on the other hand, gives out a different message: adults should give their children the means to fight their own battles, their own way. The same could be said about women, who are the true strong point of this drama. I wish I could write an essay on Young Shin and Ahjumma, but don't worry, I'll spare you the boredom, Suffice to say, true courage and strength are not in the fists.
Healer is also a love story. A sweet, realistic, heart wrenching and heartwarming love story made of little, endearing details. It's the encounter of a young man with a tough shell and a vulnerable soul and a young woman with a fragile body and a brave, unwavering heart. They are so natural together, watching them is a pleasure. I think I fell irremediably in love with them as a couple. I ascribe it to the acting, but also to the brave script, which for once depicts 2 young adults who admits they are attracted to each other physically as well as emotionally. I do not expect a drama to show me anything happening under the sheets, but I'm a little weary of tons of dramas where the girl is shocked by the mere hands touching and calls for a trial. Guess what, Young Shin and Jung Hoo are human!
I've read somewhere this drama had a very low budget, so low that they had to film lots of scenes in a rush and couldn't afford complicated special effects. I grew even fonder of it because of this and wish viewer would stop comparing this show to others which had a lot more money to work with. All the actors give out the impression of truly believing in what they are doing, that's possibly why there's a collective, tangible alchemy keeping the whole cast together. As for the music, I admit at not having liked a particular song in the beginning, but because it was so fitting to the story told, I ended up loving it too. The instrumental pieces were perfect.
As I said, I've already watched this twice. When I reached the end the first time, I felt the urge to go see again how it all began and how it all unfolded. When it comes to dramas I like, I am a serial second watcher and go in search of that lost detail I've overlooked before. I think Healer lends itself very well to multiple watching, because even when you already know the outcome, the journey there still has so much enjoyment to give.
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Not a KDrama, but a dramatic Korean story with a lot of Korean heart. (A hybrid?)
Ok, this series tells a Korean story, it´s about Korean destinies. BUT it's not an original KDrama. It is a (western) Apple production in which some (Apple) producers from the US obviously had a say. So, first of all, a bit of criticism about the American serial adaptation of a bestseller novel, which 'coincidentally' has a Korean fate as its subject. (Before I go into praise...)North Americans with Korean family backgrounds may have been involved in the production (the directors, the person responsible for the script adaptation and a lot of actors, for example). Nevertheless, it is and remains a North American production. The sad thing about it: the series production repeats - if you like - the theme of the story in a new media version: in this case, the profitable exploitation of 'Korean stories', 'Korean fates' and even a bit of the KDrama soul...
Using the example of several generations of a Korean family and their personal destinies against the background of Japanese colonization and racism to this day, why reduce a 500-page book to ONLY 8 episodes? Why not use the time and space and retell the story in at least 20 episodes, or even 50?
Quite simply: the series production is not of South Korean origin, and it is not made for South Korean television, but for the international streaming market. The rest of the world isn't THAT interested in South Korea, but it is quite touched by Korean fates. So, the enthusiasm for the original bestseller in a binge-capable, compact format has to be cleverly marketed in a colorful and moving way in order to attract new streaming subscribers to Apple. The world (those who have not yet read the book but have now watched the series) is shocked and touched by what happened between Japan and South Korea, which is still today formative for many Koreans. The rest of the world was hardly aware of this historical chapter. However, in the series adaptation, the individual fates were told less in detail. They were rather reduced to catchy basic emotions, and these were cleverly knotted as a cross-generational leitmotif in key scenes over time jumps. The focus is on Sunja - with the focus on Sunja in her third phase of life. This is embodied by Youn Yuh-jung, who was already able to leave a lasting impression on the international audience with (her Oscar for) "Minari" and thus gets plenty of screen time as a 'star' among many internationally comparatively unknown actors.
Well, that's the way it is.
If you have a background with KDrama, you will find a nice study object in "Pachinko" to compare the different narrative styles (Western style vs. Korean style) with regard to emotionality. Western style would be more like: 'I WATCH the mimes have their feelings'. The individual sequences of different timelines, some of which are strung together at very short intervals, convey this 'Western' handwriting. This is, so to speak, Western objectivity in the depiction of emotionality. The (South) Korean narrative style, on the other hand, deliberately draws the audience into the emotional world. E.g. 'I sympathize. I'm IN there too.'
So, with "Pachinko" there was a lot of Korean heart and soul mixed into the story and series adaptation. You can feel that. This is how an interesting hybrid production actually came about. It's not a KDrama, but a Korean story with a lot of Korean heart. Thus, the spirit of Korean storytelling still blows through some of the scenes. Actually, even the concept chosen for the series adaptation is the strongest element: if such a complex family saga is told in 8 episodes, then through the characteristic basic emotions in the form of impressive scenes - less in plot, action and dialogues. For example: when the mother ceremonially prepares the rice for the wedding, which they are actually not allowed to eat, or the young bank employee throws his expensive jacket into the puddle and dances footloose to the street music on the open street (in Japan!), or the grandmother, completely moved, after decades back on South Korean soil on the beach of her childhood... There are strong scenes like this - lastingly impressive, without words - that (want to and actually do) touch the heart. THAT, I would think, is Korean style in the way of its storytelling. It somehow sneaked into the production (still US production, even if it was trilingual) and confidently took its place. (Perhaps in the same way that people under Japanese oppression quietly preserved their inner dignity and inner defiance despite all bending and suffering.)
And by the way: the title track may be well and good. But! The intro clip is in my eyes most peculiar and completely missing the subject. It's nice that all generations come together here, but the extreme exuberance of the dance performance has nothing to do with the rest of the series. It seems rather strange, how in contrast to the particular, muted, rather gloomy 'Han' (Korean pain/world pain) of the story it comes along in such outlandish US style...
Nevertheless: the series is captivating, moving and over all a rather inhospitable excursion into inhospitable Korean living conditions, which are emotionally shaped for some even to this day by the Japanese colonial era. Even decades later in Japan and the USA, life is shown rather inhospitable. Only a few well-chosen scenes open up in a visually stunning and atmospheric way, as if to remind us that life itself is a gift...
Even if it's only told in 8 episodes (and by now apparently in 8 more for a second season), "Pachinko" offers an unforgettable, visually stunning excursion into a sad segment of recent Korean history using the example of a moving family saga. A concentrated load of multifaceted contemporary rich topics that can at best be roughly touched or tabbed upon in the series adaptation. Nevertheless. It is definitely a masterpiece to compress the 500-page epic into 8 slim episodes and - without having to bend the story too much - to convey a stringent, central emotional attitude even in the face of the inhospitable nature of being: the protagonist despite all the suppression keeping a quiet, inner dignity, grounded and clear - from there drawing the strength to face life and its challenges again and again, in all simplicity.
Lastingly impressive!
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– Beautiful scenography.
– Spectacular original soundtracks and background music.
– Okay acting. I was in it for Mike He and wasn't disappointed one bit in that regard, however, I feel like they could have fleshed out his character some more.
– Chemistry. This is really a matter of taste and opinion. The main couple did have chemistry and cute moments, but not to the degree that I would ship them (I think I shipped the side couple more). To me, their relationship felt more like a noona-dongsaeng relationship rather than a romantic/mature one, but guess that's a given considering the age of the actors.
What NOT to expect?
– A strong plot. The premise of the story was interesting—it was literally oozing with potential—however, not very convincingly executed. The plot was not strongly knit together and above all, lacked focus. It lost me somewhere between the middle and the ending.
– A love triangle (although the poster might suggest otherwise). Not sure if there was a love triangle—if there was, it was very vaguely present. Don't forget, Mike He is not playing the second male lead, he is playing the main character of his own story.
– Not the most satisfying ending of all. In fact, the ending was WTF-inducing and felt rushed. On the plus side (or not, depending on how you're looking at it), chances of a second season seem high judging from the manner in which things were rounded off in the final episode.
Was it worth watching? Yes. Would I watch it again? Doubt it.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Journey of the Pocket Watch
The StoryThis drama is set during the Republican era—a turbulent time in China when ordinary people were faced with limited choices, uncertainty, and difficult decisions. The director has done an excellent job in creating a realistic portrayal of that period, supported by a well-written script that thoughtfully explores the political climate of the time. The inclusion of romance helps to soften the heaviness of the historical and societal themes.
The life stories of three generations are anchored around the old Lin family home, which evolves over time from a residential house to a hospital and later to a fabric factory that doubles as a residence. The romance of three generations of women in the Lin family, spanning from the 1930s to the 1990s, begins with Lin ShiYun, the granddaughter of the Lin family. After studying abroad and becoming a gynecologist, she returns to China with modern thinking and a bold spirit. She challenges her family’s traditional views and navigates the troubles caused by her irresponsible, gambling brother. Lin ShiYun is a strong-willed, clear-headed, and courageous woman—her personality is very likable. Once she sets her mind on something, she is determined to see it through.
I haven’t watched many dramas featuring Jelly Lin, and her performances usually didn’t captivate me. However, in this role as ShiYun, she truly fits the character and made me believe in her.
She meets Cheng Ao, a gangster lawyer played by Ryan Cheng. Though raised in a family with gangster roots, Cheng Ao was educated abroad and upholds patriotic values passed down by his adoptive father. He is the male lead in the first arc—a righteous, intelligent, and principled man who complements ShiYun’s strong personality perfectly. Ryan Cheng shines in this role, and I believe it’s his best performance to date, especially compared to his other recent leading roles in two major “S” Wuxia/Xuanhuan productions.
The first arc tells the story of Cheng Ao and Lin ShiYun finding love amid political turmoil, staying true to their beliefs, and making difficult life choices. They are among the lucky ones who survive the war and migrate overseas. I thoroughly enjoyed their romance—it felt inspiring and meaningful.
The second arc begins from episode 12 and centers on YiYi, ShiYun’s niece, who is deeply influenced by her aunt’s worldview. YiYi is widowed at a young age and faces discrimination from a conservative society. Her quiet, non-confrontational nature makes her a target of prejudice, but with determination and resilience, she finds her voice and love again. YiYi pursues her passion for clothing design and eventually thrives in the fashion industry. Her romance with a Communist Party minister, Wen Pu (played by Liu YiJun), is touching and layered with social tension. As always, Liu YiJun delivers a solid performance.
YiYi is portrayed by Tong Yao, an up-and-coming actress who feels very natural in this role. Although the second arc takes time to pick up—partly due to YiYi’s withdrawn personality—her quiet strength and artistic soul grow on you. As you begin to understand her grief and emotional depth, you can’t help but empathize with her and even wish that others would leave her alone. The side characters are frustrating at times, but they serve as realistic representations of the extreme ideological views present during early Communist China. The second arc concludes in episode 21, highlighting the hardships faced by YiYi and Wen Pu.
The final romantic arc follows YiYi’s granddaughter, Ye XiNing, whose love story begins with a chance encounter with schoolteacher Xiang BeiChuan. After being falsely accused and losing her job, XiNing’s journey is about rebuilding her career and discovering love. Among the Lin women, she is probably the most unlikable at first—impulsive, dramatic, and outspoken. However, she is also hardworking, resilient, and maintains a positive outlook. From working in a small jean factory to running an international clothing business, her growth is admirable.
XiNing and BeiChuan are complete opposites: she is loud, emotional, and blunt, while he is quiet, cautious, and principled. At times, it’s easy to feel sympathy for BeiChuan as XiNing’s dominating personality overwhelms him. But their romance grows as they work through misunderstandings and eventually commit to each other. Spoiler: this couple is the only one we see getting married on-screen.
A beautiful touch in the story is the symbolic passing of a pocket watch—from Cheng Ao to Lin ShiYun, then to YiYi, and finally to XiNing—representing the passage of time and the enduring values passed down through generations.
My Thoughts on the Couples (CPs):
Many viewers came to this drama for Ryan Cheng, who only appears in the first arc (up to episode 11). I particularly liked his role here, so I wanted to share my thoughts on the romantic arcs:
CP1 – Cheng Ao & Lin ShiYun
Their story is about spontaneity, contrasts yet shared values, courage, and remaining true to one’s roots. It’s a tale of ordinary people becoming heroes in extraordinary times.
CP2 – YiYi & Wen Pu
This is a story of forbidden love and defying social norms. It highlights the limitations imposed by society, and the endurance needed to triumph over adversity.
CP3 – Ye XiNing & Xiang BeiChuan
Their romance shows how love can blossom under unlikely circumstances. It’s about opposites attracting, seizing opportunities, holding onto beliefs, and striving for success while staying grounded.
All three love stories are intricately woven into the fabric of time, each representing a different response to the challenges of their era.
There are many powerful and thought-provoking lines in the drama about relationships, choices, and the consequences of decisions made. I truly enjoyed this drama and hope that more people will come to appreciate its depth, storytelling, and emotional richness.
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i would classify this as pornographic, there are explicit sex sceenes, which is fine, but you have to be in the mood for porn to watch porn. i was in the mood to watch a movie.
a previous reviewer talked about it being a pedophiles dream and stated the male character was 17. he's actually 19, i even turned off the subs and listened to them state his age, my korean leaves alot to be desired but i can count, so by american standards it isnt pedophilia. the actor that plays him was also well over the age of consent in both america and korea at the time of the filming, so if the under age thing had you skeeved out, dont be.
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