This review may contain spoilers
A Must-Watch Drama That Redefines C-Drama Storytelling
As a fan of this director’s mini-dramas and familiar with the leads, I had this show vaguely on my radar, but wow—what a ride! This drama breaks away from tradition and delivers everything I’ve ever wished for in a C-drama. From the exquisite directing to the engaging characters, it’s a masterpiece through and through.
Directing and Cinematography:
The directing is stunning, with shots crafted with clear intention. There’s an artistry in how unspoken emotions are conveyed visually, creating a narrative that feels almost poetic. Every frame tells a story, and the attention to detail elevates the entire viewing experience, no additional voice narrating is necessary.
The Plot:
We start with a bold twist—our leads are at the end of their lives, poisoned and let down by the world. They connect on a profound, kindred level, only to die together. And then, just when you think it’s over, the story rewinds. The female lead wakes up in her childhood body, armed with memories of her past life. This familiar premise is brought to life in a refreshing way.
From the very first episode, you’re hooked. Unlike many dramas that rush through backstory in a few minutes, this one dedicates almost an entire episode to immersing us in the leads’ tragic past. By the time their deaths hit, you’re already emotionally invested. This makes their “redo” all the more meaningful—you want them to rewrite their fates.
The Characters:
-The Male Lead: He’s a brilliantly written character— just irresistible. Unlike the FL he did not keep his memories from his past life. A badass fighter unafraid to make difficult choices, he’s captivating from start to finish. Watching him fall in love with the FL and become a devoted husband was pure joy.
-The Female Lead: She’s smart, strategic, and compassionate—a true standout. It’s no wonder the ML (and others) are drawn to her. She is a badass queen!
Their chemistry is electric, and their relationship is everything I’ve ever wanted in a drama. They get married out of love (not duty!) in the middle of the series, and their relationship is free of miscommunication or unnecessary drama. They’re a true power couple and absolute #CoupleGoals.
-Ji Yong (3rd Favorite Character): A complex and fascinating character, Ji Yong is cunning, intelligent, and emotionally detached—but not evil. His ambition is understandable, and despite (appearing) to be on the opposite side of our leads, he’s impossible for me to hate. Knowing he gets a second chance also with his memories intact makes his journey even more compelling. Also, when his true intentions were revealed it made him the most interesting character in the show for me.
Palace Politics and Villains:
Though I’m not usually a fan of palace politics, the intrigue here kept me hooked. The villains are as twisted as they come, showcasing the theme, “No one can mess up your life like your family.” It’s painfully relatable and well-executed. Also, the showdown in ep.31 in the court kept me at the edge of my seat. And the finale is everything I expected it to be.
The Beautiful Happy Ending:
What truly cemented this drama as a favourite was the beautiful and uplifting ending. Despite the bleakness of their situation and the overwhelming odds against them, our leads stand together against the world, showing how love can transcend hate and bring light even in the darkest times. Their unwavering commitment to each other and their shared goal of a better future made the finale deeply satisfying. It’s rare to see such an authentic portrayal of love’s power, and it left me with a sense of hope and joy that I’ll carry with me for a long time.
Final Thoughts:
This drama came out of nowhere and completely swept me off my feet. The beautifully crafted story, unforgettable characters, and emotionally resonant themes make it my favorite drama of 2024. If you’re looking for a C-drama that delivers heart, depth, and an unforgettable journey, this is it.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's not easy to love this, but its harder to not love this.
Its always the way the characters look at each other, the look of love in eyes that makes one fall in love with the characters. It's same here too, its just that she falls in love with a bad bad guy and you kinda end up falling in love with them. I was stunned, moved and touched by the way their relationship molded over time. The script doesn't offer you with much shocking plot twists but does give slow burn twists that you would have expected for a long time but it still make you feel shocked when you see it. The aspect of finding someone you feel like you belong with though you shouldn't - that drives the movie. The gore killings, yah can weird you out. The slow burn sexual connection and emotions are put out in an excellent way by the actors.The script and the acting makes it feel so raw, the essence of the movie.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Okay, this show does a really terrible job of explaining itself so imma clear it up for those who have watched it and are confused or those that haven't and are interested in doing so. I'm not sure if the issue lies in the translation or in the writing itself, but either way, I gotchu:Convoluted explanation:
Qing Chen utilizes a set of nine stones to reset the universe after the love of her life nearly comes to a fatal end. However, doing so is not without consequence. Firstly, no one will remember her, nor can she reveal her identity. Secondly, she'll only have a predetermined amount of time before the flower of life wilts, which loses a petal whenever the major players in that timeline die and/or as time passes. And thirdly, if she doesn't recollect the scattered stones before her time is up, her existence will be wiped from the history of the universe and everything she has done up until that point will be nullified.
Simple explanation:
The basic premise of this show is that a girl (Qing Chen) goes a year into the past to change the fate of the love of her life. It obviously can't be that easy because the writers have another 45-ish episodes to write, so there are rules: she only has roughly 6 months to recollect the scattered stones that acted as her time machine and return to the future. If she fails, she disappears from the universe (including people's memories) and, as mentioned above, everything she has done up until that point will be nullified.
(If you haven't watched it yet, stop reading now if you want to avoid spoilers)
So what does she do? She devotes all of her efforts to saving Ling, her true love, and basically blows off searching for the stones because... Selflessness?? I guess?? Honestly, when it comes to dramas like these, the overall consensus is that any "genius" character is just a brilliant fool... Mostly for plot convenience. When the writers need them to pull some miraculously impossible solution out of their ass, they do, and when the writers need them to play dumb and overlook something blatantly obvious, they do. And that about perfectly sums up Qing Chen. She's a brilliant fool and victim of cheap plot manipulation.
She SHOULD be concerned about finding the stones. She SHOULD value her life. Why? Because if she doesn't find the stones, or if she dies, everything she went through to save Ling will go to waste— he'll still die at the hands of his power-hungry brother from before she went back in time, she just won't exist to witness it. It basically invalidates everything she is putting herself through; it's like devoting tons of time and effort into a video game with the intention to just delete the save file halfway. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
There are so many plot holes, so many I've lost count. They pulled a J.K. Rowling "Prisoner of Azkaban" so many times. What do I mean by that? Well, the whole premise of "Prisoner of Azkaban" is that Harry and Hermione fuck with time to fix a bunch of shit, but that mechanic is never visited again in the subsequent books because... Well, because it was hellish to write about so J.K. Rowling just casually opted out. Plus, it would've destroyed her tragic plans for the the story (since everything could be fixed by time travel), making it boring, repetitive, and predictable. TL;DR? "Lost Love in Times," like "Prisoner of Azkaban," is another example of— say it with me now— PLOT CONVENIENCE.
Then again, they must've done something right since I did watch it until the end, which is rare for me these days. I gotta give it to China— they've got political turmoil and domestic upheaval down to a science. If you can keep track of all the characters and side stories, you won't be disappointed by the amount of detail that goes into the corrupt and ceaseless competition for power. WITH THAT BEING SAID...
What a cheap excuse of an ending. It's the epitome of "oh shit, we wrote ourselves into a corner and the characters don't have their happy ending. Whelp... SCREW IT. FAN SERVICE TIMEEEE."
Don't get me wrong, I love me a happily ever after, but I'd rather a tragic ending that makes sense than a forced and poorly executed happy ending. Period.
*deep breath*
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The Nine-Tailed Fox Tale With A Romantic Twist…
Admittedly whilst the quality of these fantasy dramas are often variable upon screenwriting ,‘ My Roommate Is A Gumiho’ surprisingly hits most of the marks by portraying well-rounded characters, strong chemistry between the main leads and an intriguing premise which felt enjoyable and surprisingly heartfelt for viewers.
Taken from the eponymous webcomic and adapted by screenwriters Baek Sun Woo and Choi Bo Rim , " My Roommate Is A Gumiho” revolves around Shin Woo Yeo( Jung Ki Yong)- an ancient nine-tailed fox ( Gumiho) who yearns to be human. Woo Yeo must turn his fox bead marble blue before reaching his 999th year, otherwise he will never be able to attain this possibility of becoming mortal . However, nothing ever runs smoothly for supernatural beings in K-dramas. When young and feisty university student Lee Dam (Hyeri) swallows his bead, Woo Yeo soon finds himself battling between his desires and a new obstacle of affections for Lee Dam…
Starting off his performance on a slightly lacklustre note, Jang Ki Young soon proved his talents to animate the sagacious and mysterious onscreen persona as Shin Woo Yeo to life through his surprisingly heart-rendering scenes of Woo Yeo’s complex past and sweet interactions with Lee Dam.
It is surprising how underrated Lee Hyeri’s acting talents are by truly delivering a resonant performance as headstrong Lee Dam. Lee Dam ( as a character) is arguably an evidently "down-to-earth heroine" than a lot of K-drama female leads out there- deadpan expressions, shamelessly honest comments and straightforward priorities ( not least the fact that she was more worried about not being able to eat fried chicken again with the bead) helping to epitomise this.
However to be more brutally honest with Lee Dam’s characterisation, it was evident to see some nuanced problems here also. This didn’t mean her sentience as a character was non-existent. Early on in the series, Lee Dam established she was no pushover when calling out the sexist remarks of second male lead Gye Sun Woo ( Bae In Hyuk)’s friendship group upon her body. She comments defiantly that she is a human being; ” not an object" in a moment which truly brought forward the taboo issue of misogyny in South-Korea . ( Kudos as well for screenwriters Baek Sun Woo and Choi Bo Rim for having addressed this issues overtly than burying them under the carpet also.)
In addition to this the screenwriters also used the opportunity to explore more with her interactions outside of romances alone, with her two best friends; Do Jae Jin( Kim Do Wan) and Choi Soo Kyung( Park Kyung Hye) . The " best friends" archetype in K-dramas is often used to present “animosity”( either through love triangles, lies or relationships) or as “unnecessary” ( they are used to fill-in time or for comical relief). At times, the duo were manipulated into both roles in order to heighten drama, however, they was something oddly sweet here ; they genuinely cared about Lee Dam.
However, the biggest problem occurred sometimes in between this development of " comical" and " serious" Lee Dam scenes, there was a opportunity to use this time to sketch-out more about Lee Dam’s sense of identity . Admittedly , this also fuelled more tedious interactions between our main leads in the beginning as we had little to truly grasp ( as viewers) about their characters.
Arguably, however, it this was necessary to foreground who are characters were as individuals and to get to know one another first. This seemed to remain evident in later episodes with a more fortified pairing feeling refreshing, gradual and healthy-both for the characters, and the logic of the plot without having to define Woo Yeo merely as the ‘ supernatural and inhuman’ character of the series for angst and tension. Although some viewers have risen red flags about the “ improper” relationship between Woo Yeo and Lee Dam’s addressed name to him ( “ Elder/ Sir”) in Korean, there was undeniably something well-matched about the chemistry between these two characters. The storyline could’ve presented Woo Yeo as a “ callous” or “ disruptive” towards Lee Dam, but the male lead was fairly respectful towards our female lead and likewise with Lee Dam towards Woo Yeo. Their relationship was undeniably slow-burning but built upon gradual mutual respect and symbiotic feelings, rather than the stereotypical causes which often reduced the main pairing in fantasy dramas being there “ for the sake of plot”.
The supporting leads were in a similar boat. Second female lead Yang Hye Sun ( Kang Ha Na) was an absolute delight with her wholesome friendship with our male main lead . There was initial fear that perhaps Hye Sun would go down the stereotypical ” female animosity” route due to her close-knit relationship with Woo Yeo ( due to her established " vixen-style and mischievous ”personality). However, thankfully the show allowed Hye Sun to steer clear of this route. Instead Hye Sun is paired together with an unusual side character which you won’t see coming . Now, without spoilers ( to either the drama or the webtoon), there is a particular reason why the storyline paired these two polar opposites together, however, first-time viewers will possibly feel disconcerted with this pairing choice due to the more ” comical" approach taken on at first. (Although admittedly there are some surprisingly heartfelt moments between these two also.)
Our second male lead Gye Sun Woo ( Bae In Hyuk) was a little bit of a curve ball. Bae In Hyuk was undeniably delightful as our main lead. However although the series did attempt to present Sun Woo as the “ forlorn lover with unrequited feelings” towards Lee Dam, lacking character growth and missed opportunities to use Sun Woo’s egotism in order to explore more about his backstory, truly derived from the screenwriters’ intended desire of presenting him as this sentient individual rather than merely a story writing trope.
On a more positive note the ending was fairly well-matched for the series and did leave a sense of completion towards the overall events of the drama.
So aside from the seeming abundance of high ratings for this series giving it “10/10”, is “ My Roommate Is A Gumiho” actually that good? Well, the drama undeniably has its flaws in parts. Whilst it hits the mark with good acting, prominent messages and brilliant relationship chemistry between our leads, the fresh spins upon tropes are sometimes mismatched against more tiresome cliches particularly with later storyline developments, slower pacing in parts and evidently the character development of Sun Woo. On the other hand, “ My Roommate Is A Gumiho” was an entertaining watch with chemistry which sparked alive onscreen and will definitely win the heart of any avid romance fan.
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1"I love dreaming, because in my dreams, you're actually mine"~ Victor ( Pov )
WARNING - This is my review according to my own feelings , if you don't like it then I have nothing to do . Don't come here to argue with me .Shine is shining brilliantly . MileApo's " Kinnporsche " created a STANDARD for every BL watcher, so we had high expectations and look they actually haven't disappointed us . The cinematography was top tier , sometimes felt like watching a hollywood movie.
This is a tale of 1969-1971. Apo Natawwin's acting deserves all the awards. He literally gives micro expressions in every episode. His role Trin holds aura. But the most interesting part is Tanwa , how did Mile play this beautiful and unique role ? In Kinnporsche, he was a scary mafia but here is a free spirit. The duality is insane. Once again proved, how professional he is .
I have to talk about another important character Victor. You will naturally like him . He deserved the honour of a MAIN CHARACTER. The chemistry between him & Trin , Gosh this pair stole the spotlight for me . Sometimes I felt , Victor and trin had better chemistry than Tanwa and Trin . Not as a MileApo fan but as a BL watcher I really wanted this couple badly. Why not ? His love for Trin is pure but poor him .
Although shine is shining but in a corner of a dark room probably Victor's soul is screaming
"I love you like a silent movie loves a talkie—I can feel every emotion, but you can never hear me."
Give this drama a try , you will not regret.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ok wow. Black is a conundrum with equal parts things to love and equal parts things to hate. It is excellent at times but tragically bad at others and after you’re done with it, you’ll find yourself fully understanding where both the highly positive and negative views are coming from. Your final rating will simply depend on the aspect you choose to focus on. So here’s the spoiler-free break down of the good and bad that comes with the show:The Bad:-
Bad Acting and Annoying ASF Characters:
1) Our Female Lead:Kang Ha Ram was your everyday damsel in distress/dumb but kind/self-sacrificing/self-blaming/bumbling-fumbling idiotic heroine who should’ve been as unmemorable as they come. And she really was that way as long as Go Ah Ra didn’t attempt to “act” but then somebody gave her the awful idea that she should “try and make an effort” and that’s when things went sour for me. Her acting was so monotonous and try-hard that at times I too wanted to stab my eyes with a metallic chopstick. Just at the slightest inclination of danger, she started this weird hyperventilating/gasping/whimpering regime and trust me, nobody wants to hear that kind of constant panting in the ear in, what is supposed to be, an emotionally intense scene. Simply put, it made me feel violence.
2) Kim Won Hae:Ladies and Gents, let me introduce you to the supporting ahjussi version of Lee Jong Suk (minus the looks ofc) He has the classic “same character, different drama” thing going on and that’s why what was supposed to be the role of a quirky and passionate police officer soon turned into the “same ol’ bs” for me. It didn’t help that I had watched two of his dramas (WYWS/CHIEF KIM) back to back (in which I really liked him) before Black and his acting chops (or lack thereof) were quite apparent to me .
3)The Second Male/Female Lead:The second female lead was a slightly updated version of Kang Ha Ram. Atleast, she had some reason for her constant hyperventilation. The poor woman was literally used as a plot device for the show (with zero character development) and spent the entirety of the drama getting abused/hit/humiliated/kidnapped and you know the routine…The second male lead was the male equivalent of the female and second female lead combined so you know there’ wasn’t much hope to begin with. There was equally bad acting done by all three of them to wrap their disastrously written characters with a sparkly bow on top.
4) Side Characters:There are a lot of side characters with straight up cringey acting which made me question my own existence. Like why? Their roles weren’t even hard. It was like watching a bad rehearsal instead of the actual thing.
-Pacing and Plot Development:
Black’s pacing is admittedly very messy. The drama starts being all over the place, it’s draggy and confusing and you almost want to drop it but then episode 5 kicks in. And somehow it turns from “meh” to “holy shit that’s awesome”. And then just when you’re ready to give it a 10, the drama reaches the 12th episode mark and things start to go downhill. The last couple of episodes were probably some of the most badly executed/poorly written/sappy and disappointing episodes I’ve had the displeasure of witnessing in a drama. The ending was also done in poor taste. Some of the reveals could’ve been brilliant but the show failed to pull it off, so much so, that when everything finally hit the fan, I was almost yawning like “So this what was all the hype was about?” Not impressed.
-Bullshit-O-Meter on Level 100:
Honestly, if you’re watching the show objectively you’ll find a lot of loopholes and things that don’t add up. Some scenes were flat-out ridiculous and laughably unbelievable. There’s a level of “illogical” I can put up with under the label of fantasy but when you just start bullshitting your way through things, just to wrap it all up, I’m sorry but I’m not buying. The amount of convenient plot devices in the last coupla episodes were tragic and the poor props used by the production team just made things more tacky.
The Good:-
Well Done Anti-Hero/Male Lead:
I simply adored Grim Reaper 444/Black. He was the life of the show and could often be seen carrying it on his sexy back. I actually think Song Seung Hoon pulled it all off quite brilliantly. I loved the way he went from this cold/blunt/almost selfish jerk to this kind hearted man. I loved everything about him- his hilarious antics, his cute attempts to adjust to the human world, the way the actor delivered his dialogues and his poignant expressions that actually made you “feel” so much for him. He pulled both his roles as the “clumsy police officer” and “the stoic Grim Reaper” perfectly. Even though his character took some hits because of the bad writing towards the end, they weren’t nearly big enough to downplay all his awesomeness. Plus those black suits were mighty good to him. I couldn’t get enough.
-Suspense/Mystery:
Even though the ending reveals and the wrap-up could’ve been much much better, the journey towards the revelations was excellent. There were some genuine thrilling moments and the show executed the suspense marvellously. I was dying to know what was going to happen at times and was clueless about how it was all going to end (except one of the big reveals that I had figured out quite early in the show). The way some things connected to each other in some of the individual cases had me gripping the edge of my old rusty futon. As a hardcore fan of the mystery genre, I really appreciated some of the twists and turns the story took. After a very long time, I had myself a show where I was genuinely interested in knowing the results. I was badly anticipating the “wow-wow-superwow moments” and even though the results disappointed me, I’d never for a moment take back the beautiful process.
-The Middle:
For me the middle of the show (ep 5-11) was definitely the best of it. There were some legit interesting cases that our main guys took over. The show pulled off the darkness and violence of every crime quite nicely and ended up being fairly impactful. In this phase of the show I was sure I was going to give it a solid 10; for the execution of these episodic stories was far better than the over-arching plot.
-Black’s two “Reaper Best Friends”:
Jo Jae Yun is my favorite supporting actor and I’ve loved him in all his roles. Joseon along with our adorable Rapper brought some much needed comedic relief and warmth to the show. Their interactions with Black made my day.
-The Killers:
A few of the killers/criminals in the show were just the right flavor of creeptastic.*Scarface, I’m looking at you.” This did wonders for the psychological aspect of the drama. You get a glimpse of how horrible some humans can be and it is ugly. I loved it.
-OST:
The OST was very appropriate and the soft vocals gave a very melancholic feel that was just right for the show. The instrumentals helped too.
-Leo:
Lmao ok so he was actually quite irrelevant and one-dimensional but still oh so cute. I’m a girl. I have two eyes and two ovaries. I liked what I saw.
So anyway, that’s about it folks. That’s all you need to know about Black. Do I recommend it? Actually, yes.
If you can look over some things/don’t mind one and a half hour episodes/ are a fan of mystery and crime, then definitely give it a go. Chances are you will really enjoy, if not most, then at least some of it. Do I think it deserves to be one of the very top rated shows? Personally, no. Not by a long shot.
Best of luck!
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For starters, I am a very big lover of this manga. It isn't exactly a very smart story but what drove the entire plot of the manga had been random cuteness and a swooning chemistry between the leads. While the lead actors here are cute they fail to make me love them and rather came off as annoying. I don't know how old both actors are but I'm gonna be harsh and say they did a terrible job of their characters.
Shuusei and Aoi were unrecognizable to me as characters by the end of the film. With a story that originally hardly had any depth, the script of the film makes it shallower (as if that's even possible). Yes, the sudden romantic moments are cute but before you reach half of the film- you feel like you're watching a couple of teenagers' random romantic moments put together. The characters don't make sense and the flow of the story is practically non-existent.
I understand that not all movies have the same budget but for this the acting really ruined everything and not the lack of glamour. The humour, romance and story- everything failed me. Yet for some very odd reason I didn't hate the movie. There was something addictive about it that made me kept going. I couldn't wait to get to know what happened next nor could I wait for it to end. It was like a tug-of-war happening within me as a viewer.
One of the bright sides of the movie was the presence of Kiriyama Renn. Even his barely-there presence left more of an impact on me than the other actors could do. It was rather a waste of this otherwise talented man.
This is a harsh review and my ratings are all low and yet the overall score is fine. That's because I couldn't hate it being a fan of the manga nor could I hate the cliches in the film. As a one-time watch it hurts nobody but does stand as very forgettable in the long run.
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Seo In Guk is one of my favourite actors but I didn’t like his role. I suppose that just proves what a great actor he is to make me dislike him so much in this. Kim Moo Young begins as a character with a traumatic past who is cold, manipulative and has many psychotic tendencies. By the end we are meant to believe that his love for Jin Kang made him want to become a better human being. But I feel that the writers did a poor job in conveying this transition.
Which leads me to Jin Kang. Jung So Min did her best given the role but I found it very hard to empathize with her character. For the sake of love, Jin Kang, disappoints, betrays and lies to everyone around her. She is foolishly blinded by love and fails to recognize that Kim Moo Young is simply a bad person. The fact that the story romanticizes this fact is troubling. This is not a story of a bad boy who is misunderstood by all except the female lead. Kim Moo Young is only good to her, and not to the rest of the world. The script partially tries to justify his actions by exploring his troubling past but I don’t think it was very convincing.
Finally, the brother, Yoo Jin Gook. He is the only character that seems to be reasonable. Although he too does some questionable things, but compared everything else that goes on it seems less significant.
As for the rest of the cast, they did well but were under utilized. What was the point of Hong Bin’s character? He pretty much disappears mid-series.
I've already said a lot about the script so I’ll keep it short. The beginning and ending episodes were engaging but in between it felt like the story was going nowhere.
The OST complemented the series well. “Star” is the song that stands out. Jung So Min has a very serene voice that really shines in this song.
Overall, the series turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. I may not have liked the story but I appreciate the fact that it had a solid ending that tied up most of the loose ends.
Coincidentally while this was airing, I also watched “Come and Hug Me" which shares a lot of parallels with this show. In my opinion that show had a superior script and would recommend you watch it if you like these types of dramas.
If it weren’t for the fact that I watched the drama while it was airing, it would have been a difficult watch mainly because of the slow pace. I don’t intend to rewatch this show. Not even the J-drama version if it is anything like this one.
As I mentioned before, I really wanted to like the show but unfortunately it couldn’t live up to my expectations.
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This review may contain spoilers
i'd like to have my life back before i watched this baloney macaroni because rn i want to bury my memory of this drama deep in the very depths of depths.why is the fl so painfully naive and just spineless? there was no character development to her at all
what bothered me was that she got sexually assaulted by this dude then she decided that it's a good idea to work for that same dude???
idk how to feel about the main leads.... their chemistry felt a bit unnatural? there was no buildup to their relationship lmaoooo it's legit big bang theory lol the main leads met and kABAM cupid did their work
it was hilarious to see them hug and talk about their undying love for each other like they've been dating for eons when they legit just met
hmmm the ml's actor is eyecandy i can't deny that bUT i couldn't stand how creepy possessive he was
also what's with the ml appearing at the exact timing that the fl is in danger? is this dude jesus?
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Is it “ So Not Worth” Watching This Drama?
In between the badly-timed laugh tracks, sound effects and sporadic comedy jokes in dialogue and screen titles ( often accompanied by outdated hashtags) , “ So Not Worth It” ( written by screenwriters Seo Eun Jung and Baek Ki Hyung ) attempts to offer a “ fresh” take on youth culture in South-Korea with a group of international students. However whilst the show did present some intriguing messages towards recognising diversity and fighting against prejudice stereotypes in South-Korean society, “ So Not Worth It” often failed to hit the mark by struggling to reach its full potential.
The acting is admittedly a mixed-bag. As the majority of the cast are comprised of novice or first-time actors, it is undeniable that the acting quality varied a lot. During more heartfelt moments of the show, the cast were able to give dynamic performances, however, comical elements surrounding their characters was a little questionable to say the least.
As characters, the show often reimbursed into going into extremes of being over-the-top stereotypes. Teaching assistant Se Wan ( Park Se Wan) was arguably less overtly flamboyant than the other characters in the series due to her down-to earth personality and constant need to have other part-time jobs in order to survive. Consequently , this was closely followed by Hyun Min ( Han Hyun Min). There seemed to be a lot that the series was trying to address with Hyun Min’s difficult lifestyle as a student as well as annoyingly being mistaken as a foreigner. By far, there were certainly some interesting and funny moments with Hyun Min’s interactions around sister Han Hyun A ( Choi Yu Jin) and his mother, however, more controversial issues which were prominent with Hyun Mom’s character were often swept under the carpet .
The series enjoyed playing and milking on the comedy elements a lot also. It is therefore no surprise that clueless and klutzy Korean- American Jamie ( Shin Hyun Seung) soon began to predominate screentime with his predictable pairing with Se Wan. Refreshingly as we progress we do learn a bit more about Jamie outside of the comical moments regarding his complicated life, however, it did feel at times this portrayal was a little lacking. ( As the series could have even helped to portray difficulties for Jamie trying to adapt to a different culture.)
The other supporting characters such as Korean - Australian Sam ( Choi Young Jae), Hyun Min’s roommate Tetris ( Tetris Brown) and their roommate Hans ( Joakim) were often used to generate quick farce moments in the show rather than being used to reach more poignant moments .
It was evident to a lot of watchers just how much this show had been tailored for western audiences. This isn’t a surprise considering the popularity of K-dramas in the west, however, the stereotypes in order to appeal to ‘ westernised audiences’ were incredibly enforced such as Thai K-drama fan Minnie( Minnie)’s constant references to K-drama quotes or actors in order to make the show " appealing ”. ( Including a cringeworthy moment when Minnie is visiting an army barrack and begins to reference ‘’ Descendants of the Sun ".)
Then there was the American international student Carson ( Carson Allen). As viewers, we admittedly did get to see some brief glimpses into Carson’s love-life which helped to sketch her out more as an individual. However, her “ old-man” style of speaking often took away more profound moments of her character by being used as a tiresome running gag in the show.
Of course it is wrong to suggest that ‘ So Not Worth It’ didn’t have some more bittersweet moments either. There was a fairly intriguing element to a group of international students becoming friends which was fortified by standing up for one another at different moments in the show. When Carson reveals her Korean boyfriend had an affair behind her back, the ragtag group of friends are quick to rush over to give him an earful. In another scene of this episode, Se Wan and Carson have a fairly sweet moment as friends, whilst in a later episode Hyun Min’s mother makes a profound point that being a mother isn’t just a biological, but having a strong bond with your child ( regardless of whether they are blood-related or not) also . In another heartfelt moment of the show, Carson altruistically plans matchmaker with Terris and her date after cottoning onto to Terris’ feelings . Yet in between the more profound moments of the series, the boorish comedy often took this away in exchange for childish and tiresome jokes and running gags . The ending was arguably left on the possibility for a second season with a feeling for incompleteness for viewers , however, a lacking sense of fulfilment truly did bring to the question what on earth viewers spent 12 episodes watching .
So is ‘ So Not Worth’ it “ worth ” investing time towards ? If you’re looking for a quick series to binge-watch then this sitcom is the answer to your dreams. However, the desired attempt to present a diverse cast evidently targeted for a “quick fix” to attract western audiences was strongly apparent over quality. There was a certain glamorisation over more subtle issues in South-Korean society with numerous one-dimensional characters in an attempt to heighten poorly-written farce moments.
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The producers did an okay job of keeping the story line true to the novel BUT their biggest blunder was messing up Chen Guo's character. She would have been better off staying as how she was portrayed in the novel and not this weak willed (?) woman in the live action. I don't mind the other changes they made to the live action though.
Anyways, the way they portrayed Chen Guo with always wanting help on her test books (?) or whatever makes her seem so stupid. It made me wonder "how in the world does she manage to keep her shop open.." and why did she even need to study the books?
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I've also noticed that some comments seem to have an issue with how "old" Chen Guo's character looks but I think she looks acceptable enough. If you have ever read the novel, you will know Chen Guo is supposed to be the oldest of the bunch, at 27, until Wei Chen joins them.
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The friendship was very touching and I liked seeing it come to life.
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The story was good.
Acting was ok but sometimes a little cringy.
Music is 10/10.
My rewatch value is low because rarely do I ever rewatch anything.
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This review may contain spoilers
Motel California in Korea
For this story, the beginning might start out a little slow, confusing, irritating, at some parts. Two childhood friends, as different in personality as night and day, yet their closeness as fluffy as a teddy bear. Bearing the “shame” of parental uncompromised relationship resulting in tragedy, the pair bore the scrutiny, gossip, pointing fingers of the small town they lived. Unbearable to her, their friendship ended when she left town. With this outline builds this story. It’s a story of overcoming barriers, stigma. It’s a story that gives us a glimpse of life in real time through that of Kang Hee, the main character. There’s the saying that children shouldn’t bear the mistakes of parents. That’s definitely a theme here. KH is definitely a complicated character in the beginning. Stick with her as you will understand. With so many other life lessons, this story unfolds like a beautiful budding flower that by episode eight, I legitimately have adopted myself into it.Lee Se Young (Kang Hee/Gang Hui) is such a versatile actress. Historical, modern, cross cultural, she has really made her mark in acting. I like her in this role. She’s headstrong, stubborn and determined not to be undermined by her painful past and problems of present. Her character is somewhat similar with that in What Comes After Love. Those hard stares can freeze the bones. She really does shine in this character. Her emotional scenes are very well done. Had me teary too as I can identify her pain in those moments.
Na In Woo (Yun Su) plays the character that is hard to adjust to. He’s quiet, slow to respond. However, as it progresses, he grows into you. His role as the foundation to Kang Hees emotional roller coaster life is heartwarming. Kind, understanding, and patient, he’s her solid rock. Episode eight is so beautiful. He is very clear, concise, and becomes a man. You’ll see.
Kang Hees father in the drama is the father everyone can want. Charming, humorous, slow to anger, not a pushover. Yes, his relationship with his daughter is strained yet, their bond and love for each other is obvious.
There’s many other great themes here. Orphan. Childhood bullying. Stigma. Forgiveness. Everything is resolved and by the end i continue to smile. Yes, very satisfying end. Be patient in first few episodes and you’ll be happy you stuck through to the end.
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Filled with sweetness....
Well, it was so sweet that you might get diabetes because of it. Well, oversweet vanilla ice cream without any plot twists, turns, or surprises I know it wasn't a thriller to expect this but I mean when nothing special happens it becomes boring and that's what happened here. I really can't say that this can happen in anyone's life because this was too perfect in the way it felt unrealistic. So yeah it was definitely a fairytale which only can happen in dramas.So if you like unrealistic stories, not many hardships or should I say there aren't any, no last episode breakups, no silly misunderstandings, and happily ever after ending then this show is perfect for you. Like it was a very perfect ending itself. Well, you don't yourself any pain or hurting while watching this. But yeah if you like to think rationally like real life isn't like that then Nah... don't waste your time here.
I would say Yi Tian didn't get the role as cold ML here his character was energetic, lively, and also cute. I really liked his acting here. But I really didn't felt the chemistry between the leads that much. I didn't get when Ai Qing fell for Wu Bai I mean that was like all of sudden. Yeah, both characters were likable. We even don't get evil bitch SFL or particularly SML I mean we have but he isn't bothering.
Okay so that was it... filled with sweetness fairytale well if you need an overdose of fluff then this is perfect for you. If not it's bland for me.
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This review may contain spoilers
I really liked this drama and of course I am a biggest fan of ji sung.After watching his so many dramas I was waiting for this one and gone through all episodes without fail.According to me this drama is about love between two doctors and sadly one of them suffering from a incurable disease
I don't want to reveal those information about it. And I learned something from this drama while watching
# love is"understanding someone" not trusting
#don 't hide your true feelings at any point because it will only hurt other one
# there is no need for a proposal in relationship
# heart can understand anything
#love is support,care and like
About this dramas leads are mature, lovable and strong too.All are good at acting. Their cast really really appreciate
And the osts too really nice.
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