Crash Course in K-dramas
This is a story that basically tells us that the rooftops of Korea are a bit to easily accessible while hitting the top floor in society is d*** hard.It is a true K-drama with a sure way to get bingo in a game of K-tropes and cliches... So if you have seen a drama or two before you are bound to recognise the twists ahead (with a few exceptions). So to love this you must be the type who loves cliches and well luckily I do.
You must also love watching slow paced romance, found family and the wide range of bad parents found in dramaland as they truly have gathered bot the supportive, the selfish, the insane, the corrupt the pavers... yep pretty much every single parent I have ever written about is in there (except for the same sex).
There are several couples in this drama, all good and frustrating in their own way, several issues are addressed a long the way while the main theme is indeed student pressure and inequality you will find some more stuff in there as well done pretty good but also a little bit inconsistent in build up vs wrap up as some parts of the story may build up for 14 or 16 episodes will be wrapped up in a short 2 second scene never to be spoken of again.
Binge ability- high
Heart-flutter medium ,
Predictability- high
Cuteness- high
Frustration- high
All in all a decent watch for those who like to mix genres and do not mind the predictability of the plot,
A beginner to K's may find this more exiting and is sure to be kept on their toes, so I think this is a really good introduction to K-dramaland so if you ever find yourself wanting to lore someone into K-dramas this is a good place to start.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Well written with issues insightfully explored
I watched this show ages ago and have been wanting to write a review on it for a while but procrastinated because I didn't know quite how to do it justice. In the end, I think I can only give it my best shot and hope that it helps others make up their mind about this series.The show really doesn't pull punches. I was in admiration of how direct and honest it was about the issue of beauty. When My ID is Gangnam Beauty begins we get intro'd to a surgery so wow, visceral and in medias res. Before we even get to know the protag, we are invited into her transformation already and we never get to find out who she was in the past which I'll talk about later.
The next part of it, that made the watch uncomfortable, was how the protag went around scoring other girls. I wouldn't be far off the mark to expect that these scenes would elicit hostile responses and judgements from many viewers, esp of the female variety. Although it was an uncomfortable watch I was in admiration of the writer because of how honest this was. Truthfully, women can be the harshest critics of other women and, for me, I was annoyed at this plot device if it only remained a plot device to push the whole "mean girls" troupe. However, this aspect of the female experience was handled with sensitivity and maturity in the series as well and was called out by the male protag in a spectacular fashion—"you need surgery on your unhealthy mindset, not your face". This really is the core arterial plot of the series that exposes the venous subplots in the exploration of beauty.
As I mentioned before, in the beginning, Mi Rae undergoes plastic surgery. This changes her physical beauty and is the catalyst the propels her into a new experience with life except not in the way she expected. It becomes painfully obvious from the word go that though her physical exterior has changed, the real work lies beneath, and the physical change brings about new dangers along with new positive experiences. She goes to extraordinary lengths to hide her past self and finds that she's ill equipped to survive with her new face. Now considered desirable, Mi Rae is targeted by sexual predators, is readily objectified and is the subject of jealous attentions by a fellow beauty. All the time, it was clear that Mi Rae had only expected positive changes and never accounted for these negatives that her changes might produce.
While she is having to navigate through these new treacherous, social waters, the series also explores the negative effect of beauty on men. Being the handsome guy, Kyung Suk is pursued by Mi Rae's unbeknownst nemesis Soo Ah solely for the purpose of having him as a trophy accessory bf. Unlike ingenue Mi Rae, Kyung Suk is wise to Soo Ah's machinations and asserts his values well. However, what he didn't count on is how Soo Ah's machinations indirectly affects him via Mi Rae's insecurities. In an ironic twist, what Mi Rae has wanted is within grasp. She has met someone with whom she shares a connection with and whom returns her feelings however, despite having gone through cosmetic surgery, it is clear that the procedure was only skin deep. Her face might have changed but nothing else inside did and it's those things that the scalpel can never reach that are causing the issues. One wonders if she underwent any changes at all.
An additional exploration that I appreciated was Soo Ah's character. We've seen how beauty affects Mi Rae, we've seen how it affects a male, now we see its effect on Soo Ah. An insight into her backstory reveals that it's not all a bed of roses for our antagonist. She has become an adept, manipulative Venus because she's had to rely on her beauty to survive for many years. Despite the upskirting incidents, despite the sexual harassment and objectification that she is subjected to, she puts up with the latter because it is just part and parcel of surviving until it climaxes into a dangerous stalking incident. We get the sense that when she lashes out at Mi Rae, metaphorically slapping back her hand of help with contemptuous condescendence, it's not really her but this automaton shell of Soo Ah that's remained after all the years of having to hide to survive. And the final cry from Mi Rae that snaps her out of her illusion... two women, from both sides of the beauty divide, one of "artificial beauty", the other "natural beauty" and the question that neither have ever had time to ask themselves—"are you happy?", "all the diets when we don't have any weight to lose... how we judge our faces, why do we have to do this to each other?"... the scene was, to me, immensely powerful and empowering and really cemented my admiration for this series because it just exemplifies how exhausting this quest for acceptance through shallow beauty is.
The other things I liked about this series were Hyun Jung, Mi Rae's buddy. She was a straightforward, no nonsense chick. I loved how courageous she was in confessing her attraction to Woo Young and how she moved on when it was clear he was not interested (until too late); and also the realistic growing up that Kyung Suk had to do to assert his financial independence as this aspect is often woefully glossed over in k-dramas, as well as the way everyone became friends organically in the process of Kyung Suk finding his feet in the world of adulting. The scene in the pub where Kyung Suk and Hyun Jung talk about the former walking through the rain without an umbrella in high school was poignant. Seeing Kyung Suk just bonding and making friends and being socially awkward humanised this "handsome, trophy boy" and we got to see this male beauty as a human and no longer a trophy object. He was just a guy trying to navigate through this world, like anyone, like you or me. Beauty is just a manmade construct. Underneath, we were all the same.
I really can't rave enough about this series. It really did a great 360 on all angles, or as many as possible, to consider with the construct of beauty and how it's perceived and used in society. The series didn't make it into a cliche ending by making it seem like it really matters and the thing to strive for but, instead, portrays it as the illusory tool that it is. I think there'd be mixed feelings about the fact that we are never shown Mi Rae's past but, to me, since Mi Rae was not comfortable with her past and she wants to leave it behind, I was happy to respect that. Again, it would be cliche to believe that to accept the past is the real growth. If that were the case cosmetic surgery would not be necessary however, sometimes it is the needed survival boost. Despite all the problems that can arise from it, despite the work that still remains beneath the surface, cosmetic surgery can be a useful aid, just as beauty is. Once beauty is no longer the yardstick which Mi Rae uses to measure her own happiness with then whatever she looked like in the past no longer matters because the comparison of a Mi Rae before and Mi Rae now no longer exists. The only Mi Rae that matters is the Mi Rae now.
The only criticism I have for this series, and it is a major one, is that it would be impossible for someone to have such low self esteem as Mi Rae has when she had such a staunch friend as Hyun Jung back in high school. That was the one thing that threw me off when she met this wonderfully supportive friend in uni whom she'd known for years. And I get the sense that the writers knew this was off too because their explanation of why Hyun Jung was never around with Mi Rae in her darkest times in high school was lame, at best (she got tired of fighting and getting angry for Mi Rae all the time so she avoided Mi Rae during the times the latter was at school or something similar). Despite this, I was happy to extend the suspension of disbelief that much further because the series really did expertly delved into the issue of beauty, imho, and beyond my expectations. Thus, I only took off 0.5 star for this characterisation oops.
Would I recommend this series? If you like watching shows that makes you think, if you like shows that's not scared to break new grounds, if you like shows that are honest with you even when it makes you uncomfortable then—hell yeah. This series really rocks.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Why can't we all have the love we think we deserve without judgement
Just freshly off watching it; I'm writing this with the feelings still in my heart. The story will break your heart to pieces, seeing Jia-han and Wang Po-te(Birdy) struggle with their feelings in a world where their love was just seen as a sin; As we see with a builled boy for liking boys and police going after a harmless man fighting for his right to just be. A great example of right person, wrong time.The acting was amazing; They had me bawling my eyes out while feeling their pain and heart racing at their chemistry.
The music was also amazing, in fact I have 'Your Name Engraved Herein' on repeat as I write this in my feelings.
The movie was so good it had me wanting to go back and watch it all over again once it was done. One thing's for sure; Won't think of wǎn ān the same.
Was this review helpful to you?
Very disappointed
This kdrama has been on my list for a long time because it wasn't available for US watchers. From what I remember, SO many claimed this was an all time favorite of theirs... and I don't get it. :/The first half of the drama I actually enjoyed. It's when the FL has a "vision" though, that all characters just don't make sense. It got to the point that when characters started dying I just didn't care (BESIDES MS OH, I bawled). I knew the FL wasn't going to be with her cousin's husband but the masked prince - BUT the transition from her first love to the masked prince was trash. At that point I started questioning who I was rooting for. The masked prince became aggressive suddenly and forced a kiss and I am NOT here for it. The rest of the cast too just seemed to switch all traits and desires out for something completely out of character... :(
Needless to say, I finished it all the way through and it never got better, just worse.
I think giving it the amount of stars I gave it is more than it deserved 🤷♀️
Was this review helpful to you?
STORY-8/10. At first, I really did not like how the story went. Like really? A Makai Knight defeats Horrors to protect the humans. Sounds cliche eh? I mean, where else do we see a brave person protecting his people? Also, the horrors that he fights seem so unrealistic! But as the story develops more and gets more into depth, I realize that this is starting to get really good. Each episode has a new plot and story to tell. And before I knew it, I was hooked. I never thought that I would turn out to like this series. Plus, the love story between Kouga and Kaoru. It's one of things that kept me interested.
ACTING/CAST- 8/10. The cast is amazing. I loved every single actor. Even some of the evil characters were portrayed very well. Kouga(Hiroki) is so adorable! He portrayed his role very good. And Kaoru was great as well. I also liked Rei! Ahhh, what an amazing cast! They seem to have great chemistry too!
REWATCH VALUE-7/10. I've rewatched this once already. I skipped a couple of episodes, because I remembered some boring episodes. Haha, but I ended up enjoying rewatching it again. It's a really good drama to be honest.
Overall, this is a good drama. Not great though, but still good. You may think that this drama sounds stupid at first, but it's worth a watch! Try something new for once! Well, have fun!
Was this review helpful to you?
With that out of the way, I saw the Guinea Pig series a long time ago without even realizing it. I came across it recently and as I was watching it, I came to confirm that I am re-watching a gory horror series that I have totally forgotten its title. However, this re-watch session felt refreshing as I got the chance to view it and judge it from another different angle than from few years back.
First, let’s get one thing straight: this is not real! It’s widespread as a snuff film but it’s not (although this is probably the closest thing you would get to a snuff film), this has special effects and “Making of” that the production team had to go through court to prove their innocence so don’t worry, this is fake. But don’t forget that there are more horrifying deeds than this out there in the real world, read about serial killers idealist dreamers!
The Guinea Pig’s series doesn’t follow traditional films’ making not even like other splatter gore films. No credits rolling or plot and characters’ developments, it’s usually a single setting with a certain deviation of actors and acts all around.
Honestly, The Devil's Experiment wasn’t that satisfying; as the first part of the series, I expected more than just capturing a woman, hitting her, kicking her, clawing her nails, burning her, throwing worms and some gluts on her. Amongst other things, that is. I don’t know, something turned me off and torture scenes are usually entertaining in my book. It’s probably the episodic pattern of the torturing scenes, one thing at the time with pauses and chances of recovery given to the tortured girl. Or maybe it’s because the three protagonists didn’t reach the highest level of torture exercised on a human body before giving the last blow. At any rate, the main girl’s fake screams turned me off big time even with the highest levels of torturing and pushing a human body to its limits. I am sure if the acting was better then things would’ve been better appreciated. When the victim doesn’t care about torturing then what’s the point of doing it anyway? She rarely screams with that immense amount of pain, that side was a huge let-down.
Pseudo-snuff and gore for the sake of gore films don’t get high ratings from me, despite my huge like for bloody productions; there has to be something else besides splatter gore and torture scenes to make me like that certain film. There has to be some breathing space, some characters to like or even hate and some events to please you. Thrilling with only torture and bloody scenes for the film’s whole running time is not acceptable and this obviously had no plot to talk about.
Now, if I have to talk about the positives of The Devil’s Experiment, I would mention my complete appreciation of not using sexual torturing, mature sex scenes or pornography. Those are usually the down-side of gory films according to me. So for excluding that, I am thankful for the Guinea Pig’s series overall. Moreover, there were some pretty nice effects used in making this to sound less unreal. I liked some of the torturing scenes even if most of them didn’t rise to my interest as I expected them to.
Watch this if:
-You’re a hardcore fan of gory films.
Do not watch if:
-You’re under 18.
-You can only handle a little amount of gore.
-You can’t handle torture scenes.
Just don’t watch unless you’re into brutal, disturbing gore.
The first part of the Guinea Pig’s series isn’t as exciting as it was supposed to be. But The Devil’s Experiment certainly opens the appetite for the rest of the series.
Was this review helpful to you?
If you want a lighthearted romantic comedy with a lot of eye candy (hello, Mond's 6-pack abs anyone?!), then BFR won't let you down. I never write reviews, especially for dramas, but I feel that the negative reviews shouldn't deter you from watching this.
For those who are looking for extremely flushed out characters and having every single question you have about the plot answered, you won't get that here. But let's be real, people, does BFR sound like a real concept to you?? Probably not. But what you will get are lovable characters, a lot of chemistry between our leads, hot make-out sessions, and lots of laughs.
Honestly, I liked Smile's character - there's a very endearing characteristic to her and I thought Fon did a great job. Not everyone could pull off an innocent character without being annoying. Also, I initially started this drama for Lee Thanat but ended up falling hard for Mond.
Fon and Mond's couple scenes had me gushing and rooting for them the whole way. I wasn't a huge fan of our second lead couple but they definitely grew on me.
Anyway, if you're looking for a lighthearted and short romantic comedy, I would highly recommend this. Considering there are only 12 episodes, a lot of my questions were answered and it was the ending I had hoped for. The storyline and the characters had me hooked. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.
Was this review helpful to you?
As you can see, this is a movie about the Gwangju massacre that took place between May 15-27, 1980. The reason behind the killings is senseless to me! I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that someone in the military gave the order and I hope they enjoy their stay in HELL!!!
Excellent movie for those interested in historical events! Not for kids! And I don't think you will want to see this again.
Was this review helpful to you?
The storyline was so original, It's a story about friendship, hardship and love, as we follow Doctor, Linda, Nakaji, Peach and Haru. You'll learn more about them by each episode. Every person has their own story and hardships and everything comes together eventually. It's not your typical storyline and I found the events happening in the drama very surprising and mostly totally unexpected. And I definitely loved that :).
The acting was very well done, but not really that special or anything. I must give real credit to Jaejoong though. This was his first real drama and I think he did really great. Not to mention he is just so cute in this drama and he is so handsome :3.
Now about the music. The music was absolutely perfect. It was a mixture of different genres and each song fit amazingly well in this drama.There is a great harmony in the use of the music in the drama, not too much and not too little. You don't get bored by it.
I really recommend this drama. It's a very intriguing drama worth watching and I promise that you won't get bored at all and won't regret it!
Was this review helpful to you?
Tender beginnings, hasty goodbyes!
This Chinese BL drama had a bit of a rocky start to the screen, getting cancelled before it was eventually picked up and aired. Felt like a win! Despite its troubled start, it still managed to pull me in with its raw performances.The chemistry between the main leads Qi Lu and Qin Xiao, was evident from the very first episode. Their struggles and sacrifices for each other were portrayed with great sensitivity considering how the drama handled the difficult themes with grace. There’s a subtle yet profound tenderness in their shared moments.
They did a good job of giving both Qi Lu and Qin Xiao well-developed backstories especially Qi Lu’s traumatic experiences with his abusive father and Qin Xiao’s longing for a family. These aspects were explored thoughtfully, allowing us to really grasp the emotional weight and baggage each character carried around.
In the initial episodes, the moments were nuanced and carefully built giving the story that depth and authenticity but as the drama progressed, the pacing seemed to speed up. This abrupt shift made the character arcs feel incomplete. The slower, more thoughtful exploration of their struggles in the beginning was what made their stories so compelling, but in the end, to me it felt like they didn’t get the conclusion they deserved.
The secondary couple Tan Yin and Liu Ming Yang, add a sort of a unique dynamic to the story. Their relationship develops in a subtle but meaningful way with Tan Yin’s persistence to pursue Liu Ming Yang.
Their interactions felt natural, and them navigating the struggles together was sweet. However, I do feel like their storyline could have been given more depth. The resolution of their arc felt a bit rushed, and it would have been nice to see it explored a little more. At times, their conflicts felt a bit forced, complicating things unnecessarily.
However, it wasn’t without its flaws. The editing felt pretty choppy at times, overall making things feel a bit disconnected. You could also tell the show had a low budget with some of the production values being a bit obvious. But the biggest issue though was how rushed the last few episodes felt. Conflicts popped up out of nowhere and were resolved off-screen which left the ending feeling a little weak. Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate the ending, but given how strong the drama started it definitely felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. It was as if the show tried to tie things up too neatly without fully exploring the emotional implications of everything they'd been through. The way the conflicts were resolved could have been handled much better.
Overall, I will still recommend giving this a watch especially since there aren’t that many Chinese BLs out there. Yes, it has its flaws but the fact that they took a brave shot at something with the censorship around deserves props. If you're into love stories and don’t mind a bit of indie, low-budget vibe then definitely check it out!
Was this review helpful to you?
It is more of a drama than mystery BUT IT IS REALLY GOOD
One of the best dramas I've seen in recent years. From the first episode alone this drama series will make you engage to the story, they have done a great job of introducing the characters, showing their motives and hinting where the story will go. This is episodic in a way that each episode will focus on one character that knows Yukino, where each of them blame themselves as to what have become to Yukino's life. There are two mysteries present in this drama, first is who committed the crime and second is what kind of life she had. By no means has this drama have mindboggling plot twist and clever puzzles but what's fascinating here is to see what kind of life Yukino had, this drama will make you feel bad for her. The drama element is so strong here, and I'll be honest there are couple scenes that got me teary eyed especially seeing them still caring for each other after so many years.The drama has a bit of a dark tone which brilliantly supports the plot. The music underlines the mood in each scene, builds tension and evokes feelings of each character. Stellar acting from the cast especially Takeuchi Yoko and Tsubamuki Satoshi, both character have traits that unique to them and the way they act is remarkable. Once scene that impresses me the most is during their final scene together, I felt tension building up and having no music in that scene really helps.
To call it a masterpiece is a bit of a stretch but if you love mystery, drama and thought provoking stories then it is a must watch. Thanks to the subber of this drama, I wouldn't have watched this if it wasn't for him/her.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
ARGH
Are you kidding me? This is one of the most frustrating and ridiculous endings of all the Korean dramas and I have watched many. I could watch until episode 9 before I started getting annoyed and frustrated. The chemistry with the three main keads was believable and well done but the lead actress’ character was the most annoying of all. Seems to be the trend for them to have no backbone and be a door mat letting everyone walk over them. I am almost ready to give up on Korean dramas because of this one.Was this review helpful to you?
Masterpiece
This is definitely a masterpiece.. A beautiful story like this needs an equally talented cast to complete it which is thankfully the case here. Stellar performances by the cast just takes this drama to another level. The story shows a lot of flawed characters and how each character deals with it.. Some positively, some negatively.. It has portrayed all those emotions so perfectly that although you might not like each character you are able to sympathize with them and understand why they react differently.. Everyone has different life experiences and hardships but that doesn't mean one's own hardships matter the most and the rest are insignificant. Everyone's struggles are equally important and needs to acknowledged. This drama is able to portray all these complex feelings in a believable simple way. This drama also shows importance of family and how each family struggles to keep them together in their own way (whether by force or through love according to the different family dynamics present here)The main leads (Nychaa and Alek) have an undeniable amazing chemistry.I can see why they have been repeatedly cast together before. They portrayed all the emotions so beautifully that sometimes even dialogues were not necessary to understand them. Hoping to see them together again sometime in the future.
All other couples too have good chemistry. No toxic relationships thankfully (except for one maybe that too is not glorified) .
There is also a very powerful moment of women standing up for one another even though characters hate each other. It is such a good example of women empowerment. Kudos to the writer for that heartbreakingly touching scene.
Pop has such a great magnetic presence on-screen. His character is one of highlights of the show and takes the show forward. He deserves a lot more main lead roles for his acting and charisma.
Ending was good, though I wish some characters had slightly better endings but at least every character found peace in their own way. I think this is an amazing drama worth your time.
Was this review helpful to you?
Why i love this drama? bcuz i think that the lead character is really interesting, being too emotional, coward, and crybaby at first onto a doctor that excels on saving people with a limited equipment and to be able to calmly choose life even his important ones.
there are some ironic situations that will pierce your heart on some eps and make you scream whyyyy?? but that is something that likely happen in real life.
so i would really recommend it if you like life-saving stories or if you like to see how much a character could grow after he encounter many field experiences.
the actings are not mind blowing but not bad either. and i think the music fits the story especially the instrument.
Was this review helpful to you?
I thought it was a great movie that was able to portray Puyi's life and the background of China's history perfectly! I recommend to anyone who is interested in learning more about China, and especially if you are taking a class on China's history. Even if you're just interested in watching a good movie, this is for you! It is able to hit your emotions without over dramatizing things and just keeping it real! Also, you get to see inside the Forbidden City which is absolutely stunning! This is actually the first film ever that was given permission to film inside of the city, so take advantage of this and watch it!
The only complaint i would have with it, is there were a couple unnecessary scenes in my opinion, but I guess others may enjoy them as well. Also, I haven't read them, but I recommend reading the book Twilight in the Forbidden City which has additional information.
Was this review helpful to you?
