This review may contain spoilers
Kids always pay for adults' mistakes
My review will be all over the place just like this drama.Everyone is trapped in their own prison and they only freed themselves in the very last 30 minutes.
This drama started great. No sugar coating, just the reality of this industry(at least for a few episodes) then it was about revenge for 2-3 episodes and then the story-wrapping time came.
IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO FLY, SOMEONE ELSE MUST EMBRACE THEM. Kang Su Hyeon only said this but her actions said otherwise.
Yoo Jin Woo-
I think they mostly focused on Yoo Jin Woo’s past. I wanted to see more of his career. Character development and how he overcame from harming himself to loving himself. Starting was bang on and the plot was so good. This drama could’ve been on my top list but after episode 5 it lost its charm. The writing was all over the place. When he said CEO please don’t abandon me, my heart cried. It broke into a million pieces. It was like he barely came in episodes after entering TA Entertainment.
Kang Su Hyeon- I did understand this character a little bit in the beginning. She was doing everything because she felt guilty towards her son. Then she gave hope to Yoo Jin Woo and used him and sold him. She knew his past. She knew what he could do to himself. She was selfish till the end. Did she think her son would be proud of her after knowing that she sold his friend for that factory?
Chris- I wanted to see more of this character. Why did Kang Su Hyeon let him leave the company? At first, I thought he was only keeping Yoo Jin Woo by his side to remind himself that it is okay to give up on your dream but then it was all to protect him from this industry. But making an underage work in a nightclub was also wrong.
This drama is about the music industry but the OST was mediocre. It could’ve been so much better.
I still don’t know what message they wanted to give and what was the conclusion of this series. Revenge? Yoo Jin Woo’s singing? Shim Jin Woo’s dream? Where is it?
They started everything but they didn’t know how to wrap every character’s story.
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1This movie was so gripping and real adrenaline rush the whole imprisonment aspect (for angst lovers this movie is a must watch) especially how dark they got at times it was all excellent, even the hallucinations.
I liked the premise, a bunch of gamers, of different ages and genders band together to fight for the main lead, who is wrongfully accused of a murder. But the thing is the first part feels different from the second half almost. I feel like they were trying to get the feel of shows like Gotham because the villain was clearly Penguin inspired but it wasn't executed as well.
And it's not exactly realistic because the hero will frequently do insane action after getting the kind of injuries that should have got him completely unable to do anything. But Shim Eun Kyeong looks hot!!! But MOST action thrillers movies or books, Hollywood or otherwise, do this, they don't do realistic injuries or realistic anything, and this is one of those. My point is I'm not an idiot lol I see plot holes and other issues but for movies like this where they cast my favorite actors, I can easily overlook all that. Every movie is different.
But I have to say that prison part was very messed up, so might not be for everyone.
Anyway, so yes, if you can deal with the darkness, this is an excellent watch.
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Drama Special Season 12: A Moment of Romance
22 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
Communication is key
The Effect of a Finger Flick on a Breakup (2021)This is a KBS Drama Special about a couple who breaks up after a finger flick game.
I liked the story, I just felt that the story focused too much on the girl's side and not the guy. The entire time we see the girl is lonely and feels that she was taken for granted in the 3 years they were together. It took a finger flick to realize all these and broke up with the guy.
Of course the guy is confused. They were very fine the night before and suddenly she went cold on him and wouldn't explain why. She just kept saying they don't love each other. I felt that the girl was insisting how the guy should feel and we never knew what the guy really felt about her.
Her outburst in the garden finally told the guy what he hasn't been doing. Girl also said it's also her fault but I never heard her say what she didn't do for him. I thought it should be both ways. And she should have said something earlier on, maybe they have saved the relationship.
I loved the rainy scene outside her house, when the guy gave the umbrella back to her. He still wanted to try again but it was too late. The girl didn't want to anymore.
Mixed feelings with the ending. I still wanted them to get back together coz it looked like the guy has chanhed. But i also liked the PE teacher who looks like he will treasure her more.
Rating: 8.5/10
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JoongDunk ate
Style will forever be an icon. This series really made me fall in love with the 2nd couple; JoongDunk - their chemistry is off the charts and they are effortlessly funny. The music is really good - Khao should definitely get more rock songs in the future! I also liked the mix of comedy and action in this one.Was this review helpful to you?
So this drama is, first and foremost, very brave: it takes a topic generally considered yawn inducing - and conceited - and builds upon it one of the cleverest, suspenseful plot I've had the fortune to watch. Because the topic intrigued me, I approached this drama expecting to be intellectually swept away. What I wasn't prepared for, was to have my feelings deeply involved too. This drama is clever, yes, but it's emotionally intense and moving too.
Truth be told, in the beginning I was so confused by the trillion characters, names all sounding the same and genealogy tree that for a moment I thought I had suddenly become an idiot. Should you happen to experience the same, please don't despair: this is like a pile of jigsaw puzzle tiles thrown at you all at once that you start putting together. Once you have glimpsed the main picture, the rest follows on its own. I haven't found a single dull moment in the 24 episodes. I enjoyed the sometimes long political dialogues and didn't want to miss a word. I enjoyed the steadfast growth of each character and the relationship between them all, the marvelous setting, the wuxia-like sword fights.
Mostly, I enjoyed the portrayal of a great King, which naturally leads me to the acting. Among the brilliant performances of all, Han Seok Kyu shines his own light. I was sad to see Song Jong Ki go, as he delivers a great act of a young and fearful king who grows a backbone, but it's his older version I came to love, admire and enjoy the most. Second in my personal enjoyment chart is, hear hear, So Yi/Dam. By general consensus, a female character is considered strong when she opposes the rules, or when she can kick and fight. So Yi's strength, however, is in the brain, which she uses to comply with the rules, instead of opposing them. Shin Se Kyung embodies intelligence and courage in a very calm and effective way. Loved her to bits. Our third lead is the bridge between the passionate vision of a King and the idealism of the woman he loves. His common sense and simple views on life are a paramount addition to the dynamic and while he undergoes a major change throughout the drama, he stays consistent to his nature till the very end.
A character/actors review would be incomplete without the villains. There are moments when you may question who the villains really are. Their motives aren't wrong in the grand scheme of things, but idealism alone won't win a war and their methods go from arguable to unacceptable, mixed as they are with political greed, blind loyalty or personal grudge. Kudos to all the actors, though, for making me love to hate them.
I don't think the music is the strong trait of this drama. It has a few instrumental pieces and a couple of songs which are neither a disturbance nor a feeling magnifier. I must admit, however, that a couple of pieces are quite haunting, as I found myself humming a tone or two while doing totally unrelated things. Whether this is because they were used too often or because they were good, I don't know.
I've long debated about the re-watch value. I don't see myself sitting through the whole drama again in the near future, mostly because a well crafted thriller lingers in the memory much longer than a simpler plot. Ironically, its high quality makes this into a one-time experience. Which doesn't mean I won't go back to it when a considerable time has lapsed. It's an intense journey I recommend to everyone who's ready to invest a good dose of concentration in a drama.
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Loved the individuals, did not like the couples.
Am I the only one who was far more happy and entertained when I was watching the group moments and interaction between participants that were completely not romantically involved? Too many times I wanted to skip the dates and just watch them hang out in the house. I like them all as individuals, I like them all in the group setting, but I could not vibe with any of the couples at the end.And I feel like this is why the show failed me - I had no pair to truly root for. I felt like none of the exes would work out, since they just danced around each other, but never truly try to solved their previous issues. The new couples were easily shaken by the past relationships, which made me think they would not last anyway, so what's the point?
I actually loved first few episodes, but the more romantically involved everyone became, the less I cared. That said, I still like the whole cast a lot, especially the best girl Da Hye. Wish her all the healing and happiness she needs.
Overall, I have barely any thoughts. I think I just truly don't care.
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To be honest, I usually got bored when the main couple finally got together and I would actually fast-forward the drama. But ojakgyo... I did not. Because it's like so pure and innocent love and it will just make you keep watching on without fast-forwarding it.. (At least for me!)
I love the characters, there aren't any for you to hate actually. Except the usual antagonists but oh well our focus are on the ojakgyo family, isn't it? :)
I love ajumma a lot in this drama, she acts just like a child when she's happy! The way she laughs and smiles is just so cute and I can't help to smile along as I watch the drama.
Just watch it if you haven't, what's more there's joowon :3
I might re-watch in the future just to relive all those feelings again, I'm not the type of person who will rewatch drama anyway! But its always nice to watch these kind of family dramas, its just so close to us and heartwarming. :>
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Just go and watch it!!!
I am a sucker for thriller/crime/mystery dramas. I especially enjoy the Taiwanese ones, because they are always creative and graphic (all the props look so realistic!). This drama isn’t an exception. It is visible that the team creating it spared no efforts to provide us with a very high quality production.The acting is amazing, but I expected nothing less from this talented cast. The story is thrilling, I just couldn’t put my laptop down after starting it and I ended up binging the whole thing (never mind that I have exams coming lol).
I kinda knew who was going to be the killer, but this is only because I’ve read too much crime novels.
P.S. I sooooo hope there’s going to be a second season, because I just want to see these actors working together again, but in my heart I know that with this drama it just made sense to end the way it did.
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"Grab Your Love" is a period romance drama done with excellence!
I was waiting until this drama finished airing because i knew after i read all the positive feedback that this would be a hard drama to watch and wait for. I am so glad that i waited because i binge watched all the episodes in one day!So much fun, sensuality, charm and excitement Grab Your Love brought to me. I mean just wow! I haven`t seen a mini drama done this way at all and i am still quite stunned by how amazing it was!
The "Villain" of Shencheng Qin Zhan is a cold-blooded and very ruthless businessman. He is notorious for having no mercy over his enemies, i mean the way he punished them made even me quite scared of him! But we see his warmth and soft spot for his nephew who he frequently bickers with and the way he falls irrevocably in love with his nephew`s tutor Min Jiang Xi who has a lot of sass and bravery. I love how she has both Qin Zhan and his nephew on their knees for her. Her step-brother was such a fun character as well! The chemistry people is out of this FREEKIN WORLD! So many memorable scenes between Qin Zhan & Min Jiang! I found the OST beautiful as well, i literally danced to the ending OST everytime,LOL!
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It left me hungry for more of these adorable characters, and made me hungry for mouth watering food while watching. In short, the title says it all.
The pairing food=hunger may seem obvious, but there's much more to it than what meets the eye. I love the food philosophy as it is portrayed here, because almost each character is defined by his or her way to interact with food. For some it is a simple nourishment, for others, a vehicle to express themselves, the means to capture someone's heart, to force out a smile or the way to forget a childhood of privation.
I was more than once reminded of "Ratatuille", the disney animation film, and the moment in which the merciless food critic savours a bite of ratatuille and is immediately catapulted back to his childhood and the memory of his mother's love.
Food really has the power to stir up memories and rouse imagination.
I came to love all the characters and was impressed by the performance of the entire cast. Granted, Takimoto Miori is basically playing Mio from Ikemen desu ne all over again, but as somebody else wrote before me, she's so adorable I'm ready to forgive her for being still an unripe actress. Osamu Mukai is spot on, and I particularly enjoyed him when he would start talking like a dockworker, rolling his "rrr" and using foul language. But my favourite character is without a doubt Taku with his absent-minded ways and his infectious smile. Their friendship and ties are a pleasure to watch: hilarious, sincere, believable.
The music is great. Every piece fits the scene to perfection without ever overpowering it.
There's much more to say about this drama, but I believe it has to be... eaten, instead of read about. Re-watch value is very high because once you've tasted something good, you definitely want to eat it again, sooner or later.
I may just add that this is a further evidence that reviews and recommendations can be truly useful: I watched hungry! because I trust the opinion of other reviewers here and I'm very glad I did.
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Well, in the end, I decided to take a chance and plunge straight into Brother #3 and see if I can somehow find my way and make sense of the situation. And I'm glad I did because I did not get too lost after all and was able to enjoy this show on its own - yippee! So, for those who are thinking of watching this without the benefit of watching the earlier 2 shows of the series, IT IS POSSIBLE. Just do a bit of reading of the synopsis of the first 2 brothers (so that you roughly know their names and their partners), and you'll be all ready to go!
BACKGROUND/ STORY
What I'm going to say here are NOT spoilers at all (because they are background info and also relate to the first 2 brother's stories and so if you've come after watching those, you won't be spoiled in the slightest), but for those jumping into this show without watching the first 2, this will help give some context.
Set in the 1950s, the 'Suparburoot Juthathep' ('Gentlemen of Juthathep') series comprises of 5 separate dramas (each about 10 or 11 episodes long), with each drama focusing on the romance of one out of the 5 brothers of the Juthatep family. Born into the title of 'Mom Ratchawongse', the 5 brothers are not only blue-bloods of their society but they are also blessed with good-looks, success in their individual careers, and an immense reservoir of funds (i.e. very very rich) courtesy of their prestigious lineage.
All 5 brothers lost their parents rather early in their lives and were brought up by their grandmothers. Grandma Aied is the matriarch of the family while Grandma Oon is her younger sister. Before their father had died, he had promised to have one of his sons marry one of the daughters of another noble family - the Taewaproms (3 daughters). Cue massive familial pressure on the 5 brothers! As of timeframe of this show, the first 2 brothers (Chai Yai, the eldest; and Chai Ruj, the second eldest) are already either engaged or married - but none of them to any of the Taewaprom girls. So, here is Khun Chai Puttipat (Chai Pat), son #3, under immense pressure from his grandmothers to fulfil his late father's promise.
This show, of course, showcases Chai Pat's own romance story and it comes as no surprise that it was going to be an interesting ride when his love interest is also not a Taewaprom girl, but actually a girl belonging to a lower class of society. The familial conflicts and class divide issues arising from this is probably already enough to fill the show but there is an added layer of drama because the girl - Krongkaew (aka Kaew) - had won the Miss Thailand beauty contest. This incites the interest of an old and lecherous but wealthy and powerful man who then tries to purchase her as a mistress. So, there is a morass of all sorts of issues and situations which the couple must navigate before they can get their happy ending.
Like any typical thai lakorn, this show is peppered with your typical nasty second female lead, vile antagonist and an assortment of over-the-top portrayal of side characters. However, I'm glad to say that despite all the complicated issues arising, the show doesn't really allow those issues to side-track our attention on the main couple too much. There are, in my opinion, a sufficiently good number of scenes of the couple, from their first meeting to their subsequent interactions which build on their budding interest in each other, which then blossom into love.
ACTING/ CAST
As with most Thai lakorns, the second female lead and the main antagonist will probably come across as pretty one-note i.e. hateful, annoying, despicable. You have to get used to it (if you're not), and move swiftly along. Having said that though, I do confess that they are not as overdone as some others which I've seen. Yes, they are pretty over-the-top, but I've seen a lot worse.
The 4 brothers of Chai Pat did have some screen-time, especially the 2 youngest and unmarried ones (Chai Lek and Chai Pee). I really liked the fact that the family dynamic amongst the 5 brothers were not ones full of envy, jealousy or dislike, but was in fact very warm, loving, supportive and even playful at times. So nice to see the brotherly camaraderie and unity on show here.
The 2 grandmothers: Grandma Aied was the epitome of a matriarch of a royal and noble family. She exuded class, poise and authority befitting her status. I liked that while she was keen to advance and fulfil the promise made by her late son, she was also the more reasonable and open-minded of the two. Grandma Oon, on the other hand, is one who is quick to judge, quick to be prejudiced, and quick to disdain, which at times really makes her quite dislikable.
Onto the main leads:-
BELLA RANEE as Krongkaew, daughter of a janitor and a Miss Sri Siam. Good casting choice, in my opinion, because Bella is really believeable in her portrayal as a poor, humble but hard-working and principled person who is also beautiful enough to win a beauty pageant. There is an elegant nobleness in her posture and in her mien which lends much to the personality of her character here. Her smiles come across warm, and her dark doe-eyes are able to convey the feelings of sadness, anxiety, care and love wonderfully. There are quite a few key scenes where Kaew had to express her feelings with her eyes alone, and I thought Bella rose to the occasion incredibly.
JAMES JIRAYU as Khun Chai Puttipat, from the house of Juthatep and a brain surgeon. James looked a little bit too youthful here to be such an established brain surgeon but I suppose his spectacles helped to give him a more serious and professional look. But his youthful look has some advantages - they give him a more friendly and softer look so his scenes as a stern and strict doctor did not come across as too cold or unapproachable (which good doctors should not be). And they also made his loving gazes and warm smiles so much more mesmerising. James' eyes, are, to me, his greatest asset, really, because they are not only large enough that even the viewer feels as though they could drown in them, but they are also able to bring out some of his emotions and feelings onto the screen. For a debut series, I have to admit that I am pretty impressed with James' acting here.
Most importantly for me, James and Bella had good chemistry together which makes this couple come across as compatible and believable. I also felt that their on-screen characters as Chai Pat and Kaew matched each other well, personality and character-wise. They each complete one another in different ways. As a Chai Pat & Kaew couple, they both complement each other by filling a void, or adding colour to each other's lives, or teaching each other to grow and change for the better, through their different personalities. It does come across as a match between equals here - love it!
MUSIC
I love the 'Suparburoot Juthathep' theme song: "Rak Tae Yoo Neua Gaan Wayla". Each brother has a different version of it and I like all 5 different renditions.
Other than that, the theme songs for each of the leads are lovely - well, at least I liked it. I thought it told of the couple's situation and feelings, particularly Chai Pat's, spot on. Lends more depth to some of the scenes. Background music is rather old-school and fitting for the time period in which this series is set, so I thought it very appropriate and sets the mood and style of the show.
RE-WATCH VALUE
Since I like this couple and their interactions and development, this show is naturally re-watchable. But will probably skip on the extraneous scenes where neither are present. Overall, a true Cinderella-style romance with your sprinkling of drama.
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I should say I absolutely hate draggy dramas and out of the 5 dramas that I was watching at the sametime, this drama was the only one I didn't drop.
TBH, aside from the actors, I was kinda excited for the story because I found out King Jungjong (yeo woojin) was the same king in Jewel in the palace portrayed by Im Ho. The story is basically explaining the background of what happened in the first jewel in the palace episodes, minus the parts about the queen.
Story:
You'll find yourself getting excited every couple minutes and feeling the pain and happiness (even though it never lasts for long) with the characters. The plot is wrapped around the reality and the main couple's love story VERY WELL. They're so cute yet stubborn and immature at times. I absolutely loved the main 3 leads' characters and how they develop.
Even though supposedly the king's character is one of the "villains" of the story, along with many other viewers i found myself in love with him. His character is shown in great depth and that's probably thanks to the superb acting of Lee Dong Gun. But I found the king's character becoming quite dramatic and slightly dislikable towards the end, which probably makes sense because the real King Yeonsangun was far worse. But even that didn't stop me from rooting for him.
The politics are really interesting as well and will keep you hooked along with the revenge and the cute love story.
Acting:
The cast were perfect. The adult and the child actors are absolutely gorgeous and their resemblance is crazy. Even their facial expressions are similar.
OH MY GOD. one word. Lee Donggun. He was soooo amazing. You could probably understand his whole life story and how hurt he is by his eyes and the way he talks. I absolutely loved every single moment he came on the screen.
Park minyoung was pretty amazing too and I should say her acting was way better than in sungkyunkwan scandal. somehow I noticed her facial expressions and reactions improving throughout the story as well!! I loved how playful and sensitive she could be at the same time even though that's very typical of all kdrama heroines.
I should say my favourite person was Yeon Woo Jin and he NEEDS to do more sageuk dramas. His charisma and the sadness and anger in his eyes kept me hooked and I'm pretty sure I never skipped a single scene he was in. He looked absolutely hot! Even better than in arang and the magistrate!!
Music: OST overall is quite emotional and cute but my favourite is the one sang by junggio and I still listen to it all the time. I really liked the song chaekyung always whistled to when she was younger, still can't find the song on the web though...
I should say the hanboks were slightly disappointing. For my the outfits are the best parts of period dramas but I just felt like the scenes would be more pleasant if Chaekyung's outfits were more colourful.
But overall, this drama is my favourite sageuk drama of the year. I feel like lately all dramas are more westernised and i still kinds prefer those 2005-2012 melodrama shows with great plots and unexpected twists. This drama took me back to those days and it was a good mix of a melodrama and a cute story. I definitely suggest everyone to watch it and I have no idea why it didn't have high ratings... :(
If given the chance I'd probably watch it maybe in a few months or even a year because I'll need some time to recover from it, but I'll miss yeo woojin and lee donggun in hanbok too much to not rewatch the show
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This review may contain spoilers
A Mini that does not disappoint!
I went into this with zero expectations and I was not disappointed.I'm not going to recap the show because the synopsis is pretty accurate. I want to start off with Leo Yang. From his looks, to his voice, to his effortlessly cool idgaf attitude, this man is TAILOR MADE for these types of roles. Not only is he a fantastic actor, he kills the action scenes, and I'm pretty sure he could have chemistry with a rock. He has major bedroom eyes and he's just so nice to watch. Even tho A Sen seems cocky and rather dubious, his true nature is very loving and protective. At one point in the show, Ling Yi is injured and unconscious in the hospital. A Sen has a devastating breakdown. Leo does an excellent job at portraying the desperation A Sen is feeling as he's begging her to wake up. It was a beautiful scene.
Ling Yi is an interesting FL. She's very socially awkward and timid. At least, she appears timid. She's actually extremely strong and determined. She doesn't let herself be intimidated by the dangerous people around her who are a constant threat to her safety. She's not your typical naive girl who needs to be saved. Does A Sen save her? Yes lol. But Ling Yi would throw herself in harms way just as quickly for him, and she does just that several times. Ling Yi is a girl who had to grow up very quickly and that's definitely why she meshes so well with A Sen. Obviously, their lives and experiences are very different. A Sen has spent a decade of his life going to great pains to maintain his identity within the group which means that for a decade, his life has been on the line 24/7. Ling Yi lost the only family she had after an already traumatic childhood and has been alone ever since. They both had very hard lives for different reasons but that's what made them work so well together.
Being that this is a 10 minute per episode mini, there are going to be plot holes and illogical turns of events. If you're an an avid mini watcher like I am then you'll know that this is just the norm. In this case, none of the inconsistencies hindered the plot imo. A Sen magically showing up to save Ling Yi just became funny to me at some point, in a good way. Our leads got together fairly quickly. Their kisses were a delight to watch and there are plenty! There is (kind of?) a 2ML, he's Ling Yi's ex. She has no desire to be with him and is completely devoted to A Sen. And our 2ML is respectful of their relationship (mostly because he's scared of A Sen). He never tries to interfere. So, if you hate love triangle's as much as I do, you're safe from that in this show. Another dreaded enemy of mine, noble idiocy, is not present here. A Sen tried it. He really did. But Ling Yi knew him too well by this point and figured out his plan and was not about to let him put his life at risk by himself.
With angsty mini's, you never know until the final episode if you're going to end up happy of heartbroken. Here, I was left very happy and satisfied.
So, with all that being said...... Go! Watch it! Right now! :)
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