Not Everyone's Favorite Star (but I loved it, so~)
Story: 8.5/10This is another "I liked him first, but he fell harder and just happens to be dumber" situation, which can make it seem a bit predictable, but I think it's still cute~ The first few episodes start out SO STRONG. I loved the way Daonuea and his friends interacted, and the way his sibling relationship was shown; it was so heartwarming and wholesome and just overall accurate. The way they support Dao while also knowing he was full of shit when he said he was over his crush was best-friend-level-tier, you know? The conflict was a bit... much. This story, like many of BLs, suffers from a lack of communication. Well, I should say PROPER communication, as Kluen is more of a doer than a sayer, which pretty much sums up all of their problems. His actions speak louder and way better than his words, but that's not always enough, especially when the other party was explicit and you kinda-not-really-but-technically-did turn them down. If that sounded confusing to you, then that's because it really is a bit confusing. One of the side characters says that Kluen is "book smart but a dumbass," and she's right. These characters are a bit too complex to try to fit into 8 episodes, but I think Dunk (Daonuea) and Joong (Kluen) did great with what they had, which is why I, despite hating the miscommunication, still enjoyed the show~
Acting/Casting: 10/10
We got all of my new favorite actors, even the side characters are some of my favs, so I'm a bit biased here, but I think they did great with what they had. Everyone felt so necessary, even Noel, whom I thought was just an extra to show that Kluen had a friend aside from Gia, ended up being an important player in an interesting way~
Music: 9/10
The OST is good, and there's nothing wrong with the background music or anything; I generally just tend to rate music based on how many songs I absolutely NEED to get on my playlist, and, with all of these great shows coming out with their soundtracks being ON-POINT, I'm spoiled. I felt generous since everyone keeps talking shit on this show, though, so I gave it a higher rating than I probably would have.
Rewatch Value: 10/10
Despite it's flaws and the annoying miscommunication, I still really enjoyed this show. Like I said, the first few episodes were so good and sweet that I had to go to the dentist and get some teeth pulled from the cavities lmao KluenNuea's moments were fluffy and hit just the right spot that I just.. Ugh. So good. I'm actually writing this review after watching 5 times to help boost the rating since DramaList tends to be super harsh on shows for some reason~ (Everyone wishes they were a Critic Writer, I suppose 🤷‍♀️)
Overall: 9.5/10
People on DramaList really do think they're connoisseurs with shows sometimes, especially when others really like specific actors. I'm not entirely sure why, but if the rating of the show is the only thing making you hesitate to watch this, then I recommend going for it anyway. It's not everyone's cup of tea, of course, but it's also only 8 episodes, so it's a short, cute watch when you need some BL or JoongDunk in your life -- it doesn't have to be serious or something you binge, though I absolutely did binge it several times with no shame~ The production was great, the OST was good, the acting was on-point, and I just love how everyone interacts with each other in this drama, from the romance to the friendships; it's all so fluffy and sweet~
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This review may contain spoilers
A show that quietly sneaks up on you then catches you in its grasp
Hot Spot has a charm all of its own. This is a show that quietly sneaks up on you and then catches you in its grasp. From the opening moments of working in the hotel, the rescue of the Ki by the resident alien, through to saving the hotel, this story explores the true meaning of friendship.There is a lot of talking in this show. Some would say it’s nonsensical chat. However, it has a charm all of its own and is the glue that holds Hot Spot together. This includes amongst the hotel staff at the Lake Hotel, the group of growing friends as they eat out on a regular basis to enjoying drinks at a friends bar.
Takahashi as the half alien is the show’s focus and the FL is the narrator and number one friend. The running gag is him bending a ten yen coin and everyone finding out he is an alien along the way. There is a cost to him using his powers that always results in him recuperating in the hot springs at the hotel. Each time the friends need his help, he starts out unwilling to help but in the end he always does.
A key production feature of this show is that there is no glitz or glamour. It’s like being in a town as you would expect to find that is almost like a sleepy hollow. Underlying it all are themes regarding friendship, acceptance, the challenges of tourism, environmentalism with a tiny touch of corruption thrown in.
I enjoyed the window into this part of Japan with a slice of pared back goofiness along with some very good acting with perfect timing.
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Short show with mind-reading twist that will make you laugh
This is not the usual low-budget short show. The storyline about a writer who gets sucked into her own novel/book is not exactly new but the twist of her husband in the book - whom she is supposed to act against in all her missions - is able to hear her thoughts, is quite unique - and very funny and interesting to watch. I think it’s probably one of the 3 best shows (of this kind) I’ve seen so far. 10 minutes is actually perfect. Not too fast and not too slow.Character wise: FLs father (in the book) is so cute and sweet. Her parents were a pleasant surprise. Other than that we have this clever and cunning FL who is matched perfectly with a ML that’s equally clever. However he would have been in so much trouble if he didn’t get the ability to hear FLs thoughts - how lucky, LOL.
Acting wise this is top notch. I saw ML in “The Killer is also Romantic” and he is brilliant in this kind of role. He gives me a Cheng Yi vibe, in a funny version that is (lets face it, Cheng Yi’s roles are often very serious).
Since it ends on a cliffhanger I’m definitely going to keep my eye out for season 2.
If you love a funny and interesting short show - with lots of twists and turns - this is a “Must Watch”
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This review may contain spoilers
First of all, why did they choose to call the drama "Apple in Your Eye"? I find that ridiculous because the Chinese title translated to English is "Little Sister". I don't understand why they made the change, since the themes of the drama would still work well with "Little Sister".I actually liked the plot. I haven't watch too much Taiwanese dramas because most of the plots have become too similar. They seem to enjoy the corny plots the most, as I keep seeing them. The main girl was kinda whiny throughout the whole drama, but I did enjoy it, despite its many corny moments.
I disliked the ending due to some spoilery plot reasons I cannot mention in this review. It affected my feelings toward the drama as a whole, but overall, this drama was one of the better Taiwanese ones.
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Dark, fluffy, funny...
This is the story of what happens when a lot of broken people come together and the craziness that heals them... As this story is packed with dark and mean humour, some intrigues and about 99 levels of revenge... Teaching us that we are basically all broken people trying to find someone to direct our anger att... And h*** sometimes that anger just might lead to love... Crazy, fun, painful, love...While the female lead does give Stockholm syndrome a face, she is also fun, cool, crawl, independent and not as pathetic as one may think even at her lowest. She is true to herself throat the story making her lovable at alll times.
The male lead is everything from cool, cold, crewl,,, to a soft teddy bear in need of some love...
Combining the two may bring about 989899 cliches but they are highly entertaining,
The side characters do their jobs well, some are fun and lovable, others slightly annoying but not over the top annoying.
there are some side plots that feel unnecessary and are there to try to divert our attention in the mystery plot but they ar kind of meeh... so is the main mystery in this... very meeh and only there probably to show the why the male lead is the way he is and make us forgive all his wrongdoings, but chances are it will not keep you on your toes,
The dad in this drama is such a sweetheart, one of the sweetest dads in all of dramaland....
The acting is good, bingabilaty high, the visuals are lovely... so overall a pretty decent rom com that had me laughing a lot (the first 5 episodes). It also catered to my fluff needs and did not aggravate me too much. this drama may not be a masterpiece and does not bring much new but it is definitely my type of rom-com.
Oh and the amount of screenshot and gif opportunities in this are endless...
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There are so many good elements to the movie which is why I'm confused how it all came together so...poorly ?? It tackles, gentrification, corruption, money laundering, greed, ambition, and lust which generally are all themes and plot points that I enjoy but every time I felt the story was actually going somewhere or making some sort of point, it never pulled through and just flopped. However, there were some dialogues that were....really good? But always felt out of place honestly. Like the film was making points but when those important commentaries on society were being made, it always felt random and like those scenes never really flowed into the story progression naturally.
As for the explicit scenes, I admittedly love the way Korean actors deliver sex scenes because they are always so raw and sensual and I think the first one definitely was, but the second sex scene left me feeling skeezy after watching it, something that rarely happens. I get that was probably the point of it, but I think it was really the camerawork of that scene that really took it over the top. After that, the third sex scene, especially the context of it, felt really cheap once again and honestly made me uncomfortable which is disappointing because I love a good sex scene.
Speaking of the camerawork, I feel like there was no set style to the movie? There were attempts to be artsy but they were mostly randomly placed and just....not well done. Kind of cheap feeling.
Overall, I would not recommend this movie, wouldn't say there's much to get from it. Only reason I give it a 5 and not a 3 or 4 is because the social commentaries were good and are important, especially in today's world, but I wish the overall story and direction was better.
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The plot itself isn't groundbreaking but the execution sealed the deal for me. It's more about the journey of a girl going all in after she's given a second chance in life rather than a romance, something I really came to appreciate by the end of the show.
On the music side, one pet peeve I have is that Chinese dramas tend to have cringy and exaggerated music for sad scenes which is extremely off-putting, so I'm glad to see this drama forego that for some amazing OST that actually made me tear up. But I cry a lot during dramas so maybe it's not that amazing lol
Most of the actors were rookies when they made this show and they were pretty solid. I have no complaints because I was immersed the whole time. Well, maybe one complaint — the show wasn't long enough for them to really show off their skills. Season 2, please!
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BTOB: I've always liked BTOB since I became a Kpop fan, just never really paid much attention to them like some of the other groups in the show. But BTOB has to have some of the best if not the best vocals in Kpop and Kingdom really showed their vocals in the best way
SF9: Before KINGDOM I never really knew anything about sf9 and the probably only knew 3 members but now I know all the members and want to watch sf9 content and get into the group more. Performance wise I didn't really what they were capable of but they are really great performers and not just idol-actors, they really excel in rap, vocals and dance
IKON: I hate to say it because I love Ikon, they were one of the groups I got into when I first got into Kpop but their performances didn't really do anything for me except the last performances was great
STRAY KIDS: I had high expectations from them just from seeing past performances and for the most part they exceeded those expectations, were all their performances my favorite not at all but as a whole they were great (REALLY WISH THEY WOULD'VE HAD HYUNJIN THE WHOLE TIME)
THE BOYZ: I first got introduced to THE BOYZ on Road to Kingdom and have liked them ever since. I know they got a lot mixed results from their performances but I really enjoyed all their performances
ATEEZ: I hate to be that fan but I think I was rather bias towards ATEEZ because I've been a fan of theirs since debut. I really love what they brought to kingdom and they gave it their 100% even when they may not have got all the results they wanted. For me personally and if it was decision ATEEZ would have won (MISS YOU MINGI!!!)
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i finished this months ago but i have to say this
after seeing this series be hyped up like crazy on my tiktok fyp, i finally decided to watch it, and now i wish i didnt. i keep rewatching it like crazy. i have formed some sort of attachment to the characters idk how to deal with. i Never rewatch anything after in done with it bc i just dont have the patience for it. however i could watch this series 5 times back to back and i would still enjoy it like its my first time.theres nothing showstopping about the plot, its a pretty common thai bl plot, idk what sets it apart from other bls but its just. Different.
i just had to write this review and get these words off of my chest because ive been thinking of writing this review since the morning, where i decided to rewatch it for the 6th time.
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Could have been better if fleshed out
The editor literally put evythg at 1.5x speedThere are a lot of dramas with thin plots that are 25 to 40mins long, and 24episodes or more. Then heres one with a plot and two leads with gd visuals but on a 2-3min length for 34episodes. Do the math.
You hav a FL with a mom who has been duped and a horrible stepfather. But she doesnt cowers. Intelligent and courageous. Plus shes really pretty and cute and suited her role vy much. The ML lost quite a bit of weight aft recently watchin him in another drama. He has the chiseled good looks and suited the role with the cold aura. But surprise he can charm your socks off and becomes a natural flirt where the FL is concern. I thk you can count him on those that really put aside face to pursue what he wants.
Like i said someone came down with the decision for the length of this drama and hence some scenes are very choppy and skipped ahead a lil too much. It affected the continuity of it.
For what is worth it was enjoyable for a really quick watch.
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Slow dance is really about a group of adults who are trying to find what they want in their love lives and in life in general. While they can't figure it out for themselves they ask their even more clueless friends, thus creating misunderstandings. I liked the acting all the lead characters were good; however some incidental characters weren't the best actors. I liked how the actors portrayed the confusion and pain of their characters in subtle ways. The script writer was clever and showed the character development/ character realizations clearly. The story was well planned and uncommon; however if you like "love shuffle" you would like this one. Although the progression seems to be slow there aren't many dull moments, I never fast forwarded out of boredom, only because I felt embarrassed for them.
The drama doesn't suck you in and make you want more, but you are totally interested and invested through each episode. Even though Isaki, the female lead can get annoying, I really enjoyed watching this drama .Of course the people I put together initially didn't get together but I still felt the ending was a happy and perfect one.
P.s. there are some really squeal-worthy confessions and proposals
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While You Are Still on the Earth, Watch a Chicken Nugget Gone Interstellar
The decision to release this drama on Friday is smart because, with only 10 episodes 32 minutes each (5 hours and 20 minutes total), you have a unique and unpredictable comedy fantasy to binge on weekends, or anytime when you just want to unwind without having to involve your brain and emotion but just laughing. The mystery and fantasy plot in this short drama is just bizarre and imaginative with a sci-fi touch.Other than that, the comedic acting is just top-notch, specifically by the two leading actors Ryu Seung Ryong (as the dad and the owner of the company) and Ahn Jae Hong (his subordinate). I thought Ryu Seung Ryong mostly acted in serious dramas/movies, while Ahn Jae Hong more in dark comedies. I couldn't imagine they're so matched as clown duos and be serious during the filming. Unfortunately, Kim You Jung is more a supporting role, because most of the time her character is the chicken nugget, lol!
Speaking about the chicken nugget, this is when the title it's gone interstellar is. I won't spoil you, but the sci-fi part is just hilarious. We got to see aliens, as long as they're not banned coming into the earth IRL, lol. There are also social messages delivered in light ways.
Because it's comedy, the visuals are also not to be taken seriously: bad wigs, eccentric costumes, etc.
Just watch it. Don't worry about the rating. Because this is not a cookie-cutter drama, for some people that are so used to cliches and tropes, this drama seems ridiculous.
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Story: It was really nice to see SM show the singers their debut videos and to see their reactions to it. They are so humble even though they got famous. I loved every bit of this movie.
Acting/cast- Considering the idols played themselves, it was really good. In the beginning they introduced each idol by showing the idols saying how they felt about their stage name and compare how they actually are in real life. It really touched my heart when they showed Victoria from f(x) trying to learn Korean.
Music-They played the live versions of the songs they preformed in Madison Square Garden. I found myself dancing throughout the whole movie... ESPECIALLY when they played sorry sorry :P
Rewatch value- I would DEFINITELY rewatch it :) It was really good.
Overall-If you are a kpop fan, this is a MUST WATCH movie. :)
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The movie was seen by over 4.5 million viewers which resulted in a profit of nearly 35 billion won (~$33 million). In addition to an excellent scenario, the advantage of the movie is brilliant music composed by Jo Yeong-Wook, and is complemented by an excellent cast. In the main roles we see Lee Jung-Jae, Choi Min-Sik and Hwang Jung-Min, next to them are perfectly selected supporting actors (for example Park Sung-Woong, Song Ji-Hyo, Choi Il-Hwa and Kim Byung-Ok).
Lee Ja-Sung (Lee Jung-Jae) is a police officer who for 8 years works undercover as a gangster in Goldmoon group, the largest mafia syndicate in Korea. Over the years, he was promoted to the position of the right hand of Chung Jung (Hwang Jung-Min), who, in turn, is the number 3 in Goldmoon. After the sudden death of chairman Seok Dong-Chool (Lee Kyoung-Young), power struggle starts in the group. The main candidates are Jung Chung and number 4, Lee Joong-Goo (Park Sung-Woong), while Jang Sook-Ki (Choi Il-Hwa) who is number two, despite his high position, is excluded from combat, because he lacks the strength (his position is only symbolic). The police is trying to use all this confusion to subjugate the entire Goldmoon group. Lee Ja-Sungs handler, Captain Kang Hyung-Chul (Choi Min-Sik), decides to keep him longer as undercover cop, in order to be able to significantly influence the outcome of the power struggle. But Lee, after 8 years of service, with a baby on the way is not willing to cooperate, and tries by all means to withdraw from the entire project.
At first glance, this is a new incarnation of the working undercover cop with wobbling loyalty and sense of justice theme, known from Infernal Affairs (2002), but in fact the movie of Park Hoon-Jung has more in common with the saga The Godfather (1972). All of the focus is put rather on the structure of the organizations (the police and the mafia) and the struggle for power, rather than personal dilemmas of heroes. The director said that the movie is about "Gangsters playing politics" and this is probably the best way to describe this movie. The vast majority of gangster movie from Korea, has a lot of melodrama in it, because the viewer is encouraged to identify with the hero who becomes a victim of circumstances beyond his control. Park admittedly not escaped completely from this manner, because viewer is still encouraged to feel sympathy for Lee Ja-Sung, who loses control of his life and is at the mercy of the police and the mafia. But still the director focuses on this aspect, to a lesser extent than most of his colleagues, and instead, bearing the signs of genius, shows the structure and the mechanisms that controls the various factions.
In the first half of the movie, Park serves us a strong start and then begin to introduce the main characters, then he uses the long scenes filled with dialogue, to prepares the viewer for full-voltage second half. After a fairly predictable start and preparing the ground, Park starts to show his genius. All of the pieces, shown to us at the beginning, begin to combine into a single, perfectly thrilling, whole. We may not care much about the fate of characters, but it does not prevent us from waiting in suspense to see how the story will develop.
It is a movie with virtually no defects, which, despite the lack of originality, does not bore the viewer. This is no mean feat and I expect more creations at a similar level in the future from the Park Hoon-Jung. I have to admit that I hope for a sequel, which will allow the director to show a little more originality and passion. This is not an unfounded hope, because the original script contained a lot more than could fit in the movie, so we can in the next few years, expect the New World 2. Who knows, maybe this is a beginning of gangster saga which one day will be comparable with the The Godfather saga?
I can confidently recommend New World to any fan of good gangster cinema in noir style, but also to anyone who can appreciate a solid job inspired by other the great works. Although it have duration of more than two hours, the movie is not boring and always keeps you in suspense. It is in my eyes the beginning of a new era in Korean cinema.
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