Reviews

Short & Simple but Funny & Cute Drama

One has to remember; this is a web drama. It's only a 5-7 min per episode so you can't really expect much on a very short series. If you want to watch something with more involving around the plot or gives you something more then watch a drama that has at least 45 mins in each episode.

That being said, I enjoyed this series. It does involve messing with time or in this case a time loop but for me personally, this writer wrote it pretty well. It's almost to the level of my favorite time loop drama Reset. It presented with a problem and then through each episode our leads try to figure out how to get out of this time loop. I think it's pretty sweet when the reasoning is revealed on why the time loop occurred.

Lots of funny moments with cute and jealousy scenes. The ML's character is so prideful and bigheaded. lol. He thinks that he's handsome (I mean he's not wrong), and everyone loves him (he's wrong here LOL), which is so funny to me. The FL's character is just funny & adorable overall. She's almost like the brains to this, as it starts with her being stuck in this loop as she tries to figure things out.

There wasn't a lot of music in this, mostly just background music to certain scenes so this drama does lose some points for that based on this rating

Besides that, if you're looking for something to watch but don't have much time to watch a full 45min-1hour episode, I definitely recommend this drama. It's short and simple and gets to the point because of that. Definitely a rewatch for me.

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Engrossing (and sometimes gross) -- worth a view!

Obviously, a review a few years than useful to anybody, but here it is!
I searched far and wide for the show since there are so many references to it in various reviews for other shows, and it seemed like a worthwhile effort. I ended up binge watching it (which I really try not to do) -- it sucked me in.
But, to start with, the negatives:
* The age gap thing. It was physically gross. As others have pointed out, the female lead acts very much like a teenager, a young and immature teenager, and the scenes in which the two leads are pushed together for romantic reasons were truly gross. Which is actually a credit to the acting, since in later part, when the female lead is supposedly 10 years older, the feeling disappeared. Still -- it really did make me feel gross to have the romantic scenes between a teenager and an adult.
* I may be the only one, but I did not like the secondary romance -- it made next to no sense. The two actors were wonderful -- but the internal logic of their history was nonsensical.
* The ending. There are a couple of components to my dissatisfaction with it, and they all involve lack of any actual resolution. For one -- the goblin "dies" or whatever it is he does, but then is called back -- and is still a goblin. Wasn't he supposed to die? Does this mean he never dies? And the whole thing repeats three more times?
* The "reveal" of who the grim reaper is was telegraphed so early that it was not a reveal at all.
The positives are what others have pointed out: Engaging story that, overall, holds together logically; good acting; excellent chemistry among all of the actors (not just the romantic leads) -- the wonderful bromance!; the beautiful music.
So, in the end, I am glad that I got to watch it, despite the occasional grossness.

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(bad) y/n fanfic meets k-drama

This is pretty much a fanfic adapted into a k-drama, so don't go into it with too high expectations.

Overall, it was an ok-ish watch. I would have liked to see better acting (particularly from Lee Sin Young, as he was supposed to be the "main" lead of the show—he had the emotional range of a plank of wood for most of it), and a different ending. Just let the evil guy be evil. Why throw in a pointless "oh, he's just lashing out because he's hurt" twist? The guy schemed, lied, cheated and stole with the objective of tearing down the mart to erect a building there. Evil is, as evil does; the villain should have been defeated and sent to jail.

Also, I didn't get what the point of Gina, the girl idol was. Her relationship drama with Young Min added absolutely nothing to the story. Same as the love triangle barely hinted at between Ho Rang, Ye Rim and Tae Ho.

I feel like a better writer could have actually made a fun, enjoyable show out of the premise of a bunch of estranged, washed-up idols running a mart together, like for example if Ye Rim had been a super fan of Thunder Boys, and thus had vested interest in them making up and being successful in running the business together (plus, her quietly losing her mind out of excitement over meeting her favorite idols at first, only to eventually learn they are just normal people would have been a fun, meaningful development). Disappointing, really.

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It's an interesting drama with a good plot. I really like how the story progressed as well as how the main characters progressed. If you're up to something serious but progressive, no romance but pure office/business drama and wants to watch a kdrama in one go, I would suggest you this. This drama is not actually directed to teens or young adult since the storyline/plot is more targeted for much mature adults or those of the working class age.

a/n: Hopefully this could help you a least for a little bit. I'm not really good a doing reviews and I don't really post reviews, but I would like to try it so here you are, my first very review in MDL. Thank you!

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My favorite part of this movie was the 3 singing village girls! I thought that was really cute and funny.
I really liked the story, although nothing really new, it was refreshing, funny, well paced and kept you entertained. Even if you are not familiar with the classic story of The Legend of Chun Hyang, you can still enjoy this movie, as I did.
The two main leads do a great job with their roles, and they do seem to have a nice chemistry. Seo Ji Hye as Hyang Dan was great, but her character was a little too "we come from different worlds". I would have liked to see her let that go a little earlier. Otherwise she is very sincere and believable in her portrayal. Choi Si Won as Lee Mong Ryong is adorable, and quite funny. He's like a little boy in some scenes, like when he is "studying"!
Even the supporting cast does well. Kim Kwang Gyu as Eui Jik -the bandit leader - was really quite funny! He had me slapping my head, rolling my eyes in one scene and then holding my sides from laughing in another.
The only thing I didn't understand, was the point of the two ghost? Perhaps this is some reference to the original story? They don't detract or add to the story in my opinion, but I just don't get it.
Over all this was a pleasant way to spend my rainy Saturday afternoon.
Please note that the "rewatch value" is such because I do not rewatch anything, but if I had to guess you could enjoy watching it more than once?

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There is no doubt that if you want to know about Italian cooking, working as a chef or are just obsessed about food, you might find 'Bambino!' one of the best cookery dramas. If you are looking for a story with a huge depth, twists and magical happenings, you'd best look for something else. 'Bambino!' is a gritty story with no sugar, just salt! After watching Matsumoto Jun in the likes of 'Hana Yori Dango' and 'Kimi Wa Petto' I thought I had watched the limits of the variety of this kid's one eyebrow lifting talent. Watching Matsumoto in 'Bambino!' was like how a kid feels when they discover a new thing their old toy can do! I must admit the main themes of the drama I personally found uninteresting but I found myself drawn in at some point to Shogo's character and developed a need for him to achieve his goals. It's this element that makes it a successful drama but if the subject is not something that interests you, it might be a hard time to ride out to see the outcome of the story. Take my advice and watch the first episode, if you find yourself bored, don't watch it any further, one look at those frustrated eyes and you'll have to watch it to the end, unless you're inhuman!

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My heart wanted to burst

My heart wanted to burst just within minutes of watching this movie! Although it may have been very successful as a drama (with these actors, etc.) the simplistic nature of this movie hit all the feels. It was pure and straight to the point. It wonderfully covered topics on youth, coming-of-age, love, family, and friendship within just a span of two hours.

This story is about a girl named Geng Geng who becomes deskmates with a boy named Yu Huai after they meet on the first day. It started with Yu Huai pointing out that his name (on the bulletin board) was next to someone called Geng Geng and together their name makes "Geng Geng Yu Huai," meaning to "take to heart." Turns out it was her that he was talking about. After becoming deskmates, they become friends and they even began taking interest in each other. Nearing graduation however, unexpected news leaves them parting ways. The story mainly follows their youth almost acting as flashbacks from present time but eventually comes full circle with them meeting once again after seven years.

Definitely recommend! In terms of the selection of actors and their acting skills, this movie was very well paired. Again, there were so many moments my heart wanted to just burst because of how cute and pure the interactions were.

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Honestly this drama is a whole WOW.

It might be a medical drama, the plot is not what you expect! There is no rivalry between characters, no fighting for a higher rank in the hospital it is all about a doctor who wants revenge.

Go Kyung Pyo's acting is amazing in this and since I've only seen him in much softer roles such as Strongest Delivery Man and Reply 1988 it is really interesting to see him star in such a dark and suspenseful drama.
Jeon So Min is also great in this drama as I've only seen her on Running Man, it is quite interesting to see her play much more serious roles where she doesn't have to joke around as much.

Every single episode keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you want to watch the next episode as soon as possible. The amount of times I got scared due to the intense and suspense throughout this drama is numerous. Although there are some predictable parts throughout the drama, they did very well in delivering it even if it is what you expected to happen.

There is nothing much I disliked about the drama at all. The pacing of the drama is great, they don't drag certain parts and I understand each part of the plot clearly. It is definitely worth a watch!

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#Alive starts off as a very slow zombie movie, which you need to have patience for. By the middle of it, I would say the plot picks up. Closer to the end, it also becomes predictable to the outcome that would happen. Sadly this movie was also very disappointing because it doesn't really focus on killing the zombies. I feel like it mainly focuses on the main characters and on Joon-woo as a person along with the zombies.

The acting was really good, and everybody acted their characters well. I also really loved the cast that was chosen. I just wasn't really fond of Joon-woo's character and his strategy throughout the movie. As for the Music, there was only one song that I remember. I feel like it fit the scenes, but it didn't really have the most impact and wasn't the most memorable song that they picked.

I probably wouldn't rewatch this movie unless I was forced to, but it was very different from what I anticipated it to be. I would consider this movie to be decent to watch, but don't get your hopes up from the trailer as I did.

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An Idol Drama That Actually Makes An Effort!

It's a rite of passage in KPop for a group to have their own drama. But it is a wholly different story for that idol drama to do what a proper drama (or webseries) would.

"Can I Step In?" puts all previous idol dramas (that I have watched) to shame. It is funny, thoughtful, endearing and just plain adorable. Unlike most idol dramas, it also has an actual overarching story and a teeny element of mystery.

To better phrase the story, it's a short and sweet tale of 5 boys waiting for their new roommate having to undergo the shock of finding out that there's been miscommunication and she's actually a female. What follows is chaos as these 5 boys with diverging personalities, adjust living in the same house with 1 very enthusiastic, outgoing girl who recently returned to Korea from the States.

The acting across the board is extremely well done. Not one of the characters felt lacking in comparison to the others. Can I also just say (feel free to stop reading here if you consider even minor details as spoilers) I appreciate that we didn't get a reverse harem trope in this drama and everyone was just the most wholesome little ball of goodness ever.

If I have to nitpick at something, it would be at the lack of Jihu. I wanted more of my beautiful Yuto. All I can say is each of the boys owns my heart and I wouldn't be surprised if 3/6 end up getting offers for actual roles in actual dramas! Godspeed!

I don't have much else to say except for STAN ONF YOU COWARDS!

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I typically stay away from the overused expression "woven-tapestry" when describing works of fiction, but this one, following the lives of the victims' and the perpetrator's families after a mass-shooting, is exactly that.
After watching "我們與惡的距離" (The World Between Us), I mostly feel impressed. Impressed because I'm familiar with the building blocks of fictional stories, and I think this is one of the best I've seen in years!
Right from the start, I was shocked (as in upset), then surprised, quickly angry/frustrated after that and eventually reached some form of acceptance, and from that point on, mostly cruised until the end with the occasional bout of wonder and surprise, but always, always impressed.

Most of the main characters (except for the young man suffering from schizophrenia) had flaws, qualities and circumstances that fueled their growth in a way that made sense. They sometimes surprised or frustrated me, but I loved each and everyone of them and really enjoyed the journey they each went through, even if it was painful at times.
Ironically, my favorite character is the one played by - arguably - one of the least talented actress/actor of the six I have in mind, but she was perfect for it.
I could write a lot more about this story, about how it portrayed human frailty so well, how it showed what makes us great and how small we can get. About how choosing to set many of the main characters in the world of the media was brilliant in this day and age. I could go over all that, but I don't want to bore you with things that are best left for you to discover...

I will leave you with a few more words on the casting, an example of character growth and a note on my favorite character.
The casting was excellent, and that includes supporting characters. Yes, most characters are attractive, but the type of beauty works for each.
Just to give you an idea of what I mean, physically swapping the husband working for the Herald and the lawyer wouldn't have worked as well, though the two actors have the needed dramatic range.
Similarly, the soft and slightly plump pampered young lady works, just like the thin, sophisticated, physically assertive female news director does.

About the pampered young woman, it was fascinating to see how her mother (so astute), her father (with his narrow view about providing) and her husband (with his moral compass) all helped her - through their very different opinions and actions - get where she needed to be. And this isn't the most impressive growth in the story...
Unlike other characters whose lives were tragically affected before the events depicted in the story, my favorite character's world comes crashing in front of us. Although a hardworking person, there was some naivete/simplicity about her, and that gradually gets crushed. She digs into herself to find a way out, while pulling others up with her. In that, she's also different.

The story wasn't perfect, but its flaws can easily be overlooked, which is why it will stay with me for a long time.
It is a pity though that because of the way media markets work, this one will not be as widely distributed as some other better known but less compelling Korean or Chinese alternatives...

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Soap Opera on Steroids (Feat. Abs, Guns, and Zero Brain Cells Required)

Clicked this on a whim and accidentally had a great time. Hihihi. This drama is a juicy, unhinged mess and I say that with affection. The guilty-pleasure stamp wasn’t applied—it was violently slammed on.

I like this FL in mini dramas and she did not fumble the bag. She slayed, your honor. Fully committed to chaos, eyeliner sharp, revenge sharper.
The ML was a new face for me and yes, he’s very young and no, he doesn’t quite have that capital-P Presence yet—but listen. He brought the abs. Case closed. Humbly accepted.
Their dynamic is a nonstop love-hate-kiss-hate loop that feels like foreplay designed by a caffeinated soap opera writer, and somehow we eat.

This is NOT a high-morality, think-piece drama. This is “I crave chaos and logic is optional” television. Brain fully off. Vibes aggressively on. Guns appearing out of thin air? Check. Revenge-driven characters making decisions based solely on feelings and spite? Check. FL getting choked every now and then because the genre spun a wheel and landed on it? Check. OTT, delulu, doing-the-most second male lead? Obviously. ML being catastrophically down bad and jealous to a medically concerning degree? DOUBLE check. This is soap-opera logic injected straight into the bloodstream—because duh, look at the title.

Spice level is medium-sizzling and climbing with every kiss. The plot requires a strong belief in the universe and a willingness to just… go with it. Republican mini dramas are a wild beast genre and this one is no exception.

The ending is open, but very much leaning toward a happy-open situation for the leads, which feels like a miracle after the absolute circus that was the final stretch.

Verdict: loud, messy, mildly unhinged, spiritually unserious, and weirdly satisfying. This is the drama you watch when you don’t want peace, growth, or lessons—you want entertainment and a little emotional damage on the side.

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The premise of Birdie Buddy is typical of most sports stories. Disadvantaged underdog with a passion and talent for the game struggles to find her way, hone her talent and break into the big time. Will she make it? How will she overcome all the obstacles in her path?

For the most part I am not a sporty girl. I do not go for watching many sports dramas, movies and television shows. I do not watch sports on television and the only time I EVER turn on Golf is for the gentle and quietly soothing vocal tones of the announcers that will surely lull me to sleep during my Sunday afternoon naps. That being said...I actually ended up liking Birdie Buddy...until the last 2 episodes. (insert annoyed growl here)

The writing was pretty solid all throughout. The story started out nicely. The acting was solid. The characters were engaging and as time went on you got to watch the stages of Mi Soo's development; her successes and pitfalls were entertaining. Her family life and orbiting friendships were interesting and sweet. Her meet/cute with her future coach was kind of delightful actually and her introduction and further learning by Teach was kind of cool. Then the story started ramping up with an unexpected plot element thrown in that picked up the pace of the drama and I sat back thinking...Oh! Here we go!

And it did go! That plot element was played out nicely right up until episode 22. And I was on board the Birdie Buddy train. No! I was on the 17th hole with a 3 under par! (I just made that up, but I think it's very good) But then, something happened...That twisty plot element ended at episode 22. It landed in the metaphorical sandpit and the writer just couldn't seem hit it back on the green.

I wish I could describe to you here why this ending failed for me. I felt as if somehow the story ended but they just had to keep filming so they threw in a scenario that wasn't necessary and it really made the ending fall flat for me. I'm still going to recommend this drama. I know it sounds strange but this is a darn good show and maybe the ending that I didn't like, others won't mind. It just simply didn't work for me.

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Live, love and lost under the Big Sky

This is an adaptation of a book of prose by Li Juan. Changes were made to make it more suitable for live action. Read into that what you will.

This series has received some well-deserved attentions and solid ratings. I think it is largely due to its unique setting and a simple and honest storytelling amongst the sea of samey idol dramas.

The story is a mashup of the classic When Worlds Collide and Fish Out of Water tropes. They are oldies but goodies. In this case, our FL finds herself in a remote part of the Xinjiang autonomous region which is the definition of remoteness itself. So, you can imagine her culture shock.

BTW, the show was set over 20 years ago, so things are simpler back then, but changes are coming, just like winter. The straightforward plot largely centred on the lives of one Kazakh village, their friends and their interactions with FL's small family.

Historically, the Kazakh are nomads herders and each summer, the families would move with their herds to their summer pastures in the Altai mountains. In that sense, I prefer the Chinese title of My Altai which is more meaningful.

As the show opens, we find the older generation confused about the changes and "nonsensical" rules from people they can't relate to. While the younger generation is squeezed between two conflicting cultures. It is this tug-of-war that is the foundation of much of the drama in this series.

It is obvious that this show doesn’t have a big budget and can be a bit rough around the edges. Nevertheless, it is made with heart and a focus on authenticity. Local "actors" are used extensively. I won't go as far as saying they discovered new talents, but they managed to grab You Shi before he gained fame with his recent movie roles. He is all singing and all dancing here. He made the effort to learn the local dialect. While not 100% fluent, it is impressive, nevertheless. He also did all the horse riding stunts, and he sang in the local dialect. Kudos to him.

As I mentioned before, the show is like a breath of fresh air (or is that mountain air?), and you quickly become enmeshed in the village life. Their lives are ruled by the seasons and daily chores. It is a harsh but fulfilling life. You know life is tough when luxury is a dry bed.

They only break from the daily grind during festivals and celebrations like weddings. They certainly let their hair down during those rare occasions. Friendship is renewed and romance blossom. This is also an area where the generation gap rears it head. Some of the older generations are still engaging in matchmaking while the younger generations are doing their own thing. In a way, the show used the various romances to spice up the plot but it is a bit distracting when the landscape is such a magnificent stage and yet we are stuck in a yurt, watching the elders negotiate again and again.

I’m not sure these complications is the production trying to inject some relatable plots and angst for contemporary viewers. What is obvious is their influence on the last ep. It really was drama for drama’s sake and feels rushed. I’m not sure if it is necessary but it ended things with a bang. The last scene was a bit of a tease for us who are shipping the OTP. Will they? Won’t they? Maybe a second season will give us the answer. ;)

Regardless, this is a good show. It deserves all the kudos for doing something different. I appreciate the efforts the production invested to make it authentic and sincere. With such a short run-time, it is an easy binge. Give it a go, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Finally, the elephant in the room. The treatment of ethnic minorities and the flood of Han people into those remote regions is a sensitive topic. Several plots gave us a hint of what’s to come. The show's portrayal is restrained for obvious reasons. Enough said.

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Hua Kai Ban Xia has a very original plotline. Trying to boost this drama because after watching the trailer, I didn't feel like it would have any substance. It proved me wrong in so many ways. I have never watched such a drama, honestly. Without all the romance, it would simply be a cat and mouse game, cops and gangs. But there is romance, and that made everything so different. The music, the scenery, the actors and actresses, they all made a very great drama. The love is really profound and it extends to every single character. There are some selfish ones but overall, they were just giving their all for their loved ones. Obstacle after obstacle, the main leads have to work together to move on. I have to say, I didn't expect the ending because there were so many other alternatives. I guess the writer had to go that far. It was cruel.
What I really loved about this drama is that no matter what, their love and trust for each other almost never wavered. The people around them were attracted to them because of that sense of devotion and innocence but were never able to get in between them. I thought the main actor was kind of too old for Qin Li but they made a great couple. There were so many sweet moments.
I skipped through all the cop and gang business. I hated those parts. As usual, the sins from the last generation were dragged down to the young generations and made everyone's lives terrible.
I loved the narration done by the main leads. What ifs, what could have happened, etc. After all, it's better to just never regret anything, which is greatly emphasized throughout the drama.
This drama's good point, in my opinion, is the love, ranging from family to friends to lovers. Definitely a must watch just for the pure love between the "siblings".

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