Reviews

This drama was on my list for a long time but I didn't pay much attention to it until now. After my newly developed obsession for Lee Joon Ki, I finally had to try out this one of his works as well.

So, what's this drama basically about... Love, revenge, adventure, action, drama. Park Yoon Kang, son of the head of the palace guard becomes a criminal after his dead father was falsely accused of high treason. Common plot in sageuks. He swears to take revenge on everybody who was involved in those conspiratorial accusations. And how is he doing that? He's taking on the new identity of a Japanese merchant.

Although the main story is nothing new, the way it was developing was quite interesting and kept me glued to the screen. One misfortune chasing another, and every time something good happened, at the same time a subtle ominous feeling was coming along. I was never able to relax because it seemed like the bad guys were always one step ahead which drove me crazy to a point that I wasn't even able to concentrate at my work.

What I liked about this drama were those well-defined, multi-faceted characters. Watching their development - for better or worse - was really interesting and sometimes shocking at the same time. You grew to like someone, understood him or her... and suddenly everything changes and you just get disappointed in that person. Or you discover a new side of somebody you didn't like at the beginning but can now relate to him/her a little more. If I remember correctly, the only character that stayed true to himself till the end was the main lead. And as we have Lee Joon Ki here, he delivered his role perfectly and didn't disappoint one bit. He just got even better during the drama.

I also and especially liked a particular bond between one bad guy and his daughter. Although I don't pardon everything they did, I'm still able to acknowledge the suffering that drove them. The only thing I really missed was the daughter's inner conflict caused by her lost love and the decision she made afterwards. I would have liked it more if they had made her look more torn by her actions in the second half of the drama.

But the romance part was sometimes lacking anyway. I was not always convinced by it as there were just too few scenes that got me emotionally. Most times it was solid but it didn't get me completely.

What also bothered me were those obvious moments where you just think "Wtf?! Keep a straight face if you're going to spy!" or "Stay at your hideout if you're one against hundred!". Minor issues but they kept popping up towards the end. Maybe I'm too stubborn on this as it is a general issue in k-dramas. So, don't mind me ;)

Nevertheless, something I enjoyed wholeheartedly were those awesome fighting scenes. Seriously, just perfect. I wish they had added more of those because it was highly entertaining to see Park Yoon Kang (Lee Joon Ki) fight off the bad guys. That alone should be a reason to watch the drama.

So, despite my small criticism on some points, Joseon Gunman is still a highly recommended drama in my eyes. If you wanna watch an adventurous historical drama, this one will quite satisfy you.

Read More

A really funny and fluffy drama with realistic situations. This drama has a really warm vibe that would be good if you want something that will make you smile.

It starts off with a really ridiculous situation, in my opinion but soon it starts to get better. I love how the story brings light to a lot of things especially the hardships of being a single parent and the love that's lost in your married life.

Everyone in this drama did a good job in portraying their characters especially to the kid who played Min Woo, he did a good job.

Surely, as someone who has never been in a relationship nor marriage, this drama gave me life lessons. This drama is very heart-warming and it's really funny too. If you want a good laugh, you should definitely watch this show.

Read More

a mystery/thriller series that tried something different

Overall: I appreciate that this series had a unique premise. This is more mystery/thriller instead of horror/gore, there are some very heavy topics and things shown. Aired 14 episodes about 45 minutes each on GagaOOLala. Make sure to watch the entire post credits scene in episode 14.

BL content: I'll put this in a spoiler comment

Content Warnings: there are some really heavy topics, see my comment with a spoiler for the full list

What I Liked
- unique premise
- blended different elements well
- acting
- liked in episode 2 how Dan sought communication from Nai
- a few sweet moments (including the friend cuddle)
- production value

Room For Improvement
- unless I missed it, 2 characters should have been shown being arrested by police but the writing seemed to suggest that their own miserable lives were bad enough (but they should have been arrested)
- how much Josh & Nai believed Dan who they had recently befriended stretched credulity a bit
- where was the teacher at the pool???
- I dislike that the school priest tried to force forgiveness
- open ending

Read More

An amazing outcome

When I was looking for something to watch on Netflix, I came across this series. At first, I was actually sceptical, as the description made me angry. However, I gave it a try, as I had too much free time ( I know, I need to get a life!).

From an artistic point of view, this drama is amazing! The colours, the lighting, the framing, and the camera angles (the cinematography in general), were actually to my liking. As for the plot, I must admit that I was frustrated with it. I do realise that its in the Japanese culture for women to focus on wedding and having children before a certain age; however, I find it rather harsh for having this type of mindset now. Women should do whatever they want, and if they don't want to get married and have children then that should be legalised! I don't understand why there are still people making women feel bad about those things. We did not come to this world to fit in the norms that other people have. Anyway, I am going to stop talking about this matter, as it really bothers me.

The acting was really good. All of the actors (lead and secondary) gave their 100%. However, I have to admit that I found the female lead as a weak and creepy character. I want to point out again how amazing the acting was, Tokunaga was able to express how miserable Wako was and how she tried to fit in the status quo. Now let me elaborate more on the plot.

Wako, is a 31 years old woman who is not happy with her life and how her relationship with her boyfriend (Fu) is. To be honest, she was right to not being happy with her boyfriend. He was someone who did not respect her, who belittled her, who took her for granted, who did not realise how much work and money she invested in their relationship. Did he deserve to be cheated? Hell no! Even though they tried to show us that Fu was indifferent towards Wako, I still believe that he loved her. His way of loving her might not have been a romantic one, but he was in love with her. Unfortunately, I feel that she was not in love with him. She was repeating that she does not have get to choose who he will be with, so when Fu came, she should be him as she might not get another chance. Her way of thinking is idiotic and she disrespected Fu's feelings for her. She was only being patient with him, as she wanted to get married.

That's when she meets Yumeaki, a handsome high school boy. This is where the real issue starts for me. Even though she knows his true age, and their big age gap, she still makes a move on him. In a way it is understandable, that she wants to fill the void from her relationship with her boyfriend; but he is underage! I felt that she tried to prove herself, through those actions as Fu was not taking care of her. What she did was wrong. In a way she seduced an underage boy and gave him a type of pleasure that he experienced for the first time. There were multiple times when she promised that she would end things with Yumeaki, but she always got back to him.

Someone could have been jealous of her, as a handsome young boy fell in love with her; yet, I think that this situation is not a jealousy worthy one. The difference between the maturity and the generation gap between them, could be seen. Yumeaki, had his friends at school, while Wako was feeling lonely at her new place. Furthermore, I felt that Yumeaki, was getting crazier as the episodes went by. He was possessive over her, he did not trust her talking to other guys, he feared that she would cheat on him with another man, and he was acting like a spoiled child that could not get what he wanted. However, the way he behaved was the consequences of their relationship.

For me, by the end of the series, Yumeaki changed from a handsome high school boy to a maniac boy who does not know how to comprehend the true consequences of his actions. This is a perfect example of "be careful what you wish, cause you might get it". Yumeaki was not longer who he was.

What really bothered me though, except the unrealistic expectations for women, is how Wako was never punished for her crimes. It was a crime to be in a relationship with a minor, and the only punishment that she got were some rumours at her workplace. No! It is illegal what she did. Love has nothing to do with that. He was 15 years old, she was 32. But, I felt the sexual scenes were needed in order to understand their feelings for each other and establish the character development of Yumeaki.

Love and Fortune, is a rather controversial series. You do understand why Wako is doing what she is doing, but that does not mean that you agree with her. This series presents a great ethical dilemma and puts the watcher into deep thought. Would I have done the same thing if I had the chance? Would I approach my problems with my current boyfriend different? Would I let the age be an issue with a person that I liked? It is a good series to watch in one go, as it is a rather short one.


P.S.1. To be honest, I am not a fun of an open ending; I prefer to be given an ending by the director, rather than leaving the ending to my imagination. I wanted to know what the end was really like.

P.S.2. I was rather invested in the movie that was shown on the last episode. I would totally watch that movie if it really existed.

Read More

One of the best medical cdrama i've watched

It's so hard to find a good quality medical cdrama so when I started to watch this i have no high expectation. It didn't disappoint me tho. Exceeded all my expectations. While there's rivalry and hospital politics, they're not toxic. Any misunderstanding are wrapped up in time, not dragging and annoying. All characters are lovable. No one is problematic. Time flies so fast when I watch an episode. It keeps me wanting more. Patient cases are interesting and heartwarming. I especially liked how mostly are coming from emergencies and some cases are hard to diagnose. I personally don't care about the scientific and explanations. I just want a medical cdrama where I can enjoy watching it. And this is one of it. I keep looking forward to going home and settle in my bed and watch it and keep wanting more after i'm done. It's really feel good. No stress. I hope it stays that way. I'm bad at writing anything but i need to let this out. This drama is so underrated. I wish more people get to watch it. Highly recommended.

Read More

A Fun Revisit to Some Favorite Ships

So just as an initial note for anyone unaware/confused, this is not a continuation of Love by Chance, which is why the characters have different names and for the most part different mannerisms (Plan and Perth seemed very similar to their respective LBC character counterparts). There are, though, some playful allusions to LBC and the fandom, which I thought was a cute touch. As for Phun and Noh, this felt more like a slice-of-life additional chapter to what we’ve already seen (kind of similar to the compilation Our Skyy) but not necessarily a continuation of their story either. Overall, this project was designed to be more of a fun treat to give fans.

That said, I think fans of those shows will enjoy this little project, provided they keep in mind that it's its own separate work. It's great seeing some of the most well-loved Thai BL pairings back together, and New really is a talented and fantastic director. It feels like you're watching a crossover between the two universes (though, again, not technically so) which added a fun little dynamic.

In terms of plot, there's a story there. The main one is simple and relies on the oft used theme of misunderstandings and ensuing jealousy, but it kept me entertained and wasn't bogged down with unrelated filler. The secondary one gives us an earnest Mean trying to win over Plan’s moody heart, and I enjoyed seeing them act with different personalities. For consisting of only three, short episodes, ReminderS did a nice job of giving us a lighthearted, complete little one-shot, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from New.

As far as acting goes, I first have to say that Perth really impressed me with how far he's come since the first few episodes of LBC, and I think Captain has improved since his Love Sick days as well (and looked damn fine too, might I add). I loved the dynamic between all of them, as friends, enemies, lovers--they worked really well together which made this special all the more fun to watch.

The music--man I just have to say that the first and last minutes or so of episode one gave me all the nostalgic feels, and I was definitely here for it. Such a good move using those songs as the opening and closing themes! It really set the tone beautifully and having it interspersed throughout the other episodes as well added a really nice, sentimental touch.

Overall--really enjoyed it and of course recommend. You definitely don't need to watch Love Sick or LBC first to understand and enjoy ReminderS, so no worries if you interested in this one and haven't seen the others--totally fine to watch this one first.

Read More

It's real life and it's okay!

I'm satifasted with the drama. First of all, the cast is amazing! I was impressed with the debut of Baek Sung-chul. He and Hani were the best couple EVER!
Then, the stories unfolded evenly, giving us the information to keep up with the gaps. The ending was, at the very least, interesting, simple and real. I wish she was already very well with the director? Clear. However, how unrealistic would that be, considering all the trauma of past relationships? Min Hyuk, I was angry with you, but it just proves how good the plot was and you are an excellent actor! In short, this k-drama is adult, realistic and even simple. I thought it was well distributed in its episodes and was very consistent. And I recommended for those who are not looking for a drama of great events, but an easy and light entertainment to watch.

Read More

When the terms “underrated,” or “hidden gem,” attach themselves to a drama, I tend to step back. In many cases, it’s probably true; there are all sorts of reasons a decent show might not generate enough interest. Perhaps there exists a ratings giant in the same time-slot, or maybe the synopsis failed. At any clip, there’s always a danger whichever drama merely suits an individual’s taste better than others. So I will not say Miss Korea is some mythical diamond in the rough. But the adventurous among you (as well as those seeking positive female characters) might want to give it a shot.

Why not begin by dispelling possible preconceptions? Miss Korea is not some cheap opportunity to watch lovely ladies prance and preen. It never glorifies the institution of the beauty contest, nor does it present beauty as the only measure of female worth. Unlike myriad other dramas, characters do not fall dead at the feet of resident beauties. There is also no ugly duckling plot-line; the lead character is attractive, accepted as such, and needs little more than trade knowledge and support. No Hollywood style, remove-the-glasses-and-change-the-girl makeovers here, folks.

So what exactly is Miss Korea then? It is the earnest tale of perseverance, hard work, friendship, and love. Flaunting quirky style and offbeat humor, viewers tag along as a gorgeous elevator girl, a cosmetics micro-company, and a gangster (who ought to have been a teacher) all chase after their dreams. While the beauty contest plays a large part, it is merely the means to an end. Some events might be a touch predictable, this or that element slightly off, but so much remains to be enjoyed.

But what is any script without an excellent and involving cast? Lee Yeon Hee comes to mind first, playing delightful lead Oh Ji Young. This actress depicts both the strength and vulnerability of her character with aplomb, lending herself easily to the required nuances. Ji Young is also one of my favorite female characters to ever appear in a drama; she displays personal fortitude without authority or martial skill, but with one courageous “Waikiki!” and a bright smile. Lee Sun Gyun falters a little in comparison. His Kim Hyun Joon starts off by rather being sleazy and difficult to like. Luckily, as his chemistry with Lee Yeon Hee stabilizes and the drama finds its pace, so does he; interactions with his leading lady become a definite highlight. I adored both actor and character by the end. Nothing can make his flashback sequences less awkward, sadly. There’s just no making the man look like a teenager.

Other memorable performances come from Lee Mi Sook (fascinating Ma Ae Ri, whom I would love to explain but cannot because she's that incredible), and Lee Sung Min (oddly lovable gangster: Teacher Jung). His every scene with Song Sun Mi (Go Hwa Jung) were highlights in of themselves. It isn't often I fall for supporting characters as much as the leads, but these guys made it easy. Not everything is peachy, though. My chief complaint tacks onto Lee Ki Woo; he's gorgeous, I've enjoyed him before, but his Yoon was a hateful character played too stiffly for my taste.

If one has heard nothing else about Miss Korea, they'll have at least heard how amazing the soundtrack is. As picky as I can get with music, I concur with that opinion wholeheartedly. From memorable instrumentals to fitting insert vocals, this drama has everything. Personal favorites include "Moonlight" (Onew of SHINee), "Hero" (J-Min), and pretty much anything contributed by Every Single Day. Such a great sound for a more than pleasant show.

Read More

Life and death are in the power of the tongue.

The only goal of this review is to explore spiritual themes and messaging in Mr. Plankton. I'm not analyzing on any other level, so if that's your thing, let's get into it.
The story begins with the fulfillment of two curses, previously spoken by the leads over each other at the end of a very unpleasant breakup. Jae Mi tells Hae Jo that he'll die alone in the street and Hae Jo tells Jae Mi that she'll never be a mother. Unseen, the forces of darkness leap to bring about the circumstances necessary to enact these words and several years later, on the same day, in the same hospital, Hae Jo is diagnosed with a terminal case of tangled blood vessels in his brain, and Jae Mi is told she's entered premature menopause.
Hae Jo is the more intuitive of the two and seems to understand that the road to redemption is through Jae Mi, so he kidnaps her from her wedding. Her wedding is a farce, a play where everyone is playing their part no matter how ridiculous. Jae Mi has no real self-esteem and has built a house of cards with her fiancé that will come crashing down the moment his family realizes she's not pregnant nor likely to be in the future. Hae Jo recognizes that she is not being honest with herself because of her desperation for family. What he doesn't recognize is that his own repeated abandonment of Jae Mi is a different reaction to the same desperation.
A series of adventures begins in which Hae Jo looks for his father and drags Jae Mi along with him. The story bounces back and forth between outrageous shenanigans and moments of genuine connection and soulfulness. In a particularly moving scene, Jae Mi asks Hae Jo to sing her a song. "You were made to receive the greatest love. You'll feel it in every part of your life." He sings life over her. Not an exact reversal of the original curse but powerful nonetheless.
Later in the story, when Hae Jo has flatlined once and seems near to death, Jae Mi decides to sneak his unconscious body out of the hospital. It's completely ridiculous, but in a moment of desperation she finally tells him she doesn't want him to die. She pulls back a corner of the curse blanketing him and he awakens. She buys him some time.
Unfortunately for this story, and the swollen eyed writer of this review, neither Hae Jo no Jae Mi ever fully understand the power of their own tongues. Reversing a curse requires repeated application over a period of time and so we're left with a story of limited redemption and a pretty heart wrenching ending. Here's hoping that radical, destiny changing, curse reversing redemption becomes increasingly common in future endeavors in storytelling in Kdramaland.

Read More

One word: yikes.
I decided to watch this while waiting for new episodes of Terrace House and it was a pretty wild ride tbh. I think, rather than a dating show, it's better to watch this as a social experiment where bad people try to make themselves feel superior by judging other bad people.

The entire thing takes place over 3 or so days and within that that time, the hosts and the contestants manage to slut shame pretty much every woman onscreen and they also fit in a few transphobic slurs and rape jokes while they're at it. I couldn't deal with the double standards either; one guy had a very similar secret to one of the girls (I won't go into specifics so I can avoid spoilers), but he was seen as fine while she was deemed a slut.
They were all -apart from like 2 or 3 of them- bad people, and this wasn't even because of their "dark secret" but because of how they judged the others.

Ok then, just because I don't want to leave an entirely negative review, I will say that the secrets revealed were pretty exciting. It was quite fun trying to guess what everyone was hiding.
I guess this show just wasn't my cup of tea.

Read More

Haunting psychothriller. Rather psycho-logical. Intense acting of a fantastic trio.

"Anchor" is a psychological thriller set in the competitive world of TV news anchor. A nightmare on the edge of a horror trip begins, as Jung Se-ra receives a strange phone call, followed by fatality. Se-ra sets out to investigate herself... Eventually a psychiatrist plays a dubious role, starting to increasingly influence Se-ra´s world. Her manipulative controlling mother on the other hand cannot tolerate this. Increasingly, realities become blurred. What Se-ra finds out in the end is downright shocking.

Like I said, this is a psychological thriller. On top of that, it gets mysterious, psychologically complex and a bit uncanny at times. Viewers see the world through the eyes of Jung Se-ra (impressive: Chun Woo-hee), who is getting confronted with her own blind spots. Tugging on one side is her dominant mother (spooky: Lee Hye-young), while on the other side the provocative psychiatrist In-ho (unfathomable: Shin Ha-Kyun) plays with fire confronting Se-ra's psyche with hypnosis.

"Anchor" clearly thrives on the intense acting of this fantastic trio. Haunting.




PS:
Don´t expect to get all the answers straight - the KMovie is rather psycho-logical.

Read More

An Easily Forgettable Show...

A collection of short series revolving around the mysterious and unexplained, the show had undeniable potential to be an original and chilling ensemble of horror tales. Instead, we got Goedam. A show filled with repetitive storylines, gore horror cliches and lacking characterisation. To put in more simple words, Goedam is the sort of show which you can watch in a short space of time, and easily forget about anything in the show, the day afterwards.

Yes, I’m not forgetting that the episodes did average upon less than 10 mins in length. As a consequence ,it was clear from the -get go that the episodes weren’t going to be in -depth stories about the traumas of the human soul . There is still a lot a story writer can do , however, in a short drama regardless of genre ( whilst not a personal favourite , note Bing Goo, as an example of a “short drama” with a creative and controlled flare)
without falling short upon generic cliches and story archetypes as shown as Goedam.

For a horror drama, there was nothing which delivered a particularly spine-tingling aftermath for viewers. It became apparent that the show relied lethargically upon the gore and body horror trope for virtually every ending resulting in a death or a blood bath for the character/ victim of the episode. Besides only a couple of episodes scratching the surface of Asian horror, it would have been more entertaining as a viewer, to have seen a more episodes focusing upon elements of traditional Korean horror or at least varied tales, urban legends and creatures for a reflection of a more sinister and memorable Horror show.

Read More