Giant caught my attention when I added Salaryman to my list. I watched 5 episodes at that time and I failed to continue. In my second attempt I watched 20 episodes and I had to stop after 20 episodes because of exams. This time I managed to finish it within a week! It was really addictive.
Giant is a period drama set in 70s-90s. It's story of development of Gangnam & Seoul, political environment of Korea Republic at that time. Characters' stories of struggle-rise-fall has a base of revenge & betrayal. Giant has a very detailed business & political plot (not detailed realistically but compared to any motion media there is a good amount of detail). Nice representation of business, money, politics, power & greed. All of it was very dirty (not as dirty as reality). Very smart & unpredictable (mostly).
Other than business & politics another major theme is the sweet family & friendships. Alongside them there are little love stories. However, the love stories are not lovey-dovey but perfect amount for romance lovers.
Every character has depth and reason of their actions & ambitions. Male characters are great but I want to highlight the female characters. Females of Giant are very balanced. They are intelligent in their work & self-assertive in nature...in short they're kickass!
You can't categorise Giant in a genre. It has all kind of content except horror & fantasy. No dull & needless moments. Everything was necessary & strong enough to maintain interest. However, I felt a few episodes in the 40s were a little weak; still weakest episode deserves a 9!
Also it gives a rough idea of political situations and changes of South Korea at that time & construction development of Seoul.
Acting/Casting:
Excellent casting. I watched Salaryman so most of them were familiar. Everyone was great. I especially like Lee Duk-hwa, Lee Ki-young, Lee Mun-shik & Kim Suh-hyung.
Actresses were good. Park Jin-hee was fine & Hwang Jung-eum...well, she felt somewhat like a misfit. Her character was cute & naïve but she overdid it...I think.
Joo Sang-wook was really good but who is my favourite actor choice in Giant? Lee Beom-soo...nope. My favourite actors were Park Sang-min & Jung Bo-suk. At the beginning I was excited because of presence of Beom-soo in the cast and he was great but I didn't like him as much as I liked Park Sang-min & Jung Bo-suk. Beom-soo overacted a few times but Sang-min & Bo-suk both were always natural. Bo-suk was always blossomed; so was Sang-min! But Sang-min was extra special in family scenes.
I wanted to go into the screen and beat Bo-suk's character to the pulp & to hug Sang-min's character.
Music:
Soundtrack & songs used in the whole show were awesome. Soundtracks synchronised well with the situations.
Also in the first 40 episodes you'll frequently listen to some parts of classic Korean songs...I liked most of them.
Who should watch this?
-If you like business & political themes.
-Romance fans
-Everyone except following
Who should avoid this?
-Romance fans (those who want lovey-dovey romance in each & every episode)
-Those who can't handle family conflicts (minor)
-Those who can't handle tension (not depression)
-Those who can't breathe in ahjussi/grandpa/ahjumma galore & want pleasant sceneries of actors/actress to survive.
-Low tolerance of evil. Those who think that 'Boys Over Flowers'/'Secret Garden' moms & 'I Hear Your Voice'/'City Hunter' ahjussis or any other popular evil characters are the most evil then you should think twice before watching Giant....because those mentioned characters are just foetus of evil. In Giant you'll face complete evil.
Re-watch value:
Definitely a re-watch material! Despite being a 60 episode long show; I'll definitely go through this excitement many times in future.
Giant has everything...I laughed, cried, became tense &…....cursed like I never did (I realised that my tongue is dirtier than I thought!).
Giant is best in revenge, business & political category (not just Korea) & my 2nd best Korean show!
I recommend this to everyone, if you're afraid of length then don't be; it's addictive and you'll feel 60 episodes are less.
Was this review helpful to you?
A wrinkle in time.
This is a surprisingly enjoyable short love story with a novel premise. He Zhengyu, a hot shot lawyer experiences a series of setbacks that lands him in a modest apartment. Every night, he is "haunted" by rookie reporter Chen Jialan, who occupied the apartment four months ago. A wrinkle in time brings them together each night at 10:06pm for 46 minutes. During this time they must solve a few cases that they were involved in professionally that may have set them on the road to perdition.The initial encounters between Zhengyu and Jialan are hilarious and intriguing as they both scare the hell out of each other. They had me rooting for them from the get go. But as their relationship progresses, I find Jialan remains too sweet, childish and cutesy. I expect to see their chemistry take on a more mature and adult tone later on but this doesn't quite happen. Nonetheless, I stayed invested in their story throughout and kept going even though the whole Jirong saga bored me to tears. I have not seen such bland and monotonous acting in a long time. It is almost criminal to pair up such an insipid actress with such a hot actor as Dai Gaozheng. The cast overall is not strong and it is Yang Xuwen's convincing and charismatic portrayal of Zhengyu and how he is changed by this wrinkle in time that elevates the main relationship and saves the entire drama.
The biggest plot hole in this story is He Zhengyu's lack of curiosity about who Chen Jialan was and why she vacated the apartment he moved into. You would think his first instinct would be to find out everything about her and to try to track her down. But no, he waits till very late in the game to do this. The cases are only mildly interesting and the villains are quite obvious. While the drama does a good job transitioning between the past and the present, the main characters traverse back and forth too often and too inconsequentially. The plot does become slightly convoluted towards the end, with too many twists. Despite some obvious flaws and plot holes, there are enough fresh and engaging moments that make this an entertaining watch. This is a 7.5/10.0 that will nicely tide over a dry spell.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Korean version was the first I encountered and fell in love with the show. The Taiwanese show ( original) was the next to come appear from my searches. It varied the story and how they played the characters and ,except for the final few episodes, I again fell in love. The more recent Thai version again played it slightly different to both previous productions . While I wasn't quite as enthusiastic, it still was quite a good show.
All three had great casts, chemistry between the leads, believable plot, fine production ....actually all the elements required to make an engaging enjoyable show. This most recent version from Japan lacked almost everyone of these elements , except for the female lead. It felt rushed, inexpensive, and amateurish which is not true for many wonderful Japanese shows.
As I watched it felt like there will be no Season 2 to complete the story as the company decided to cut it short because it was just not getting any better. This is of course my opinion. I am now excitedly looking forward to the promised Chinese version due this year starring my favorite couple from The Eternal Love 1 and 2. ( That's the one with the THE in the title)
Please still watch this drama and, if you haven't already, check out the other three, soon to be four!!
Was this review helpful to you?
Story:
As a rom-com drama i have to say it was good. The romance between Gong Shim and Ahn Dan Tae was really cute and pleasent to watch. I wish there were more romantic moments between them though and also more kisses, which semeed too unnatural for me. There were a lot (like.. a lot) of funny moments and funny characters and i think these funny moments made me love this drama. What i didn't like in the plot is that there were some moments that seemed too unrealistic, at least to me.
Also everything was really predictable. Even from the beginning you know what's going to happen, you know what the writer's idea is. I don't really mind that though, it was interesting anyway.
Acting/Cast:
I just love the cast! When you see Minah as a main role, you'll probably think that she will ruin the drama with bad acting or something like that because that's what most people think that when they see kpop idol as an actor. But no, Minah IS good at acting. There were moments i just forgot that Gong Shim was actually Minah, she did a great job! But i have to admit, Gong Shim inspired me so much! She is really strong, she never gives up. She acts friendly even with people who hurt her feelings, just because she is too good. And the most important - she knows how to love herself.
It was my first drama with Nam Goong Min and i have to say i'm surprised (in a good way). His acting is really natural and it was just a pleasure to watch him.
Joon Soo is the one who made me smile the most. Ohn Joo Wan really did a good job. His character is really lovable and it's easy to like him.
What to say about Gong Mi though... Yeah, sometimes she was annoying, she was too unnecessary selfish, but i couldn't bring myself to hate her. The actress is pretty and gave me a warm feeling, so i didn't mind Gong Mi most of the time.
I didn't like Bang Eun Hee's acting, her voice were too deep and the way she was talking was so strange that made me cringe.
Music:
I love all the OSTs, especially Coffee Boy's song. It's a song that makes your heart flutter wherever you hear it. Most of the songs are like that - they make you smile like a fool, they make you happy.
Rewatch Value: I will rewatch this for sure. Maybe when I'm sad or maybe when I'm bored, but I'll definitely watch this again.
Overall:
This drama made me happy, it just gave me the warm feeling i needed. It made me believe in my dreams to some extent, so i don't regret watching it. If you love cute couples, even more cute bromances and funny moments this drama is definitely for you. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed.
Was this review helpful to you?
This movie has an interesting plot and it actually creates the anxiety in you that not every horror movies does. The story is pretty unpredictable, making you wonder what is gonna happen next. The ending was totally unexpected (at least I didn't expect that kind of ending). There is definitely blood and gore- feature of a typical horror movie but I don't think to the extent that will make you go 'Ewwww' and quit the movie.
The cast is fairly good. But I don't remember the music. Did anything really play in the background? I don't know. I was probably too busy watching people die one-by-one that my ears didn't pick the background music.
The reason I gave the rewatch value 8 is because this movie is highly thrilling and even though I will know what's going to happen next when I watch it again, it is fun.
To sum everything up, I would say that if you are a horror buff, then this movie is worth giving a try.
Was this review helpful to you?
Intentionally structured like a storybook (complete with an initially over-intrusive narrator), the show jettisons many of k-drama’s structural clichés as it follows the growth of its protagonist from innocent young man to wiser hero. Jung Il Woo gives a lovely (in more ways than one) restrained performance full of moments of quiet sweetness and pathos. Jung Hye Young, as his mother, is also exceptional, radiating warmth and longing. There are plenty of fight scenes and large helpings of occasionally distracting slapstick comedy, but the show never loses its contemplative feel. The characters find fleeting moments of connection in sex, friendship, compassion, and sacrifice but the world’s injustices are always there, calling them away from comfort. The show suggests that heroism is not a natural gift, but something learned and struggled for and easily lost if the passion for justice tips over into hatred. There are occasional missteps, including a bizarre first episode, but once the show finds its rhythm, it becomes a hero’s journey very much worth the taking.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Reincarnated Lovers is a very good historical miniseries. This drama is about Prince Xiao Xuan Yi (played by Guan Yue) and his lover Tang Wan Yu/Wan Wan (played by Guo Jia Yu), the daughter of Minister Tang that was born afflicted with heterochromia causing her eyes to turn blue. People with this condition were considered cursed and it was believed that they will bring disaster upon others. The synopsis written on MDL is wrong. Minister Tang is charged with treason and Xiao Xuan Yi is in charge of carrying out the death sentence upon the Tang family on his wedding day to Tang Wan Yu. Filled with pain and hatred against her husband, Wan Wan kills him and kills herself ensuing a story of reincarnation for both. The second thing that is wrong on the synopsis is that after their reincarnation, not rebirth, Wan Wan tries her best to reverse the tragic events of their first life and Xiao Xuan Yi, who still loves her, continues trying to protect her. There is no sadistic love at all in their relationship! By destiny and the male lead’s persistence, they get entangled again, work together to find the truth of all calamities, and find their happy ending. The miniseries is fast paced but it is well done. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life, costumes are beautifully done, it has good cinematography, and the leading couple has good chemistry. If there is something that disappoints a little bit is that in many of the leading’s couple intimate scenes, the kissing was not intense but there are many tender moments between then and one can feel their love for each other. The drama is entertaining, enjoy it! Was this review helpful to you?
Story : This drama is mainly about four third rate musicians friendship, group struggles and their individual stories with a little bit of romance in it.
The romance here is very weird . It forms a near cycle missing one link. you will understand when you watch the drama. as far as J dramas go Quartet is a very good drama with slice of life vibes in it. The cinematography is good with snow covered locations. The 4 lead's acting is very good.
Pros :
- Good story
- Good acting
- Music is very good
- end Title song
- Light comedy
As far as cons go, the romance here is little weird and unsuccesful. Not much to say as this isn't a drama which you pull your hair out for, but a very feel good drama you watch on a slow day.
This drama is worth a 8.5 / 10.
Was this review helpful to you?
I really, like it drama born to be Alive, yang Zi acting askill is really good a yang Zi,&Hu ge
Continuing from the previous analysis, the depth of "Born to Be Alive" extends far beyond its surface-level plot. By Episode 28, the drama has successfully established a world that is both gritty and hopeful, demanding the viewer's full attention and empathy.Chemistry and Character Dynamics
One of the strongest pillars of this drama is the authentic chemistry between the lead characters. Yang Zi does not just lead the show; she elevates her co-stars through shared emotional energy. The evolution of their relationship from strangers to pillars of support is written with incredible maturity. There are no forced romances or unnecessary misunderstandings. Instead, we see two souls healing each other. This realistic approach to human connection is a breath of fresh air in the current television landscape. Every conversation and every shared silence between them feels earned and significant.
The Power of Resilience
The core message of the series—survival and thriving against all odds—is beautifully encapsulated in the journey from Episode 1 to 28. The protagonist’s struggles reflect the real-world challenges faced by many, making her triumphs feel like our own. Yang Zi captures the essence of "resilience" perfectly. She portrays a woman who is broken but refuses to stay down. This inspiring narrative is exactly why the show has touched so many hearts globally. It encourages the audience to find their own strength, making it a socially significant piece of art rather than just entertainment.
Technical Excellence and Direction
The director’s vision for the show is evident in the pacing of the later episodes. As the stakes get higher approaching Episode 28, the tension is palpable. The use of lighting to signify hope versus despair is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Furthermore, the supporting cast provides a solid foundation, ensuring that every subplot contributes to the overarching theme of life and rebirth. The drama maintains a consistent quality that many long-running series struggle to achieve.
Standing Against Bias
The wave of negative reviews is clearly an attempt to overshadow the artistic achievements of this project. However, true art cannot be suppressed. The high engagement and the massive number of genuine viewers who tune in daily are the real indicators of success. The 1-star ratings are a stark contrast to the sophisticated writing and stellar performances displayed on screen. We urge neutral viewers to watch the first few episodes and judge for themselves. The talent of Yang Zi and the brilliance of the script speak for themselves.
Final Thoughts on the First Half
As we look forward to the next chapters, "Born to Be Alive" has already secured its place as one of the best dramas of the year. It is a heartfelt tribute to the strength of the human spirit. For anyone seeking a story with soul, depth, and world-class acting, look no further. This is a 5-star production through and through.
Was this review helpful to you?
Story - 8.0/10
The story in this was actually quite good, very entertaining but at times a bit unrealistic and far-fetched. It did keep me hooked right to the end. Down to the last minutes of the drama, I was wondering how on earth the conflict would resolve itself. The weakest parts for me were the final episodes since I almost didn't bother with finishing it and the ending felt weak. However, the majority of the storyline was highly entertaining so I'd give it a higher rating.
Acting/Cast - 7.5/10
I've never seen any of these actors before so I thought they were all good. The actors accomplished the characters' motives well - the villains most notably. When they were evil, boy they were evil. Unfortunately, the characters themselves didn't work for me. I can't think of one character I liked in this drama, which is unusual for me. But still, the actors played their parts well and there are some whose works I'll definitely follow up on.
Music - 7.5/10
I'm an OST kind of girl but sadly I couldn't find one song from this that I liked that much. The music was appropriate most times, just nothing memorable for me.
Rewatch Value - 4.5/10
At the end of the day, this drama feels too long for me to rewatch it. Give me a year or two and maybe then, but not the whole thing. There was just so much in this that I feel exhausted thinking about it.
OVERALL - 8.0/10
Definitely a good drama. Not great or magnificent but one worth watching. Just don't try to marathon it - you'll get exhausted quickly (because I know I did - I had to take several breaks in between!)
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Intensive. Rough. Monosyllabic. If you don't let that put you off: Definitely worth seeing!
On average, every month (!) around 1,000 North Koreans flee to China in the hope of thus escaping hunger and persecution. Around 80 percent of the refugees are women. In many respects they are dependent on their unfamiliar environment - due to the uncertainty regarding residence law they practically live in a legal vacuum. Their fate all too often ends in the hands of smugglers and human traffickers who shamelessly exploit their insecure situation and ruthlessly make use of this for their own profit. The women are kept in brothels under slave-like conditions or forced into marriage. The bribes are increasing in view of tightened border controls. And unfortunately, China delivers all the refugees it identifies as such back to North Korea, where they then await torture and death. They live in constant fear of attacks, violence and deportation."Beautiful Days" tells the true story of a North Korean woman who makes it out of fear and dependency into an independent identity and a new life in South Korea. Her new life not rosy either, but it's free and self-determined.
Lee Na-young convinces here in a true-to-life and unembellished depiction of a bitter, merciless development process - from the abandoned teenager, who is forced into sex work and marriage, who is then threatened with taking her child away to sell it, and then despite all the hopelessness, persistently and unswervingly manages to escape her pimp, emancipate herself and earn enough money as an independent woman to support her family in China from afar.
By the way: In "Beautiful Days" there are actually no "beautiful" days. The title is pure irony. Dialogues are minimized. There is hardly any room for closeness and tenderness in this rough, monosyllabic world. The few loving gestures can practically be counted on one hand, but their effect is thus even stronger.
Intensive. Rough. If you don't let that put you off: Definitely worth seeing!
Was this review helpful to you?
Realistic depiction of the complexities of Love
This is not just a typical plot based romantic drama with fluff and beautiful faces. Of course, it has beautiful faces (and I can’t wait to see Edward Chen, my newest crush, but I digress). After finishing the drama, I love it even more the when I started. This drama that leaves you thinking after each episode ends.This is a great study/exploration on human’s need for companionship, human shortfalls, human motivation, different views on what love means; basically the complexities of relationships/ love. In a way, every character has their own selfishness & shortfall that causes failures in their relationships. It feels realistic as we can think of a few people in our own lives who have similarities. We cannot be quick to judge anyone’s actions (except maybe a couple of characters) because they are imperfect humans just like us.
The quality of the production is top notch in my book. You feel the vibe of these cities they live in. The actors are fantastic. The way it’s directed is interesting and creative. It interjects skits that summarizes the theme of each episode.I appreciate how it uses symbolism (in stead of just narrating peoples thoughts) to depict a person’s character, or the MFL’s internal battle/thoughts with her conscience which is supposed to guide her but doesn’t always succeed nor is it always right. Each episode you learn a little more about each character and boy…..it changes how you view them. All the complexities make this drama a fun, interesting, and worthwhile watch.
I look forward to soak up my one episode a day.
Updated after finishing (below comments do not give away specific details but may give overall ending):
I bumped this drama up to a 10 for me due to enjoyment value.
This is an enjoyable self growth drama. Realistic. Three ladies with different backgrounds, motivations, and values. Neither one feels fulfilled in their current lives. As they embark on the journey of life seeking what they think will fulfill it, they discover what truly does with the support of true friendships. Love the various relationships portrayed, whether romantic, platonic , family, or professional. Love the growth of each character.
Was this review helpful to you?
Fingers After is definitely short, clocking in at only 10 minutes long, but the production is good, as is the acting and the ost - nothing is awkward about this short. The story isn't wildly complex, you can't expect it to contain as much as a full 16+ hour kdrama, but it does serve as a nice little glimpse into the lives of these two men as they talk about why one of them suddenly wanted to shut the other out.
Looking forward to more of Strongberry's future works! I encourage everyone who is interested in watching this short to buy this properly on Vimeo so this studio can keep up with their good work making LGBT+ films.
Was this review helpful to you?
Anyway, this drama is not one to miss!!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
The cast from the children to the adults was amazing. The pace was slightly slow but it's forgiving because at the end, I wish the movie was longer. I wanted to see more.
My problem with this movie is that I wish they would have done it though all point of views rather than from the job-orientated father. I wanted to know how the other father felt; I wanted to know how his biological child felt; both mothers; the other children; and etc--not just pieces.
I wish the director could come out with a box series of their point of view but ultimately I know why he chose to portray the movie through the job-oriented dad: family is first and in the aspect that blood isn't always family.
Powerful film. Great performance from the cast. Again, left me wanting more.
Was this review helpful to you?
