The story is set in a correction facility where teenagers are sent for a month until it's decided if they get released or sent to juveniles prison. We meet many troubled teens and their correction officers and we see how their interactions change one another and affect each other. The main focus is on one teenage girl who's as much full of torment as she is full of passion, and her relationship with her correction officer with tormented past. We also follow the fate of her 4 "cellmate" with their painful stories but somehow innocent outlook on life.
The story and it's character sort of engulfs you without you feeling it. The history and mystery of each character gets revealed eventually through hints and small revelations, keeping viewers on their toes throughout the whole drama not loosing interest even for one moment. I liked that even the officers weren't tossed to the side but were given real personalities, strength and growth to deal with troubled teens. For that reason, the drama and it's stories felt well balanced and none of the stories was left behind or forgotten about. Of the officers, we also visit Ariake's dark and unsettling backstory that is full of mysteries.
The acting is outstanding and compelling characters. Mikami Hiroshi's presence was charismatic, while Hirosue Ryoko was full of charm. Kubozuka Yosuke had an unforgettable appeal and the most unpredictable of the bunch. Everyone else's character's didn't lack any appeal and had a particular presence.
As an engulfing drama that overwhelms you with passion and charisma, with a satisfying romance and mystery, I'd say this drama truly is for all and to go for it!
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I really like this kind of stories: about revenge, betrayals, and such. So I was really surprised to find myself disappointed along the way. The revenge didn’t feel much like revenge at all until the last few episodes. The romance was cute during the first time leap. But during the second one, it felt like everything would have worked out just fine even without the presence of Ji Won. Her character became useless. I cursed Soo Mi to death, but I’ll have to admit that her character has way more substance than Jiwon’s. But the character who really helped me endure all of this was none other than Jang Il. Yup, it’s Jang Il and not Sun Woo. Whereas I’ve always anticipated watching the bad guys go down, I really felt sympathy towards Jang Il. This character left me this feeling which is kind of difficult to explain. Perhaps you’ll know this feeling once you finish watching this drama.
The acting was great. It was nice to see different sides of the characters. The bad ones were able to send tears to my eyes, and the good ones were able to make me curse at them. I never thought Uhm Tae Woong was this good. I’ve seen him in the past, and I think I might have underestimated him then. But the actor I’d like to praise more is Lee Joon Hyuk. I’m really impressed at how he was able to flawlessly portray such complicated character. I’d love to see more of his projects when he comes back from the army. Maybe another prosecutor role, no? But he does look good as a prosecutor. Overall, the casting was okay aside from the fact that I was bothered by the age difference between Joon Hyuk and Tae Woong. They were supposed to look like same-aged, but the age difference really showed in the drama. Oh and the kids were amazing too! I’m really looking forward to Lee Hyun Woo’s projects. At his age, I’m really fascinated at how good an actor he is.
Music. Okay I had a lot of issues with this one. I didn’t like the music. It was so plain and so boring. Also, the music kind of magically fades away during the key points in the drama. I don’t know about others, but I really want hearing thrilling music during climactic points in the drama so I was really disappointed.
There’ll be only two reasons why I would decide to rewatch this. Lee Hyun Woo and Lee Joon Hyuk. Their acting was superb (and they’re the good-looking ones, in my opinion).
The story was good, but I didn’t like how they executed some parts of the story which ended up being dragging. Nevertheless, this drama is worth the watch if you can endure watching some boring parts in exchange of witnessing a beautiful once-in-a-lifetime friendship cruelly tested by painful circumstances.
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One Drunken Kiss, One Forbidden Summer, and Two Beautiful Boys Who Were Meant to Fall in Love!
I watched the 57 minute movie version of The Summer You Kissed Me on GagaOOLala instead of watching the individual five episodes, and honestly, I am so glad I did because I absolutely cannot stand waiting every week for the next episode!This was such a cute, adorable and surprisingly charming little BL. Wang Chen Rui as Gao Ran, an art student, immediately caught my attention from the opening scene where he is naked and drawing himself while looking into a mirror. Drawing yourself is already difficult enough, but doing it while staring at your own reflection takes some serious skill. And yes, his body definitely made that opening scene even more memorable!
Then Gao Ran meets Chen Zihan as Mosua, and their first interaction instantly turns into clashes, bickering and playful arguments. Their chemistry was so much fun to watch. For Gao Ran, it was basically love at first sight, and I absolutely loved how openly flirtatious and dirty minded he was whenever Mosua was around. It gave his character so much personality and added a really fun charm to their dynamic.
One of my favourite moments was when Gao Ran described Mosua as white and cute like a lychee and then basically said he could not wait to peel his lychee. 😂 That was an absolutely wild line to say, but somehow it perfectly suited Gao Ran!
Then they meet again at a bar, things get complicated, and they end up kissing. It was a drunken kiss, but the chemistry between them was intense and surprisingly passionate. What made it even more interesting was that this was both of their first time experiencing something like this with another man. They were clearly confused about their feelings and what the kiss actually meant to them.
Luckily, Mosua's flight gets cancelled, giving them another chance to see each other. I really enjoyed how the story eventually moved beyond the idea of a one night stand. Their confession towards the end was genuinely adorable because they realised they did not just want that one moment. They wanted each other.
"Can you only kiss me and only me?" 🥹
That line perfectly captured what they were feeling.
Overall, The Summer You Kissed Me is extremely short, but sometimes a short and sweet story is exactly what you need. It is light, cute, romantic and thankfully non toxic, with two gorgeous leads who have great chemistry. I really hope these two actors get the opportunity to lead a full length BL drama together because I would 100% be watching.
If you like good looking boys, love at first sight, rivals to lovers, a one night stand turning into something more, cute romance and a very flirty male lead, definitely put this on your watch list.
Another short but sweet Chinese BL that proves China can still surprise us with something this cute.
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Not at all overrated
At first I was hesitant to watch this film because of it was based on a true story about the civil war that took place in Somalia; South Korea has had multiple issues with portraying foreign cultures after all. So hearing about this movie's plot taking place in a real historical event, though I am not part of that culture, made me uneasy. But because it got high ratings and awards, I gave in to my curiosity and gave it a go. From my observation, the film mainly focused on the 2 Korean embassies (as the title says) escaping from Mogadishu and barely touched on the details of the war going on around them.Acting was SUPERB, as expected from top actors, Zo Insung, Kim Yoonseok, and Heo Joonho. I didn't know Koo Kyohwan was in this until I saw him in the film which was a pleasant surprise as he's becoming one of my new favorite actors after watching him in D.P.
Overall, it was a really touching story of how the 2 Koreas managed to put aside their political differences to survive together through the chaos. It actually reminded me of the movie Joint Security Area. Regardless of where you're from, this film will definitely make you strongly wish for reunification between North and South Korea.
I'm still curious, though, if they accurately presented the war. I kind of hoped that they showed more of the innocent Somali people who, like the Korean characters, were also victims and also desperately tried to escape. For those who know more about the real event and have seen the movie, please let me know in the comments if there were any inaccuracies. Thanks!
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Well written script with lovely characters, great music, fun humor and awesome romance!
After rewatching "Her Private Life" multiple times, I finally decided to leave a short review highlighting why it remains one of my favourite dramas to watch over and over again.1) Talented, gorgeous lead actors - not only are Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook are beautiful to look at, they also have the acting chops to elevate this rom-com to the next level. I cannot wait for their next movies and I wish Kim Jae Wook acted more in rom-coms.
2) Great acting all around - kudos to the casting director since everyone truly delivered!
3) Well-written script - The characters are nicely developed and being adults, actually behaved like adults. None of those childish drama that the writers usually throw in to create conflicts. Without the unnecessary drama, the show is a great stress-less option when you just want to relax and enjoy the sweetness of a non-cringey romance. Perhaps some more emotional scenes or side stories were watered down but the resolution or outcomes were still realistic and nicely played out.
4) Enjoyable music - seriously, the soundtrack is delightful! Each piece was fitting for the scene and added to the mood or emotion appropriately.
Overall, I do recommend this drama. Give it a try!
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The basic story is that Lu Ming is a guy from 1999 and Xiao Jiao is a girl from 2018. They live in the same apt, but in different timelines. Suddenly one day, that same apt from different timelines starts merging together. When XiaoJiao opens their front door, they can enter into 2018, when Lu Ming does, they can both enter into 1999. Then becomes a story of how they navigate having to be together while exploring their different timelines together. There's obviously a little more than that general synopsis, but I feel like I shouldn't spoil the story, it was much more fun and had good serious moments. The trailer does a good job of not spoiling the story, but does set the tone of the comedy of the movie.
The first thing that came to my mind after watching this movie was that it was similar to Your Name, but after sitting down to write this review, they're actually totally different movies. But their use of time travel was similar. As with all time travel movies, there are rules that are set in the movie, and sometimes they don't really make sense if you think about it too deeply. Seeing them try to abuse timetravel was very funny. Yet it doesn't distract from the movie as a whole because the characters and actors were great. They had good chemistry. It was also a lot more hilarious than I thought it would be. It may have helped that I watched it in a theater with other people, since laughter is contagious. All in all, a very solid story that made sense (since time travel movies can be confusing sometimes), and i would recommend it to anyone that likes romantic comedies with a very unique story.
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How social pressure makes you do the wrong things in life...
Wow, this short does not have a review... I reluctantly write reviews for "old" series/movies but in this case I have to.This short is an excellent example how social pressure leads to an unhappy life in Japan where it is expected to follow social conformity. And with this is brings a lot of pain and heartbreak and it's depicted in detail and nuances in everyones face.
"please be happy" and "love someone but me" are the central points in this short. Azusa (speak Az'sa) is selfish, he broke up because he wanted to show his children to his grandma. But even when his Grandma dies and he can*t fullfill her wish he is confined in his personal construct to conform. Yusuke (speak: Yus'ke) is still in love and can't move on. It culmulates when Azusa selfishly asks Yusuke to make wedding photos. And that's where we see that both are not happy.
This short is really depressing but it's also important to show it, especially considering the comments where you read that it is a thing that some people can't escape the social pressure. And it shows, that a lot of people surpress their real selves, which is really really sad. So for me, this is a recommandation. You can watch it on youtube: https://youtu.be/md47vntaqwU
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A Hot Mess
This is a great drama to watch when you're in the mood for a classic cliche, trashy, garbage fire, trainwreck c-drama. Sometimes, after I watch a /really/ good drama, I have to watch a couple trash ones to bring my standards and expectations back down. This was a needed palette cleanser.Here, every character has a room temperature IQ. Logic and reasoning are no where to be found. Not a single attempt was made to incorporate the PPL in a classy or subtle way. The subtitles are in shambles. I spent a significant amount of braincells trying to figure out if Zhang Tian Ai was wearing some sort of wig or not. It's a mess.
But I finished all 24 episodes, so I guess it's my type of mess.
And! Thanks to this drama, I get to say that Qu Chu Xiao has played both my favorite male lead, Zhang Wan Sen :'), and my least favorite male lead, Chen Yan >:(. Wonderful.
PLOT:
The story is told through Hai Tang's omniscient perspective - she's written a memoir/novel that recounts certain events in her life. Its title is "My Friend Miss Chen Bai Lu" (also this drama's native title). As such a title would suggest, the storyline here mostly focuses on Chen Bai Lu and Chen Yan. She is poor (but was once rich) and hardworking, while he's the rich playboy type. Normal stuff. Hai Tang has little narration monologues here and there, but they aren't subtitled on iQiyi so I'm not sure what kind of context they add.
I can't help but wonder if this was adapted from a webcomic or maybe a webnovel. How the scenes flow and the logic (or lack thereof) of storyline really give me this impression. The happenings in this drama are really quite divorced from reality, in that special kind of ridiculous way that you see in cheap c-webcomics/novels.
The basic "story loop" is like - misunderstanding -> fight and separate -> forgive and get back together OR fight some more -> repeat. It's Chen Yan's misunderstanding 99.9% of the time and neither of them will explain themselves properly. Many things just don't make sense - from the ways the characters react to things, to their general behavior, to every single plotline. The makjang/dog's blood levels are very high, but it gets pretty boring in the last few episodes.
There's plenty of kissing scenes though, if you like those.
The ending is.. open I guess. I suppose it's a sad one (nobody dies though...I think?), but I was kinda happy cause I really disliked Chen Yan by that point ahaha.
As far as characters go, Hai Teng is really your typical naive doormat c-drama heroine. Very kind but no backbone. She has an incredibly unbearable and shrill best friend who is an absolute crazy person and a total Karen.. is that redundant? Yang Ku An exists.
Chen Bai Lu is actually kinda refreshing; compared to Hai Tang, she's on the colder, mellower, and more mature side (relative to everyone else). For the most part, I liked her character, though she is just as dumb as the rest.
Chen Yan is a really...greasy, childish character. He's embarrassing and really pissed me off at some points (the sheer audacity this character has omg). He has some cute moments though, and his bulky old person phone amused me (idk why).
ACTING:
Acting is a solid OK from everyone, nothing too offensive aside from Zhang Tian Ai's dubbing.
I watched this because of Qu Chu Xiao. After being both emotionally victimized and impressed by his acting in Shining For One Thing, I wanted to see him in a lighter role. This was his first drama, so he is a bit green and a little uneven here. Likewise with Chen Ya An. Their acting is overall fine (some scenes are very good even), just a little green.
OST:
Bog-standard BGM stuff. Nothing noteworthy. There's just two OST tracks (I think???) and I don't remember how either of them go.
CONCLUSION:
This was a solid hate-watch. Despite the nonsense plot and the occasionally scuffed editing, this was surprisingly watchable for me (though the last couple episodes drag). I don't know how or why. I struggled to rate this because while it is very lacking on a technical level, I was pretty engaged and did have some fun watching.
Can't help but feel like the director was a bit of a perv though...
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It’s really sloppy writing and directing in my opinion. I mean (you’ll see), just some things are so unrealistic it’s ridiculous. He’s about to look at marriage certificate when phone rings so he doesn’t. I mean you look at it while on phone is probably what ninety nine percent of humans would do. There’s no slow motion in opening a chinese certificate , come on. On and on he gets close to finding out just before something intercepts. I get they’re trying to build the suspense but by the second interruption, it’ll only build your bad vocabulary and brain spasms. Yes, nineteen episodes and she’s still at dodgeball full swing.BUT, it’s not bad. As a commenter said in comments, watch with your smart cells off. It’s a sweet popcorn watch with whole kernels here and there. Leads are eye candy and seriously though, main guy really does have smoldering eyes that are too lovely to skip over. Lots of skinship that some see as aggressive. I know it’s fiction only in my sight so you can say it’s weird that I find it romantic pursuit.
So, don’t be turned off too quickly and give it a try if you’re looking for a fluffy sweet romance. If you’re serious minded and hate overloaded cliches and plot holes, it’s not for you.
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Gorgeous Couple, Interesting Mystery, Cute Ending
This is a short drama (less than 4 hours total) with two gorgeous characters solving an interesting murder mystery in a detective game. The ending is cute and not cliche either (I will spoil it at the end of my review). I wish it would be subbed soon, but it seems like Tencent prioritizes subbing their romance and dynasty costume dramas over non-romance and Republican-era dramas, especially if the leading actor/actress is not popular. It will be subbed eventually, so you can enjoy it.I would've rated it 8.5 if I completely understood the dialogue details (for me, the crime and Republican-era cultural word terminologies are rather difficult to understand).
STORY:
There is no synopsis on MDL at the moment I wrote this review. So here it is:
The Female Lead Nan Yu (Snow Kong) was originally a player in a matchmaking game to match as many couples to win the game. However, one day, because of a game glitch, she found herself in the Republic of China era, and her character is a forensic examiner. Nan Yu learned that she must solve a mysterious murder case to return to her world. Not only that, she also shared one body with the Male Lead Gao Han (Li Ge Yang), a player from another detective game, to solve the case. With different personalities and strengths/weaknesses, at first, they compete with each other to control the body. But then they work together as a team. But in the end, only one of the two can return to his/her own world.
The mystery murder case, although only one, ends up being interesting and quite complicated with several victims and several suspects, it's only solved in the final episode.
CHARACTER:
First, I thought that Nan Yu was a ditzy Female Lead when she played in the matchmaking game. But she was quite calm when seeing a dead body for the first time, lol, while being guided by Gao Han to do the autopsy. Her bickering with Gao Han is cute, too. I can say Nan Yu has a high EQ while Gao Han high IQ. Smart and mature Male Lead and Female Lead.
VISUAL:
With gorgeous Republican-era costumes, Snow Kong and Li Ge Yang really look good-looking together. Their visual is the reason for me to keep watching the drama. The costumes, props, and sets look well done considering this is a short-length series with a lower budget than mainstream dramas.
OST:
The ending theme is nice and catchy titled "Starlight Is In Your Hand" (星光在你手上) by Ye Xuan Qing (叶炫清)
SOME SPOILERS AND THE ENDING (Scroll down below if you're curious)
- The alternative title "Twins Detective" doesn't mean Nan Yu and Gao Han are twin siblings, but two people share one body.
- At first, Nan Yu and Gao Han share one body, but then Gao Han breaks the game system to enter the game with his own body. Thus, they become a detective couple.
- There is a slight romance blossoming between Nan Yu and Gao Han later in the drama. Cute, but doesn't take over the mystery plot.
- There is a SML (Second Male Lead) but he is a nice one. Unlike tropey jealous SMLs common in romance dramas, who are good first and then turn bad.
- Ending (scroll below):
A cute happy ending. In the beginning, since they shared one body, only one can return to his/her own world. Gao Han hacked the game system to enter the game. He also used a lot of his game energy to save Nan Yu's life. The game designer said only Nan Yu could return to her own world. He needed a lot of time to fix the game because Gao Han hacked the system. Since Nan Yu doesn't want to separate from Gao Han, they end up staying in the current Republican-era world while the designer fixes the game, and they open a detective agency together with homophone (same sound different meaning) of their combo names Yugao (that literally means "fish cake") Detective Agency. SML gave them a congratulatory gift, an item similar to the thing that they investigated before, lol!
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I didn't think I'd enjoy this movie as much as I did. I'm not usually a fan of movies with darker themes. This one, though, I really enjoyed. It wasn't too dark, but it certainly wasn't a lighthearted romp. Although comedy is listed under the genres, it's not all THAT funny. It has its moments. Some catch you off guard and may seem out of place while others break up the heaviness of the mood. They're there, but not overly frequent.
This movie isn't for kids. Or, if you're a kid and want to watch it, make sure you wear headphones and your parents don't walk in. There is nudity and there is sex. Each sex scene appropriately conveyed the feelings behind it. Passion and emotions drove one scene while crudeness and vileness drove others.
I would've given the movie a 9 overall, but throughout the movie, the main character annoyed me with the choices he made. I thought he was an idiot. Then again, without his choices there would be no story.
I think it's the mark of a good story when you find yourself, at times, cheering against the good guys, rooting for the bad guys, and having no sympathy for the deceased. The story, overall, isn't mind-blowing. There was also nothing too surprising, but it kept me intrigued.
I thought the acting was really good. I've never been a fan of Park Si Yeon, but her character was my favorite in this movie. Gi-Poong was a delightful addition to the movie. He provided some of the humor. Plus, I'm just a fan of Lee Kwang Soo. And, although the main character annoyed me, I was still rooting for him.
I don't remember music which is why I gave it a 5. I'm sure it was there somewhere, I just can't recall it.
I gave the re-watch value a six because I think I may eventually re-watch, but I'm not sure at the moment.
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Trotting Me into Boredom (Major spoilers ahead!)
I. The UglyThis drama is all about Lin Ze Hui's sexy clavicles and nothing else. It successfully took a bunch of good-looking people, a plot with some potential, and an expensive set, and set the whole lot on fire and watched as it razed all my expectations to the ground. I was so bored, and my boredom was not alleviated despite the ridiculously good-looking men: Lin Ze Hui as the ML seventh prince, Zhu Min Xin as the villain crown prince, and Zhang Zhexu as the FL's younger brother. Despite being linguistically challenged, I could use my limited Chinese skills to fill in the comprehension gaps and follow 95% of the drama. That tells you how cliched the script was.
In episode 1, we find out that the FL was originally meant to marry the villain crown prince, but he kills her father and brother on their wedding, supposedly because they were treasonous. Episode 1 opens with the FL unsuccessful in assassinating the villain. She then holds the ML seventh prince hostage before her vampiric disease is triggered by the scent of musk incense and she latches onto his clavicle like a baby calf to a cow's teats. The FL then poisons the ML to threaten him into helping her to investigate the allegations against her father. Their investigation leads them into many cringeworthy situations between episodes 2 and 5 which somehow ignites the sparks of attraction between them, and by the end of episode 6, the FL gives the antidote to the ML as she realises the poison is no longer necessary to secure his assistance and the ML confesses he is in love with the FL. At the end of episode 9, the FL meets her (supposedly dead) brother's doppelgänger but he tries to assassinate the FL and ML at the end of episode 10, and the duo only survive because the FL activates her violent martial artist vampire side with a sniff of her portable musk incense (they've basically written her as a crack whore). In episode 11, they find out that the villain crown prince had colluded with ministers to counterfeit currency, and he had likely murdered the FL's father and brother because they had discovered his crimes. By episode 14, the villain is determined to murder his own brother, the ML.
Here comes the absolute clanker: The assassination attempt in episode 14 fails, but the ML has been poisoned. So in episode 15, the FL confronts the villain. After she feeds the antidote to the ML, the FL is knocked out by the villain's subordinate and fed a memory-altering substance. The FL forgets her own identity and her family's deaths, but remembers that she is to marry the crown prince in a few days. The ML desperately tries to shock her memory back in episode 16, by bringing her to her abandoned childhood home (the scene of her father's and brother's murders). This fails but lo' and behold, in episode 17, the FL's brother returns healthy and whole, only this time he has his memory but she does not have hers. She regains her memory by episode 18, but continues to feign memory loss. The end of episode 18 and beginning of episode 19 spotted random comedy, and we get to see two beautiful men and one beautiful woman all squeeze into one bed. As it turns out, the villain is aware that the FL has regained her memory and they were plotting to find evidence against him in his palace. They are finally able to present evidence of the villain's misdeeds to the emperor in episode 21, with the (random) assistance of the villain's subordinate. The villain makes a last ditch effort to escape, fatally injuring the FL in the process. Hua Chanjuan's sister, Hua Mengchu (both portrayed by Zhu Xinyuan) is able to save the FL, on the condition that the ML marries her, to which the ML agrees. The FL is saved and Hua Mengchu insists that the ML marries her, but in episode 23, while the ML is ranting about how much he loves the FL, he discovers that his bride is the FL. Finally, in episode 24, they are able to confront the villain who goes on a lunatic's spiel and the FL gives him a less than tight slap. They ultimately discover that the ML was in the running for the crown prince position and was originally meant to be the one the FL marries, and they live happily ever after.
I have just summarised all 240 minutes in these two paragraphs. You no longer need to watch the drama.
II. The Bad
This is not Xu Zhenzhen's first collaboration with Lin Ze Hui, and yet there was absolutely zero chemistry. It felt more like a jiějiě 姐姐 appeasing her dìdì 弟弟. XZZ's acting also left a lot to be desired here. It was like she was playing a watered-down version of her role in Palace Shadows: Between Two Princes.
There were multiple inconsistencies and unexplained plot points. For example, in some scenes, the ML is quite skilled in fighting, but in other scenes, he requires the FL to rescue him. Another example, why would the villain want to force the FL to forget his misdeeds and try to marry her again, when the marriage would not benefit him anymore (her father being dead and all) and he was not in love with her? Also, why does the villain's subordinate have a sudden change of heart?
III. The Good
LZH is a beautiful man who also makes a beautiful woman in episode 7. The only reason I continued watching the drama was because he is truly good-looking and not a bad actor. You get to appreciate some sexy clavicles throughout this drama, sexy abs in episode 7, and some man-on-man action in episode 19.
IV. Verdict
Painfully boring. Skip unless you have nothing else to watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm a big fan of Family Dramas, and I have to said that I really like this drama. Even though this drama is not one of the best family drama I had watched, I highly recommended. For me, I feel like the drama was a bit slow in the beginning and rush toward the end, but to even it out, the story line was really good in my point view. Yes, the story line is simple/light and not that dramatic like how other "korean dramas", but there are some funny, cute, and sad moments that I love. SPOILER: The only downside I have for this drama is there was no (romance*) between Moon Sik and Park Hyun Ha :(((
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A story with strong themes, which didn't reach its full potential
The Judge Returns was a drama that caught my attention the moment I read its synopsis. I have developed a keen interest to series about law and judicial system so it goes without saying that I decided to give this one a go.The series' start was very strong. The first two episodes were a very good setup for Han Young's backstory and eventual development. From the get-go, we get introduced to a cold judge, who delivers "justice" based on money instead of the law and ethics. We witness him at his lowest in terms of morality and yet, when his eventual death followed, I couldn't help but pity him and wish for his growth in the second chance he got to redeem himself.
This was the first time I watched Ji Sung and I can already tell that he's about to become one of my most favourite actors. He embodied Han Young and he made sure to steal the spotlight every time he appeared on the screen. You could see the fire in Han Young's eyes and his thirst for justice and fair punishment. Han Young's charismatic, charming and yet cunning personality was encapsulated perfectly by Ji Sung. I loved the way he changed his body language and the tone of his voice based on the characters Han Young interacted with, adding more layers to the various dynamics.
Park Hee Son as Kang Sin Jin was an absolute gem, from a visual and acting point. He owned this role and the authority he radiated in his scenes was unmatched. Sin Jin was a multilayered character and Hee Son did a magnificent job portraying his polarizing morality. His micro expressions andsubtle movements made Jin Sin more intimidating and unpredictable and it showed why he had so much influence. His chemistry with Ji Sung was one of the strongest aspects in the drama, emphasizing the ongoing silent battle between Han Young and Sin Jin, their scenes together were so exciting to watch and the build-up to their final confrontation made me eager to watch more.
The rest of the cast was very modest, some performances being more remarkable than others but overall, everyone delivered what was expected of them. I especially loved Tae Won Seok's role as Jeong Ho, Han Young's friend. I watched The Judge Returns before watching Bloodhounds and I couldn't believe that the ruthless bloodhound who made Woo Jin and Gun Woo's lives a hell shared the same actor with a kindhearted and supportive CEO. His versatility was very impressive and although his role wasn't very demanding in terms of emotional delivery, he stole the show whenever he would appear on screen, bringing a breath of fresh air.
The ongoing battle between good vs evil is the most prominent and yet the most complex theme in the drama. Instead of a simplified presentation of the judicial system, the writers highlighted the complexity that lays behind the scenes. There's the famous quote about justice being blind. Everyone is equal before the law and justice is ought to be served regardless of financial power, status or connections. While both sides in the drama strive for this, the means they utilize clash, resulting to a battle of deception.
On the one hand, Han Young, in search of atonment and redemption, is ready to do whatever is possible in order to ensure justice and apply the law fairly. On the other hand, Sin Jin, in pursuit of justice, bended the law and utilized power and money, thus betraying his initial goal for a justice system that will protect everyone equally. Both sides, in theory, fought for the same future, where no one will be treated unfairly. But the methods they used couldn't be any more different and thus, a great dilemma was present. Are we supposed to fight injustice with injustice? Or should we have faith in law?
While I appreciate the drama for its ambitious premise and although I recognise its qualities, unfortunately, once I was done with it, I realized that my feelings weren't as strong compared to my initial reception.
The first half always had me at the edge of my seat, I was looking forward to Han Young's redemption and his confrontation with Sin Jin. At the same time, I enjoyed the domestic moments between him and his friends, which toned down the hectic political aspects and left room for more humane interactions and bonds. The blend between comedy, action and slice-of-life was handled very well in the beginning and kept my interest more than alive.
Alas, in the middle of the road, my feelings for The Judge Returns started to change.
Once the series reached its second half, I noticed that my interest had started declining. I didn't rush to keep up with the released episodes and my attention was deteriorating in some parts. In the end, I decided to put the drama on hold and I put it off for 5 months. Now, putting a drama on hold is by no means an indicator of its quality, but once I resumed it, I understood why it failed to keep my attention.
I love slow paced stories. In fact, the majority of my favourite books, movies and series are slow paced. But while The Judge Return's pacing was not an issue for me at first, in the second half, I found the plot dragging to the point I almost considered skipping some scenes. There were some moments which felt like fillers to me and I wished that instead of them, we would get something that would contribute to the development of the characters and the story. One can handle only so many dialogues between corrupted men. The last two episodes in particular were very hard for me to watch and I almost felt relieved when I reached the end.
Aside from that, the scenes started to feel disjointed, which contributed to the slow pacing. One moment something dramatic would happen and then, the setting would change to something else. Which yes, it can work in terms of narrative but it became predictable and annoying because it ruined the flaw.
A pet peeve of mine regarding the technical aspects was the soundtrack. In thrillers, I prefer it when the soundtrack evokes some emotions and is used to create a suitable atmosphere. But in The Judge Returns, I found the usage of the main theme, particularly the opening, to be used in random moments, thus making the scenes less serious and anticlimactic. I am aware of the fact that soundtracks do not make or break a series but when it fails to deliver the best result, it can affect the viewing experience.
In addition, there were issues with the writing of some characters. Yoo See Hee started off strongly and I was looking forward to see her development both individualy and with Han Young, considering their relationship in their previous life. However, while the character was promising and while Oh Se Young did a good job portraying See Hee, the writing was underwhelming. I found her to be too dependent on Han Young and it would have been nice if the writers had explored her feelings outside of their relationship. There was room for more development and in the end, while I felt proud of her progression, I was left with a lackluster impression. Moreover, the subtle romance between See Hee and Han Young left me unmoved, I was eager to welcome it if done well but in the end, it was done poorly (not that I blame the actors, of course).
But my biggest grip was the way Kim Jina's character was written. Seriously, what was that? You have her being marketed as a main character and yet there were supporting characters which had more screen time than her. And no, I will not listen to any arguments about her being important to the story even with less screen time. A main character is supposed to be a main character and it's a shame she got sidelined. Won Jina was great and I'm sad I didn't get to see her full potential because of the way her character got treated by the script.
Another aspect that could have been handled better was Han Young and Sin Jin's relationship. It would have been interesting if we had seen more of them as "partners" because it would have added more impact to Han Young's betrayal and Sin Jin's broken trust. The scenes we got were definitely magnetic, albeit too few in my opinion. It would have also been nice if they had more exchanges of their different viewpoints (in a subtle way of course, since Han Young couldn't reveal his true beliefs). A bigger debate between them would have added more food for thought compared to what we got in the end.
The Judge Returns doesn't try to offer to the audience a utopian dream of a fair world and a justice system based on equality. Unfortunately, no justice system can be equal and accessible to everyone, at least with the current social standards. But it tries to show that it's still worth fighting for law no matter what. We shouldn't be what we sought to destroy in the name of "justice". What we should do is try to be better humans by helping those who are in need for help.
I definitely recommend The Judge Returns to people who like law series or Jisung's fans. But I don't think it's that profound to not miss it, if it's not under your randar. There are better series in my opinion which tackle similar themes in a better way, such as Pro Bono, a kdrama which became one of my favourites. I definitely do not regret watching The Judge Return but it's a pity it didn't reach its full potential in terms of writing.
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There were loopholes, like how some supporting characters were just pushed off the screen without much of a excuse. But without paying too much attention to these small details and just focus on the big picture, the story can be romantically heart-wrenching. It's almost like an adaptation of "A Wedding Invitation", which stars Bai Bai He and Eddie Peng. The story lines are very similar. The cast are both just as wonderful. Joseph Chang challenges the role of a man who very much loves his wife (ex-wife, etc) and tries to yield to her every demand. I can never get bored of Bai Bai He because she is simply amazing with her roles, always challenging the opposite sex with her prowess. This was a well directed film.
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