It's essentially the story of how one turns from being a money-hungry, materialistic monster into one who has been changed through true love and recognition of what is truly important in life. The transformation is something you'll see through the episodes gradually and you'll gnash your teeth when the male lead is thrown aside without a care in the world. But, you'll clap your hands and jump on the couch when the ending comes... but I'll leave that to you to see for yourselves as the story unfolds.
You won't regret watching this...go on, give it a whirl!
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This review may contain spoilers
A good decent watch
Life is short and should not be wasted.Be in love and make love, the world will come to an end someday.
Funny scenes, Romance.., Suspense.. , fight scenes, some lovable and some hated characters, ... .
Shen Zhen and Lu shi Yan did not end up together in their past life.
Now we get to see their happy ending in this life.
Shen Zhen's struggle's to save his father won my heart.
I admit that the emperor and specially the empress should have had more screen time.
It was my first time seeing Jeremy Tsui . His acting is good . The Fl although tried her best, still has room for improvement.
The actress who played the second Fl (Shen Zhen's sister) did a great job. Somehow her romance plot with Zhou Su An kept the story rolling in some eps.
It's true that the past life is not explained in detail, but in my opinion It was enough.
The last episode was a bit quick and easy (lame).
Also It left us with some questions about some supporting roles.
Surely I did not like some episodes and scenes.
But Wholly I enjoyed this drama. It was a quite fun watch and I recommend it to you.
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1Age Gap Marriage
Toshi no Sakon, which translates to age gap marriage, struck me with its cinematography. It's beautifully shot, and I liked how vague the first five minutes were about the identity of Murakami Maiko's (Aoi Wakana) husband. I found some elements of the show refreshing, despite some other elements being a typical Japanese rom-com genre where a sheltered female who has never been in a relationship meets a handsome young man, falls in love, and the end of the story. Where Toshi no Sakon is different is that things happen in reverse. The sheltered girl is more or less forced to go to an arranged marriage matchmaking session. When she meets her match, she is instinctively attracted to him and his agreeable nature despite the huge age difference. Because Hanasato Harumi (Takezai Terunosuke) decides to only meet her to appease his client Murakami Genichiro (Fukikoshi Mitsuru), Maiko's father, is taken by her forwardness. Before we know it, they are married, which is intriguing about this story.I liked Maiko as a character, and Aoi Wakana for her ability to portray Makio in a way that made me believe in her sincerity, innocence and maturity despite her young age, and for boldly pursuing her heart's desire in a culture where one, especially a female, isn't always open about their emotions. She even initiates the first kiss before their third date, and practically proposes to him. But what I enjoyed most about her was her loudly expressing her inner voice, which probably endeared her to Harumi for being the complete opposite of him. As for Harumi, I admired his honesty and how amiable he was to Maiko despite being much older and more set in his ways, as well as how intrigued he was both physically and mentally. I can't even say it was simply opposites attracted. It was much more than that. It was like the old age meeting the new age and forming an intergenerational connection bound by the differences rather than pulled apart.
I think if Toshi no Sakon had just stopped at that, it would have been your average rom-com with an age gap. But the fact that it dived into the fears and insecurities Maiko faces in her inexperienced love versus Harumi experienced one, and his insecurity with his age and fear of not being able to compete, and the very realistic way the show addresses those insecurities from the Japanese presepctive, is what made Toshi no Sakon stand out even if from my cultural standpoint I may not have understood but that's okay since the show was not for my perspective I still liked and respected the options and directions it takes. The trail and tribulations Maiko and Harumi face as they attempt to measure up to what they each believe are their shortcomings, and the ways the drama tackles and addresses those trials in age, societal and cultural differences, terminology, not only from the perspective of an older man and younger woman, but also from the perspective of an older woman and younger man, and how the intergenerational gap experience despite being the same affects men and women of the same age differently.
The message Toshi no Sakon is so simple -- open dialogue is essential for experiencing, expressing, and fostering love in marriage. Despite men and women, be they younger or older, acting differently and communicating in different ways, be it in tone or attitude, the need to develop certain attitudes that express love and encourage authentic dialogue is key. Often, spouses, regardless of age, aren't necessarily looking for their other half to find a resolution; they want to know their partner is paying attention to them and acknowledges their fears and insecurities. And most importantly, not to let societal or cultural differences be they in age or otherwise, limit them or dictate their happiness, because the combination of two different ways of thinking, rather than hindering, can be the source that elevates them to the next level of their co-existence and ultimately their happiness. I highly recommend it. I enjoyed this short but very sweet drama.
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This is a fantastic romp story about con artist, Yang Jung-gook (the always-fun Choi Siwon) who is married to badass detective, Kim Mi-young (the always-excellent Lee Yoo Young).
Yang Jung-gook's marriage is failing because of the Very Big Lie rotting at the core of their relationship. Both parties are holding on because of their genuine love for each other, but it seems as though their marriage won't last either way. Yang Jung-gook's plan is retirement; the perfect way to leave the life of crime behind him and turn his lies into truth.
The most-recent snag in his retirement plan is loan shark, Park Hoo-Ja (Kim Min-Jung, in the performance of her career), who blackmails him into running for the Assembly. Hoo-ja has big plans for her father's company - most of which involve her taking control of it despite competition from her older Unni, #1, who is in jail (Hoo-ja is the fourth of five daughters).
The premise of a con artist married to a cop was enough for me to press play on this show. Add in the potential romp-factor of him conning his way into politics and I was always going to watch. Amazingly, the whole thing is as fun as it sounds. From the first frame, this show is fast-paced, witty, well-plotted, well-characterised, fantastically acted and just a whole heap of damn fun.
While everyone's performances are top-notch, Kim Min-Jung's brilliant, impatient, entitled, loan shark steals the show. By the end, you're not just hoping that Jung-gook wins, you're hoping Hoo-ja does as well. Her battle against Unni #1 mirrors Jung-gook's battle against political corruption to the extent that you're almost sad that she has to lose in order for him to win. This is really an amazing performance by an actor who was always good but never stood out to me before.
The cinematography, editing and music are original and enjoyable and the show almost entirely avoids tired tropes from any genre. At 18 episodes (36 half hours), you would expect the pacing or plotting to suffer but it never does. It's unflaggingly good from beginning to end.
But what makes My Fellow Citizens so completely satisfying is the inherent sense of justice that underpins the show. This show has a story to tell and a message it wants to convey and it's not afraid to do it. This is as much a show about the corrupting power of greed as it is anything else. It's also a show that never lets a character - whether it's a flawed hero or a beloved villain - get a pass for their actions.
It really is one of my new favourites and I wish it had gotten more love while it aired.
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1This review may contain spoilers
poise & pain
I felt like I was being suffocated right alongside Saori because she is just a walking, open wound for two hours. Satomii just let herself be ugly and it felt so painfully real. She is frantic and aggressive and looks like she hasn't brushed her hair since Miu vanished. I didn't see a single shred of poise left in her. I saw a woman being eaten alive by the fact that she was at a concert when her kid went missing and the internet will not let her forget it for a second. Watching her scroll through comments from trolls who decided she deserves this pain was devastating. I could feel every ounce of her self loathing."If I don't read them, it is like she has already been forgotten. This is the only place people are still talking about her."
I think she feels so dangerously authentic because Satomii doesn't try to make her grief look cinematic or poetic. It is just heavy and exhausted and mean. I felt the weight of her emotions in the way she breathes and the way her voice cracks when she is screaming at people who are just trying to help. She made me feel that desperation as if it was my own life falling apart. The media in this was actually nauseating for me to watch because of how they egg her on when she is at her lowest point. I can't get that scene out of my head where she actually proposes holding a birthday party for Miu and the news crew just leans into it because they know it will make for a pathetic sensational shot. I could see Yutaka absolutely hating the idea but he is so drained that he just stands there while they light the candles.
"I feel like I'm already dead. I'm just moving because I have to find her."
It broke my heart to see her so desperate to keep her daughter's face on TV that she starts performing her own grief for the cameras just to keep the search from dying out. I felt like Yutaka trying to be the stoic anchor just felt like abandonment to her and I watched their house become a pressure cooker where they just end up lashing out at each other in the dark. The brother Keigo is obviously another part that really got to me. He was the last person seen with the girl and because he is socially awkward he becomes a target. Seeing Saori turn her rage on him because she needs someone to blame and I think it shows how a tragedy like this just fractures a family until there is nothing left.
I was completely captivated by the way Satomii inhabits this specific, haunting brand of misery. I saw her standing in that yellow crossing guard vest at the end and it just gutted me. There is no magic resolution. She is just there in the street protecting other people's kids while hers is still gone. It is a quiet and miserable kind of strength. I felt like she was forcing me to sit in the wreckage with her until the very last frame.
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My reviews most always start with the story, or writing because without that, even good acting can't save a drama. Ghost started out with a bang in the first two episodes and I was excited. The plot line was thrilling and I was totally surprised by the twist we received right out of the gate. Then for a few episodes after that things settled in, became episodic and just a little uneven. Not bad, just a little meandering. Thankfully that did not last long and Ghost started revving it's engine. The clever plot, continuity and smart writing kept me watching and kept me thrilled to see what would happen all the way up until the VERY satisfying ending. Some Kdramas start strong and just can't keep the momentum. Ghost rushed out of gate, stumbled for a step or two then ran it's heart out and won. I loved that!
The acting was great all across the board. There was a great balance of suspense and some really funny moments. My favorite characters became "Mad Cow and the Cyber Crimes Team" !!! They had some really great moments and tons of chemistry together. The writers gave them each their own personalities and they bounced off each other so well. I liked Lee Yeon Hee as Gang Mi. It was so fun and refreshing to see a lady cop right in the thick of things, solving cases and running after the criminals. She wasn't placed in the damsel in distress category (maybe once?) she was the badarse lady cop! Daniel Choi's brief stint Gi Young was incredibly charming and cool. So Ji Sub did a good job. I wish he would have been more expressive, but over all, I do love him so and I was rooting for a good resolution for his character. Even the creepy baddies and lesser menacing characters really made me believe. (Special Mention to Lee Won Gun...face of an angel but really NOT! ...good job)
The music was well done. There isn't a catchy pop tune that stands out or that I take away from this humming or looking up on YouTube, but I don't think this drama is meant to have a take away OST. Every part of the score fit the mood and scenes just right and the Phantom of the Opera theme creeped me out! In a good way. Nicely done.
Again, Procedural is not really a genre I gravitate toward watching more than once. But I am giving the re-watch value a high score because I feel it deserves it for those who really love this type of genre.
Overall, I was completely entertained and satisfied watching this show. It has actually made me want to give other shows of this ilk another look. (Sign and Brain are two examples) I highly recommend this. I had a lot of fun biting my nails and sitting forward in my seat watching Ghost.
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This review may contain spoilers
A hidden gem
i don’t usually write reviews for ongoing dramas but i simply had to write one for this drama because i didn’t expect to love it as much as i do! this drama came on my netflix recommended and i thought i’d give it a shot and i’m so glad that i did.when i watched the first episode of mad for each other i will admit that it didn’t convince me. but as i continued watching i ended up falling in love with the characters and the message the drama conveys beneath its scenes and characters. this drama is about more than comedy. this drama is about healing and discovering someone to lean on after having endured hardships and painful memories. hwi oh and min kyung both have had painful experiences and their struggles are relatable; i love how the drama portrays their characters. people struggle everyday with feeling anger, experiencing anxiety and misfortune comes into life in the most unexpected forms but it still happens. the mental health representation of this drama is truly amazing, i love that it isn’t presented as a taboo subject ( ex: the leads express their problems normally to their therapist and it isn’t expressed or perceived in a negative light ) and i feel it’s a very important subject that needs to be talked about more especially in tv shows so i sincerely applaud the writers for executing and representing their characters well and talking about subjects most people tend to not speak up about.
i’m absolutely charmed by the development between hwi oh and min kyung. i love their scenes and i’ve laughed and smiled like an idiot several times by how adorable they can be. the comedy in this drama is on point ( ex: when both hwi oh and min kyung were talking to their therapist about each other and hwi oh mentioned the “pet” since min kyung’s name sounds similar to her dog’s name and the therapist got confused but in reality hwi oh meant min kyung LOL ), and the scene where hwi oh taught her to fight truly had me cracking up from how chaotic they are together, the dialogues always have me rolling; watching the leads slowly fall for each other, and, in the process, understand one another is such a beautiful thing to witness. the development has been natural and i love that hwi oh has become someone min kyung can rely on. it’s wholesome that min kyung has found friendships in the locals of the neighborhood and that she’s being supported by hwi oh as well because gosh, min kyung most certainly deserves better after all the crap that life has thrown at her. i’m rooting for min kyung and hwi oh to both have happy endings!
i’m only 8 episodes into the drama but i already know for a fact that it’s an absolute favorite and it’s a gem that i wish more people would talk about. i’m a little sad that the drama is short at only 13 episodes, 30 minutes each but, to be honest i wouldn’t have minded if the drama were 16 episodes or more. but i suppose it’s better it’s short as dramas tend to drag the longer they are. this drama is truly one of a kind, a hidden gem that deserves much more attention! i look forward to seeing how the drama ends ( … really hoping for a happy ending ), and i am so glad i watched this masterpiece. i’m impressed with the acting as well, it’s superb! a wonderful performance from oh yeon seo and jung woo, i congratulate them for their incredible work — for me it’s already a ten!
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This is practically a prequel instead of a sequel; we get to go in depth of Yan and Ming’s past as well as Sam, Wong and many other characters. So you can guess that this movie will explain the beginning and the background of our characters. As much as I hated the premise at the beginning, I came to enjoy it afterwards because of one reason only: The idea was pretty well executed!
The writers succeeded at making the past stories interesting even though we know all of their destinies. The main reason why this movie felt intriguing to watch is because of the new obstacle that the screenwriters were successful at integrating it without ruining the future story (what we already know from the first movie). The fact that the younger Yan has to spy on his half-brother as his first mission was really absorbing. And let’s not forget the gangs and the fights to take over the reins of Hong Kong’s triad.
Just like the first Infernal Affairs, this movie had absorbing action, good thriller as well as pretty cool suspense which I highly appreciated it. Just a heads up though, I believe that this movie was more violent than the first one but I still wouldn’t consider it a “Violent movie”.
The negative point that I found about this movie’s storyline is the fact that we know almost all the characters’ destiny from the first movie so no matter how hard the screenwriters tried to manipulate their fate, we would know that nothing will happen until it’s the first movie’s era. I thought that was somehow handicapping on the suspense level.
Now let’s talk about the acting, Yue Shawn and Chen Edison can’t be at the same level as Andy Lau and Tony Leung but they were surprisingly convincing. I do believe that they did a good job as the younger versions of Yan and Ming. Besides, Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang were left untouched which was relieving. As for the added actors, they were also good enough.
The characters were well-written. The younger versions of Yan and Ming were nice to follow but I must admit that the younger version of Yan was way more interesting than Ming’s no matter how much you think about it. That’s because Yan was involved with his half-brother Hau, who I believe is the best written character in this movie and the reason behind its fascinating events. Hau is such an attention-grabbing character! He’s so calm, intelligent, well-mannered and never acts without thinking twice. He’s the villain alright but I never managed to hate him; actually, I came to love the way his character was executed. So the fact that Yan was spying on him was highly cool to watch. Other than that, there were other characters that I didn’t appreciate their addition especially Mary who ruined Ming’s character for me.
Basically, if you saw the first Infernal Affairs then you should give this prequel a shot. You will be able to understand the characters’ motives and you will get to know many behind stories as well as new events that will keep you interested.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not sure?
The first few episodes were really REALLY good. And then it starts going downhill, tbh i was a bit generous in my ratings purely due to the first few eps and it comes up to a 6. I remember being super excited for this show to the point of watching it without good subs.The sci-fi aspect of the show literally made zero sense and towards the end i was so bored i wanted to get it over with.
another infuriating aspect is how we had very basic characters, i can literally describe all of them in less than 1 sentence and you would know everything there is to know about them in the show
ml and fl -> smart and solve every issue and instantly in love but they actually met as kids
the gang of three guys -> seem like bad guys but good and loyal at heart
shy girl-> jealous of fl (bestie) having a life but gets over it eventually
streamer girl -> seems like self-absorbed but has a past
bully+rich girl -> crush on ml and ofc hates fl for no apparent reason
fencer girl -> strong but has trauma
coward boy -> funny side kick who likes fencer girl
driver -> seems like a nice man but secretly the game creator ( and MAJOR spoiler : related to dad of fl)
Now something that absolutely pissed me of was how gullible the leads were, i understand all the side characters being dumb but how can the leads act that way too? They literally keep going to the HQ of a technology company and break in without knowing there are cctvs? also they sign contracts without fully reading through them and dont learn fro their mistakes after getting cheated on again and again.
The ending was honestly SOO boring idk how i got through it, especially with bad subs.I purely watched this for miles wei and saw hope in the beginning but all of it was lost unfortunately. Its almost like the writers are trying to throw us off by making the most random explainations to these sci-fi shows and they are so random that they make no sense
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This drama, man. It's so hard to put into words what made it so compelling, so original. But I can assuredly say that in my fairly limited experience with dramas (KoD is only my 59th), I have not watched another drama that has made me feel the way this drama has.
I was very much against watching this drama. After my disappointment with Prime Minister and I, I didn't really want to watch another drama with such a huge gap in the leads. Not because I care about things like that, but because I have noticed that in dramas with older men/younger girls, the romance is very light on the skinship aspect. And I'm not gonna lie, KoD didn't have nearly enough intimate moments, but somehow that made it so much better. In addition to my hesitancy over the romance aspect, for some reason I got it into my head that this drama was set in the early 1900s, when it is just the drama they are working on that is set in that time period.
I am not the type of person who talks to the screen very much, but with King of Dramas, one second I was screaming in frustration at the characters and the next throwing my hands up and cheering for every good thing that happened to our team. And that is the brilliance of this drama. It draws you in and makes you feel like you are a part of the story.
Now because I feel like I could go on and on forever about this drama, I also would probably end up spoiling a couple things in my eagerness, so I am going to break the rest of this review down into the score areas. It's the only way I can manage an attempt at brevity.
Acting/Cast: BRILLIANT. Everyone was so uniquely suited to their roles, and they all had such amazing chemistry together! It really did feel like you were growing and maturing along with the characters, Anthony especially. Every positive move he made, you couldn't help but feeling proud of him. Siwon as Kang Hyun Min was adorable, it kind of reminded me of a younger version of Dokko Jin from The Greatest Love. The character of Lee Go Eun was a little hard to relate to at first, just because she was so wide-eyed and naive. Luckily, you start to identify with her more and more as the story progresses.
Music: I am not someone who pays attention to music much, but I did love Big Baby Driver's song, it really fit the theme of the drama really well.
Rewatch: While I think this drama was amazing, I think a lot of it is un-rewatchable. While it wasn't as emotionally exhausting as a melodrama or a tear-jerker drama, it certainly ran you through the ringer emotion wise. One second, you are so anxious you think you might jump out of your skin, and the next you are smiling stupidly over an act of loyalty, and back to being anxious the next. That's the only reason that I think it would be hard to rewatch a lot of it.
Story: Just amazing. Seriously. The pacing, the romance, the bad guys. It was all just so expertly blended together. I usually would change a lot about dramas if I had the chance, but with King of Dramas, even when it wasn't perfect, I didn't want to change it. It was the imperfections that somehow helped you grow along with the drama, if that even makes any sense.
Seriously, if you haven't watched this drama (and actually made it to the end of this rambling review), watch it right now! It's definitely something all of us drama lovers should watch. You won't regret it!
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Underwhelming
Calling this drama underwhelming is an understatement. I can't express how disappointed I am with this drama..A rich female lead, a money hungry cheating husband, a psychotic mistress, a loyal brother.. Well it definitely had all the right characters and basic plot to make it a perfect drama.. But sadly it lacks a good writer. The plot had so much potential but was executed terribly. It feels like the narrative is being told to maximise tension for the viewer, rather than playing out in a naturalistic way. The more one sees the main characters, the less appealing they become. Female lead is so weak that it will infuriate you. The fact that she is a heiress and can do nothing but watch as her penniless cheating husband keeps a mistress and is trying to take over her company is so crazy. Her husband is gullible and not even that smart (except on few occasions) and this makes the fl's character even more weak. The mistress on the other hand is the most powerful character in the entire drama. She is strong, revengeful and does anything and everything to get what she wants. Now coming to the fl's brother, he is fiercely loyal to his sister but somehow his character is kind of dull and not used to it's full potential. He tries but never truly rises to the occasion. Well atleast his character does better than the fl. Throughout the drama you will keep thinking the revenge and mindgames will start now but nothing really happens which will frustrate you further. By the end of the drama it’s hard to not think that the plot resolution is a bit, well…silly and convenient. The mistress is both the villainess and the heroine towards the end. It's like she is the only one who is taking action throughout. If there are any penthouse fans I suggest you stay away from this drama(esp if you are expecting the wife to rise to the occasion and become smart like shim soo ryun).Now coming to the acting part, I think all the actors did well which was the main reason I could keep going on. In fact I think this must be Jeon somi's career best performance.. Her acting was brilliant. OST of the drama was good.. Watch this drama limiting your expectations then you might enjoy it.
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Witty, enthusiastic … Great Job!
This show is so entertaining, I have seen my handful of comedies but this one does the best with balancing its themes. It has crime and mystery in it, but isn’t keeping a dark tone and is overall lighthearted and a really fun watch.The comedy in this show is what sells it for me. It’s a more of a show don’t tell. I love the character dynamics as they all are great together. Lots of credit goes to the main trio and especially the leads. They clearly have the chemistry and I can tell they are comfortable with each other from being in different projects before. It’s amazing to me how they came together from a completely different drama, but take their new characters and add the charisma and charm and do it so well.
At first I was confused about Sun Woo being a chairman and a detective, but I found myself really loving the double identity there. With each persona he has his true personality seeps through, quick tempered and peculiar about things, but he isn’t a total jerk. He is very likeable as arrogant as he is because you know he was orphaned and had big shoes to fill. Se Ra is also very well done, she is her own woman with lots of passion. I like how they both have secrets and find them out very soon in the show. I can’t wait to see them get together and am already seeing so many sparks amidst the absurdity they go through together.
Overall this show is doing the comedy well and the mystery.. the two things it’s going for are understandable and it’s more than enjoyable to watch. Impressed by the acting by Kwon Yuri, SNSD girls are multitalented and so much fun. Jung Il Woo is very charming with this character and after watching Cinderella and the Four Knights I am happy to see him in a role that lets him be badass and fun, but also much more matured with this drama. So far a solid 9/10 hoping it doesn’t run itself dry (I don’t think it will)
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This review may contain spoilers
That’s my first review , I hope you find it helpful. I tried my best.The drama is so good .
Kim Joo Hyuk‘s character (kim beak jin ) was an anchor who only tells the truth and because of that they changed his position form nine news to midnight news . Argon team is the most heated team in the news station . They asked for some new staff so they brought them Chun Woo Hee’s character(lee yeon hwa). She only had three months left for her contract to end and she wasn’t qualified .The team was so upset and gave her a hard time at first. Her dream was to write her first report.
The first episode was how to make Pinocchio drama in one episode :D .
A Building was collapsed so to covered it up they made another news about a worker run away from the scene . The other news channel and 9 news in the same channel left the collapsed building news and only focused on the running away man.
Arogan team didn’t do that . They continue the investigation and found out the truth . The truth was related to some politicians and businessmen so the news station tried to make the team stop . Lee yeon hwa found out a new lead and told kim beak jin . He gave her first assignment to find out more info and keep it for the others . She started to become more confident and working so hard to make her dream true. (That’s the main topic). There are other news and you will find out more about the characters in each episode . The drama is so interesting . I love The teamwork here . I wanted more episodes . :((
This drama makes me sad thinking about kim Joo Hyuk . It was his last drama :( . He made his best till the end . RIP :(
I hope you found my review helpful cause it’s been a while since I saw it .
If you have any problems with this review tell me .
I hope you have a nice time watching it .
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Flop
First I gotta say after watching the first season I had no idea what they could do in a S2 to redeem anything and I didn't get much of an answer from the MC here. I LOVED all the side couples (can't pick a fav honestly) but Bank and Golf had me in a constant state of "ugh" when they crossed my screen. I don't see much chemistry between them and if that's not enough the whole "dying" plot doesn't do much for me. I legit would've smacked EVERYONE involved. Family, friend, dog etc. Would've caught my wrath for such a stunt. As that's just my personality, I can't say everyone would think like me. Anyway, I won't be recommending and I won't be rewatching. I love Fluke as an actor and some of the cast were familiar faces but I can't let this slide with a positive review....Was this review helpful to you?
A heartwarming story about family, love and community.
Welcome to Ongsan, a downtrodden, middle-of-nowhere town that's famous for it's marinated crabs. No city lights, high skylines and freakily advanced technology. Life is simple here, everyone knows everybody. This all changes when a single mother from the city suddenly moves in and opens a bar.If you picked up Camellia in hopes of catching a cute romance, you're going to be disappointed. Or if you saw the thriller tag and thought this would satiate your mystery cravings, I would suggest watching something else. Because what Camellia primarily is, is not a romance or a mystery, it is about family.
This is a drama that attempts to tackle big, scary questions, and in the beginning, I too doubted its capability to successfully pull it off. But as I kept watching, I realised my worries were for naught, because this drama doesn't just obnoxiously plunge in and propagate its one-size-fits-all answer, it takes its time (20 entire hours!) and leaves us not with answers, but with faith. Faith in our humanity and confidence in our ability to be kind to each other. This is a story of grieving, sacrificing, healing, but most importantly, of love.
“Miracles don’t exist. It’s just the little heroes inside us working together. It’s small acts of kindness done by kind people.”
The love between two people, love for your child, love for your parents, love for your friends, love for your neighbours and love for yourself, all are explored in great depth to the point where even mundane moments in this drama fill you up with warmth.
Dongbaek amazed me until the end. I don't think I've ever seen a female lead so obliterating, so stunning. To go through incredible hardship and still remain kind and self-less, she easily takes the trophy for best FL of the year. Her vulnerability as a character is what made her strong, but even she wasn't without fault, which is where Yong Sik comes in. He gently builds up whatever Dongbaek was lacking, all the time smiling with that cute smile of his (I know y'all are whipped for Kang Ha Neul too, don't deny it). He made her believe in herself, trust in her strength and taught her to look for sunshine even in the rain. Gahhh I love him mom I want a Yong Sik toooooo
Speaking of moms, the way this drama depicted mothers and maternal love is so accurate and complex. A lot of our main characters are mothers, and the drama took full advantage of that fact to deeply explore themes of sacrifice, selfishness and protectiveness when it comes to parents and their kids.
That being the case, Camellia also remains one of the best mysteries I watched till date. The writer made sure to tie all loose ends, and the twists that came as the plot progressed were truly ingenious. A lot of dramas try to balance these contrasting genres of rom-com and crime, but not many do well. However, I'm proud to say that the transitions between romance and comedy and thriller were executed very well without any awkwardness. The sentimental scenes between Dongbaek and her mom were as touching as the scenes with the Tsundere Neighbourhood Ahjummas^TM.
So even if you thought this was going to be a cute rom-com (it still is!) and it hasn't exactly matched your expectations, all I can say is- keep going, because what you will find on the other side is a gem of a drama worth treasuring for a lifetime.
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