For those that prefer comedy to destress this may not be great but whenever the Dreams achieve a goal you feel like you have achieved one too. The greatest underdog story in a while.
Please give it a try Nam Goong Min never disappoints and this screenwriter is a gem (one to keep for the ages)! Lots of Love (just finished watching on V-Day).
DramamaRamama 35/35 on the MC scale.
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Wild and passionate
As a fan of Han Ji Hyun's character in this drama, I must say I was thrilled to see her return—even if it was within the world of her own smut novel.
These two short episodes offer a wild, fast-paced ride that cleverly connects the story of this spin-off to the main drama without altering its core plot. Instead, it simply enhances your enjoyment, providing additional layers to the narrative.
Plot: The female lead, a novelist, falls unconscious and, in her dream, finds herself trapped inside the world of her novel, living out the very scenarios she had written for her protagonist.
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A very soft teenage story about two boys about to graduate
STRONGBERRY is once again back with the good, good queer short films and I, for one, love to see it. This time, we meet two very sweet best friends in the moments just before graduation with all of the things left unsaid that they really want to say before they have to take their first steps in the adult world. The story is simple, perfect for the format and it did not feel like something was missing. It takes very universal topics and conversations (what will happen after we graduate, wanting to tell your best friend you love him and being afraid to say it) and uses its time very well to explore them. It felt very real and very earnest. Haven't we all wanted to say something, especially when it comes to love, and always thought "oh I have time", until you arrive at the fork in the road and you have to decide what to do because it is the last moment to say what you have to say to the other person before you each take your own path? This is a good exploration of just this and I would take a longer show of this, but I am also very appreciative of people who know how to pick the best format for stories and the best stories for the format. This short film made me say "aww, sweeties" aloud and also made me smile my biggest smile because cuties! Bless teenagers!The actors did a really good job in portraying those two teenagers, they were very believable, and honestly gave me flashbacks.
The production, as for all of Strongberry's short films, is very strong with some nice shots, sound, and music. It really is a pleasure to watch.
If you are looking for the next video to watch during your break, I can only recommend that you watch Strongberry's Pride gift for this year, and check out the very soft and very good "Hold me". It delivers on its premise and promise and gives exactly what I want from a short film.
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I watched it... but...
So this was a funny one. I was totally hooked at the beginning but then it got confusing and the end I just did not understand at all. I also felt that in the middle it was very slow (i fell asleep during Episode 5 or 6 and then the end... well... it kind of left me hanging.The acting was phenominal from all of them, soundtrack I cannot remember so I guess it was not good but also not bad otherwise I could remember it either positiv or negativ.
The shocker really were the sex szenes which were quite explicit (never seen so much nakedness in a Korean movie or series!) and it really made me laugh a bit because the drama EVE on VIKI had an 18 rating (there was hardly anything there!) and this one was rated 16 on Netflix (on Netflix Germany). I dont really mind it if its important for the story and I guess here it was to explain the relationship but it kind of made me question the whole rating thing again.
All in all - wouldnt watch it again and well, it had its moments but not many.
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Great series This series is under rated on MDL.
In my mind this is a short/mini-series. For sure this could have gone 45-50 minutes per episode with plenty of great scenes. But a lass, there are a few spaces between the smiling pearly white teeth of this series. The good stuff first, the basic story line was just awesome. Literary book writers intrigue and drama. The cast was also very strong. For sure Joog Woo carries and sold the series. His smile and electric personality lite up the screen in many scenes. I think Leo was and Karam did a great job, but I think the script and/or directing keep them from shining. For sure Ji Yeong was very strong and very convincing. Im also deserves some credit for being a likeable side kick who bails. So, the elephant in the room is what the hell did "writer Cha do to start this entire series? That would have been nice. The ending was a bit too quick and could have developed more and created more tension and a release to the happy (3 some) ending. (???) The other complaint was the lack of passion in the kissing scenes. (DFK) Ha Jong Woo did elevate this series significantly. For sure, this is under rated being under 8. Please that is unbeleivable. It is at least a 9 I gave it a 9.5.Was this review helpful to you?
A Very Poetic Drama
If anyone asks me which drama is the most visually beautiful, poetic drama I've ever seen, it would be Her Private Life. The camera angles in this series are just simply brilliant. I came for Kim Jae Wook and he did not disappoint. The storyline itself is also very warm and touching and cute at the same time. The chemistry between the leads are off the chart and is simply one of the best three chemistries I've ever seen (besides Crash Landing On You and My Roomate is a Gumiho). After watching, many beautiful and meaningful scenes have stayed with me and simply make this drama one of the most favorites of mine. I highly recommend this drama to everyone!Was this review helpful to you?
Pure entertainment at first, followed by exhaustion and frustration (not in a good way)
Let me first say: this is merely my opinion, judging by other reviews there are surely many people who enjoyed watching this one, I didn’t.Also: I have not seen the original nor any other version of this Drama, I may later so I can judge whether or not my problems with this Drama are only with this version or the story in itself.
Let’s talk about the actors/acting first.
I am a huge fan of the main couple/ their actors. I loved their chemistry in the eternal love, and for the first half I also loved it here, later on due to the drastic change in one of the characters character I kind of didn’t feel it as much anymore.
Their acting may have been a little over the top in some scenes, but for me that fit the Drama (that was a little over the top in itself) quite nicely. All in all the actors chosen fit their characters nicely. My only problem would be how the Mom of the female lead was acted. To me her expressions sometimes didn’t really fit how her character was described.
I’ll use this spot to give a big shout out to the actors/character of the best friends of the main leads. They were my ray of light throughout this series, and never failed to make me enjoy the scenes they were in. And sadly towards the end were my only source of some fun in between all the drama.
Now let’s talk about the plot. This started out as one of the most amusing Dramas I have ever watched. Everything was so extremely weird, unusual and unrealistic, filmed in such a fun way, I was literally on the floor with laughter for the first few episodes. I thought this would be a Drama were you could have a lot of fun if you didn’t use your brain, or it’s function to reason all that much. However, somewhere around the middle those weird scenes that made me laugh more and more turned into weird scenes that were just weird, stupid and frustrating. One misunderstanding started piling on to the next, until it got to a point were I didn’t even care anymore if those misunderstandings got solved. I really just wanted it to end.
To me there is good Drama and there is bad Drama. Good Drama is the kind that has got you on your tiptoes anticipating what will happen next, good Drama is understandable Drama, misunderstandings that can’t really be avoided, good drama may also be frustrating at times, but it also throws you some treats of happiness or hope every once in a while. Some misunderstandings need to be cleared up before piling on more problems. Other wise I for one start to lose interest.
Bad Drama is Drama/misunderstandings that you see coming from miles away, that is not based on any real reason and more the inability to communicate about the simplest things.
In this Drama misunderstandings just kept coming, really for the stupidest things, drifting the main characters further and further apart, basically for no reason at all, except for their inability to communicate. If a misunderstanding could be easily solved by having one simple conversation, then that is not a good source of Drama.
This might have been bearable if it was just a few episodes of this kind of Drama, sadly it just kept on going for the entire Drama, only solved in the last 10 minutes.
Another point is the weird character transformation of the female lead. To me it would have been nice to see some kind of slow transformation in her character but she basically just made a jump and became a completely different person, and sure the story kind of explains why, however to me the jump was just too big, no matter how much a person changes you would still be able to detect some traces of their original character, to me she just seemed like a completely different person... this may also be the reason I didn’t feel the main couples chemistry that much anymore.
Also for the male lead, his character was kind of inconsistent? He was described as a cold character with a good heart, but honestly he just seemed like a good hearted, bubbly character most of the time, and “cold scenes” really felt out of character to me.
There’s so much more I could complain about, but I’ll end it here for now. It’s just extremely disappointing to see a Drama that started out so well, losing everything that made me like it in the first place and turning into something completely different.
This might have been alright if it was a little shorter, since the story itself to me had some really interesting aspects... however how everything was executed, the sources of problems, the way the characters handled those problems, just felt too random and honestly exhausting to watch.
I did however really really like the OST.
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A Love Story That Finally Feels Right....
Yumi’s Cells Season 3 continues Yumi’s journey as she grows both personally and professionally, all while navigating a new chapter of love. As her world expands, her ever-chaotic (and lovable) cells are back to guide her through emotions, decisions, and the ups and downs of a relationship that slowly blossoms into something meaningful and real.I was absolutely in love with this season. It felt like everything Yumi had been building toward emotionally finally came together in a way that was satisfying, warm, and genuinely comforting to watch.
If anything, the only downside is that it was just 8 episodes...it honestly could have easily been 12. Once the romance really got going, I wasn’t ready to let go, especially because the chemistry between the leads was so natural and easy that you just wanted more time with them.
Story — 9/10
This season feels more focused and emotionally mature, tying together Yumi’s growth in a really satisfying way. It doesn’t rely on unnecessary drama, instead choosing to highlight the beauty of steady, evolving love.
Acting — 9/10
Kim Go Eun continues to absolutely own this role, bringing so much nuance and relatability to Yumi. The male lead complements her perfectly, and together they create a dynamic that feels effortless and believable.
Romance — 9.5/10
The romance in this season just hits differently. The chemistry between the leads is so natural, and they truly feel like a couple that fits, once it gets going, it’s soft, genuine, and incredibly easy to root for.
OST — 8.5/10
The OST blends beautifully with the tone of the series, enhancing both the emotional and lighthearted moments. It may not be the most standout soundtrack, but it perfectly supports the storytelling.
Overall Vibe — 9.5/10
This season has such a warm, comforting, and emotionally satisfying vibe. It feels like watching someone finally get the love they deserve, and it leaves you with that soft, happy feeling that lingers after the final episode.
Yumi’s Cells Season 3 feels like a reward for sticking with Yumi’s journey. With beautiful chemistry, a grounded love story, and emotional payoff that truly lands, this season is easily one of the most satisfying and honestly, I just wish we had more episodes to live in that happiness a little longer.
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Deng Kai are you being forced to act against your will. If you need help, wear a yellow shirt.
Hello once again, sexy.I think many of you would agree, that a spiceless Deng Kai drama is a travesty of justice. Maybe some of you are not here for Deng Kai, you are here to watch something whimsical and cute. If so, then I love that for you, and maybe you should watch this.
But I am not here to watch something whimsical and cute. No. I am here because I watched Qi Min *literally chain his woman to himself*, and it fried my motherboard. I used to have a functioning brain. But not anymore. Maybe you think people with this level of brain damage should not be reviewing shows. Yet here we are.
I am not alone. Millions of us have Deng Kai brain damage. And if you also suffer from the same debilitating condition that I suffer from, then this review is for you.
Maybe you don't think it's reasonable to harbor deep-seated resentment and bitterness at a producer who, when blessed by the heavens for actually managing to book Deng Kai as the ML for your show, then proceeds to squander his talent and sexiness with goofy sound effects and poorly executed kiss scenes. But I do. And as such, I shall now channel that bitterness into mercilessly ripping apart this drama. Because this is NOT how you treat a gorgeous Deng Kai. It was blatant Deng Kai abuse. And I must vent my anger.
So once again, we have a bad stylist who covered him in BB cream and face powder, and smeared purple eyeshadow under his eyes and gave him a dark berry shade of lip color. Don't get me wrong, I like the vampy vibes it gives. But come ON, stylist. Dear stylist. Are you really that disrespectful, that you made up one of the hottest stars in China without even looking at his other shows. ***Too much powder ages Deng Kai by 10 years on the screen!!!*** I thought we all knew this by now. You have to go LIGHT on his powder. His skin is flawless and delicate, and he works long hours. He needs to be hydrated and his skin's oil balance needs to be RESPECTED. And yet you caked him in powder, that's a desiccant! Why don't you just wrap him in parcel paper and sand between episodes while you're at it! At this point I don't understand why overpowdering Deng Kai is not an arrestable offense.
The kissing. Is just not there. Now on this one, I give it somewhat of a pass. Because it's nice to think that Deng Kai isn't some cheap thrill like Jesse Ren, or some playa like Yan Zi Xian, and he can't summon that fire energy for just any FL he happens to be in front of. So let's just say this FL is no Snow Kong, and leave it at that. But it was also a fail on the part of the producers who apparently were dead set on making this one of those "clown-honking, rubber ducky squeaking, cartoon sound effect" dramas. JUST WHY. And don't even get me started on the dubbing. Everyone on the sound team should have been pre-fired before the show even started filming. Is that on the sound team for being inept? NO, that's on the producer for not stopping it from happening.
The script. Are we REALLY turning this in the last episodes into Confession Followed By Random Fireworks, and Running Barefoot On The Beach Holding Hands And Laughing. Really. Oh, and you want kisses in the back half of the drama? Aaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, that's a good one. Yeah no that's not happening. No, they just gonna continue to shove bad plot down your throat like dry toast with no butter.
Short-length supporting cast is short-length supporting cast. No surprises here. Nothing but mid as far as the eye can see. Great job, casting director, you've really outdone yourself.
But honestly... props to the evil father's mistress who still showed up to the set every day despite that nasty case of conjunctivitis.
And that's all I have to say about THAT.
6.5/10
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Story was about self growth of the ML, his past love, and people around him.
The loveline wasn't necessarily the focus but it makes a big impact.
Like the other review said, one minute it can be so funny and the next minute so heartwarming.
Watching this feels like watching everyone grow in front of my eyes, their imperfections was relatable. The mental health part doesn't have a good closure which is realistic. Because even in real life not many people put care and actually look for treatment.
Everyone did great with their roles. But I'm really impressed with Guan Xiaotong, her portrayal of Peng Jia He was amazing.
I wish they did better with ML's look in the flashbacks scenes, instead making him look young they ended up making him look older.
i really like the outro song, I'd definitely listen to it from time to time
Overall whole story was pretty light, it kinda gets a bit slow and boring in the middle.
It's not really my favorite and not really the one that I'd rewatch. However I'm thoroughly enjoying watching it.
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Cute mess
My expectations weren't high due to reviews but I must say this is one of the best series where all plot is focused on romance. Is it messy? Yes, but I enjoyed it.I think as long as you won't have relationship smiliar to Kluen and Dao then you might see it as stupid but let's be honest; for some people feelings are hard to understand and many sucks at communiation. I can relate to Kluen tbh. Sometimes we can love someone but hurt them because we don't know how to deal with our own feelings.
I didn't enjoyed any BL like this for a long time. JoongDunk absolutely stole my heart, especially Joong. In Dunk case; you can see in hidden agenda and THK how he improved since this series.
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Warm to mind, Heal to heart.
This amazing series is a wonderful one, it has comedy,lovely moment, thriller scene, action scene and beautiful storyline as well.Both ML/FL has act their characters really well. The buildup was great and give us viewers a reason to stay. I love how the camera angle works in this drama. There's scene that i felt like i am communicating with the characters. This drama has address one of mental health issue, abandonment. It is easy to watch, and easy to relate as well. The most i remembered from this kdrama, is the scene in the first ep (i called it the 'The hammer' scene, which is the key to this kdrama.
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This review may contain spoilers
Powerful in its authentic acting & realism combined with dramaturgical abstinence
Does love have an expiry date? Or is it we humans who persistently fail to create a living co-creation from the promising 'WE' for which Cupid's arrow once set the course? "Maybe we Broke Up" doesn't have an answer to that. But! In impressive dramaturgical abstinence, the KMovie encourages us to think about it."Maybe we Broke Up" is also known as "Someone you loved". It documents in fantastic realism the unspectacular 'ending' of a relationship – like so many others. Almost as if couples in crisis could have applied to a reality show, whereas the camera team followed one of them through this difficult time and also for several months beyond. Everything seems real and lifelike and familiar. At the same time dramaturgically abstinent with neither comedy nor jokes through embarrassment, nor suspense, nor eroticism, nor violence, nor action being staged to get tempers boiling.
The couple's relationship story takes its inexorable course. And the problem with this relationship is that it has lost all its appeal. Habit, everyday familiarity, and being taken for granted have taken the place of tingling love. Concepts, expectations and relationship dynamics, which are now well trained from behavioural patterns, keep the radius of emotional highs and lows in check. The KMovie is consistent in this respect and doesn't try to sugarcoat anything. The camera just stays on and the viewers stay tuned to the action. We don't get emotionally involved, we just watch. Maybe we take a stand for one or the other. But that's our business.
The film doesn't want to push us into any corner. It just wants to take us along. Documenting. And it doesn't actually tell us anything new: A relationship gets more and more out of balance. Actually speaking out about the situation eventually brings it all down. There is no turning back. The 'WE' has become two individuals again, who now have to sweep up their emotional shards themselves and thus get the chance to learn the best from their mistakes.
The power of "Maybe we Broke Up" lies in the authentic acting combined with dramaturgical abstinence. The author is also the director. He stays true to his idea. There is no evaluation. And it is precisely through this simple authenticity that the realistic story spirals so poignantly into the mind, leaving the audience with their own record - their thoughts, emotions, questions and well-known stories, be it their own and/or those of friends and/or relatives.
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Side note: ---- Gosi Civil Service Exam in South Korea ----
The civil service career has been a priority in Korea for centuries. It stands for social recognition, but even more for financial security, up to retirement. Since the 14th century, candidates for civil service have had to pass a state examination. There are nine levels of officials. For the lowest ninth level, all you need today is a high school diploma. The competition is massive. The ninth "Geup" is for those, who get accepted, the start. With years of service and performance, or a degree, the civil servants can then advance to the middle civil service career. But for a higher career up from the fifth "Geup" you have to take the "Gosi" admission test, which only takes place once a year. It is quite demanding, but can be repeated indefinitely. Needing several attempts is not uncommon (and the high demands of the exam are always a popular topic, even in KDramas).
The Gosi exam is only the door opener. After that, the training takes place. A degree is also mandatory for the upper Geups, especially law, economics or political science. Since civil servants are/should be the pillars of society, only the most talented citizens are traditionally selected for this. In fact, most of the top five Geup officials hail from one of the three elite SKY universities (Seoul National University, Koryo University, and Yonsei University). An enormous market for tutoring institutes has now grown, not only for the university entrance exams, but also for the Gosi exam. In these, the candidates are intensively prepared. For many, this means nothing other than: study and study even harder, period. For one year. The better the preparation, the better the chances. However, you can get a lot of support for a lot of money.
The Gosi exam wants to separate the wheat from the chaff. For some, money may help, for others, iron will power, diligence and a certain amount of talent/intelligence must suffice. This combined with a supportive social environment, because in that preparatory year (and possibly subsequent preparatory years) there is hardly time for part-time jobs and everyday obligations...
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The acting in this drama is SUPERB, each actor portrayed their character perfectly. I have to give Nishikido
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This review may contain spoilers
something different from your typical mini cdrama
I don’t usually write drama reviews, but I felt the need to for this drama.1. This drama is surely different from the usual mini C-drama tropes. It involves the story an archaeologist who time-travels and becomes a royal concubine, while the male lead can enter people’s dreams, something I didn’t see coming.
2. I love that the writers didn’t forget she was an archaeologist! She was so excited to see and feel ancient artifacts in real life (the king included🫢).
3. The leads had amazing chemistry, resolved misunderstandings quickly, and the actors portrayed their characters so well.
4. The plot was never boring wi so many twists that kept me hooked.
5. It had a happy ending (for me at least), though the princess’s first love didn’t work out 💔, but she still found happiness.
Now that it’s over, I feel so empty 😢. If you’re thinking of watching, DO IT!
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