Reviews

INVESTIGATION of Invincible Chemistry - Burning Romance

A MUST-WATCH. The enemies-to-lovers slow romance is perfectly executed while not rushing over with the plot. I have watched quite a hand full of LGBTQIA+ series but I find this to be one of the most outstanding and capturing ones, for me personally. Something between the chemistry of First and Khaotung and the cinematography of this series. I´m IN LOVE.

If you’re an NSFW scenes hunter, you’ll regret missing this MASTERPIECE. This is one of the first times I've been a bit disapproving of some ratings, at least to the extent of giving this series less than 7 stars. YES, we don´t know much about what is going on but it is a mystery and investigation series, plotholes are basically the fundament of "The Eclipse" to be suspenseful and thus meet higher standards than just a "simple" high school enemies to lovers romance trope.

Story >> 8.5 >> 8.0 >> 8.5
When it comes to high school, more precisely all-boys-high school, LGBTQIA+ Awareness, and Against The System dramas this is a MUST watch! While this plot focuses a lot on the romance of two very different young men, the story also contains and shares some important messages and morals, as well as the mention of George Orwell´s 1984.

Acting/ Cast >> 9.0 >> 9.5
If this isn´t a 9.5, then I don´t know what is considered flawless acting. I´m obsessed with the dynamic between First and Khaotung, it may not change the story much, but it does change the presentation extremely and if it was only based on them, I had given this section a 10-star ranking. Every eye contact between the two of them has such an intensity that it can hardly be compared to any other couple in that industry, in my opinion. I was shocked too when I found myself cheering for their cooperation the most because it was such an unexpected match for me. Khaotung has my mouth literally gaping with his performance because I was only used to him playing cheerful, playful, and goofy characters, and watching him portray Ayan with such dedication, makes me incredibly happy and satisfied. Also, Neo brightens my day whenever and wherever he appears on the screen.

Music (/Production) >> 8.5
You really have to pay a huge compliment to the production and tell them that the effort was worth it and that they should please spoil their employees. Especially the screenwriters and the director. I think that even the intro alone is so much better than most other intros I have seen from GMMTV/GMM25.

Rewatch Value >> 9.0 >> 9.5
This might be one of my best ratings when it comes to the Rewatch Value but this series has become one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES! I can only recommend it to everyone, except for those who’re only hunting for ND/NSFW scenes, who are missing out on plot quality.

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Catching up with life.

I don’t think we need another review for the 2nd season of “Yumi’s Cells”, so this one will be me casually talking about the parallels, the changes and the newness of the show which will also include few complaints, ofc. And it will contain spoilers for obvious reasons, so to know about the quality of the show, please refer the reviews for the season 1 bcs it’s almost the same in this season.

DON'T READ AHEAD IF YOU'RE NOT DONE YET.

# SO, It begins with the B&W face of the person that we loved in the s1 with all our heart. The pain in those eyes though, very heartfelt.

# We have to go through a ‘moving on’ era and process the breakup, with whom? Obv, with Yumi and her cells. The various tactics she pulls to get rid of her feelings and just forget, the time she takes to get over everything and let go, all of them were sad.

# I am glad they remembered the fried egg umbrella.

# Book as a sign of love and book as source of comfort, truly liked that.

# The rainbow music player device is still there. Gays are winning AAAAAA.

# Ruby remains annoying but the writer-nim put some sense to her character in this season and that made her very likable. She’s cute anyways.

# Was hunger cell always that calculative? I mean I knew it was clever but the way Yumi ordered stuffs in that restaurant along with that free stuff was clearly jaw-dropping.

# They continue to present some of the conversations between the cells as chats as the character thinks about stuffs during confusion.
# The fan and anti-fan war between cells for Babi was so cute man, I enjoyed till it lasted.

# I honestly was not sure about Babi at first and the reason was obv Woong, but by the end of ep4, I realized that he was a charming man.

# The recycling garbage dump of Yumi was a creative thing for sure.

# Yumi slowly falling for Babi with the confusions she held and with the fears she possessed was a rough yet sweet journey.

# A lot of things felt like déjà vu, bcs we were again falling in love, may be in a different manner, but feelings were regardless the same.

# There were contrasting paralles between the two relationships that we saw in the 2 seasons and I loved how they were represented by the makers, even so unintentionally?

# Yumi having reasonable suspicions in every matter following her fallout with Woong felt very real.

# Babi’s cells welcoming Yumi’s ‘SARANGH SEPHO’ was one of the sweetest things, I cried.

# Embracing newness and changes that come along is what life demands from us, was the moral of Yumi’s responses in her new relationship.

# Changing profession so as to honor your passion is a fulfilling feeling. Yumi qutting her work and becoming a writer was a witness to it.

# Aurora as the new lights and the turning points in the life, a reasonable method of relating.

# The blackout in Yumi’s village when she gets drunk was so funny.

# Rationale cell’s voice is worth falling for.

# The naughty cell had a blast this season, my gosh.

# The 40kg lingering feelings behind the trunk of the pride’s car put by conscience was also another relatable idea worth of appreciation.

# Woong appearing at the end of ep 4 and that thing continuing in the next episode was painful and heavy. The 5th episode that started with misery, I found myself relieved by the end of that episode because of the way Yumi dealt it. Woong was at least given a perfect closure, I was glad.

# I am so happy they didn’t introduce new OSTs and used the ones from the s1, indicating a perfect continual flow, However, it was also a lil sad for it reminded me of Woong too.

# Introduction of many other body parts as cells, like tongue cells, hair cells, foot cells.

# P. O. as Control Z (read Control JEE) was the cutest. I honestly didn’t know about his role and seeing him was so joyful. Then he was made to stay longer, and I was so happy.

# Surprising was Control Z and Ruby falling in love and dating, and I guess it was for all of you too, haha.

# Babi and Yumi’s relationship was smooth and sweet for a long time, very likable. The way it was shown definitely played a big role in making the audience want for more when, in fact, Babi isn’t as significant in the webtoon. Nevertheless, we all fell for Babi.

# What happened to their relationship was not expected but was I surprised? Not really! Was I mad? May be but not that. Bcs I knew Babi wasn’t the man for Yumi in the webtoon and how Woong and Yumi ended up, I learnt a lot from it. It also taught me endurance.

# Long Distance Relationships are not easy and for most of us, it’s a myth. It was bound to be shaken one day and by any means, which happened to be a third party disturbance in this case, which was again natural. Not justifying it at all but getting swayed towards your colleague when you’re away from your partner is real so it’s upon the person to have control over their emotions, at which Babi failed.

# We have all the rights to be extremely angry bcs after all, Yumi is our primary concern and her feelings matter more to us than anything else.

# Yumi’s response to this was also natural and one of the two options she had left to do and she chose what her then emotions and impulses demanded. She could have stayed and given Babi another chance but with furiousness she simpy chose to walk away.

# Again, again, again, it was only natural how upon meeting Babi after a long break and being confronted, she melted like butter despite her efforts to resisit. It was because they were away for a while and seeing each other again made them realize that they were not over each other. So the time asked them to get back together and they did.

# I will never understand people who lowered the ratings or started shitting on the show bcs the show didn’t have a lovey-dovey relationship entirely as shown in the first half rather it turned rough and realistic. It’s only natural to be mad on the characters but this is stupid.

# The process of Yumi becoming a writer was an ecstatic journey. We saw her spending carefully, thinking through a lot, being calculative at everything and manage her love life at the same time. But the way she bloomed into an artist and flew with colourful wings by the end of the show, I was so happy for her and for the fact that she got what she wanted and rightfully deserved.

# The editor in chief’s character was super funny and so was the scenes written for his cells but those ugly ass weird cells made me so angry, I mean why would you make his cells like cylindrical human beings? TT

# Woong coming back to screen, and that time with a fair possibility to get back together with Yumi, had made me so so so happy but why in the world the writer had to bring him back with the intention of hurting harder??? I was very mad, ngl.

# I was never happy with the 2nd innings of Yumi and Babi, not bcs they made choices to do so, but Woong’s comeback had me excited. And as expected, they were clerly not completely happy with whatever was happening though thankfully it never turned toxic.

# Well, but the ending of the 12th episode somehow felt rushed and abrupt, I mean the way they decided to get married out of impulse did bother me, bcs I was assuming they’d break up for the 2nd time then.

# Okay then, I was expecting a blast to result from that scene in next episode or at least in the finale, which didn’t happen, rather things were wrapped up smoothly and ig I am not mad about it.

# The metamorphosis card thingy was relatable wow.

# The cold virus and it's fight with the throat cells were so aptly presented, also with the ginger molecules, haha. The way the immune cells were acting up then was very biological.

# Ahn Dae Young and Yi Da??? let me cry bcs they were also cute.

# The fat cells were so cute, I'll kms.

# I liked how things were processed between Woong and Yumi’s in the finale, which obv made me expect things but atp, I think everything happens for a reason (honestly I cried about it not happening).

# About the ending, I am satisfied and happy about the way it ended. It was the best possible closure to me. Yeah, It was confusing a bit and we can say we are gonna have another season where Yumi finally meets her soulmate but I will wait.

# The guy whom we saw in the party, i am sure people are going crazy to know but first of all, I want them to announce the renewal, then I want to know whom they are gonna cast and that will probably happen few months before the season airs.

# As much as I wanna know who the actor will be, I think it will be a huge huge huge surprise if they introduce him right in the 1st episode of the s3.

Not gonna list out the complaints but lemme rant a bit. The plot development was not shoddy or anything there are definitely some plot elements that felt off. I can completely dismiss my criticisms if I think of it as a realistic option, but I am still unconvinced on personal levels. Few of the screenplay felt a little off and slow which should not have happened for a 14 episode show with multiple short and long time leaps.

Adding to it, I would have love some elaborate explanations about few things involving their relationships which didn’t happen here, and which was very much prelevant in the s1. The faster flow could be to blame but I guess they also wasted time on focusing on some additional characters, so why not this?

Will there be a season 3? Well, I am both uncertain and optimistic about the possibilities just like I was at the end of s1. So, it might or might not happen, which we’ll know within few days if we are lucky, but as much I know about the webtoon, there is definitely more to the story and personally I would love another season. But I will also be okay if they don’t plan to make one. Considering the original work and the buzz, its more likey to be renewed though. Anyways, I want one, so please.

As I am come to write the ending note, I urge everyone to realize that the relationship in the season 1 was a realistic one where the one in the season 2 is a idealistic one so the appreciations and complaints will differ in a varying degree, basing upon personal references but rationally speaking, I am still standing on a neutral stance. I liked both of them for different reasons albeit the fact that I liked the season1 better, regardless, I think there is no firm requirement for comparing the two for they’re the same continual drama.

Final Remarks… Overally, “Yumi’s Cells 2” was again able to make us feel different and had crucial influences on our hearts and minds. The show retained its originality by once again proving that the story is about the cells and not human beings. It had some rough points technically and the makers could have worked on it, but it is still good and I am sure that, if you’ve been reading through, you loved it too, haha. Will eagerly wait for the season 3.

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Story: 5/10
* Most brownie points goes to the 2nd lead's story development.
* Minus 2 for Se Ri's foiled escape plan on multiple repeats plus a lot of cheesy unnecessary (although I acknowledge that cheesiness is subjective. lol)
* Minus 3 for the senseless tragedy towards the 2nd leads. They sacrificed the 2nd leads story just to inject a sob story which isn't even necessary. We know it's unnecessary because the main story will still stand even in the absence of GSJ's death.

Cast: 10/10
* I'm feeling generous because everyone did deliver and no obvious flaws. Most brownie points goes to Ye Jin, Jung Hyun and Ji Hye.

Music: 7/10
* I like classical music so it is a plus.. But the scoring, in general, does not really evoke a remarkable emotion--like when you hear the background music, for example, in your mind you see a flashback and you suddenly remember the emotion it evoked.

Rewatch Value: 1 (Just seeing clips of Seo Dan and Seung Jun hurts so nope, not gonna watch it again).

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Edge of Your Seat Suspense.. Thriller That Keeps You Hooked..

Undeniably the best thriller drama of 2024..

The drama boasts top notch production quality and excellent cinematography.. Though the beginning can be frustrating.. As the ML is gaslighted into a confession and his family suffers manipulation and helplessness.. It effectively sets the stage for a gripping and intense thriller..

It gets even more frustrating.. How they mistreat the ML's mother and how they try to protect the person who tried to Kill her.. How helpless the ML is.. Yeah it gets on your nerves..

The story progresses too slow at the beginning.. But that makes the eventual twists even more impactful and makes it even more interesting.. A proper thriller that slowly unravels and pulls you deeper into its web of suspense with each twist and turn... That's how it is.. I am glad I waited to binge watch it.. Because there’s no way I could have handled waiting a week between episodes.. Watching the ML spend more time in the ER than his house after getting out of prison was a bit much..

Besides the ML and SML and Ha Seol.. The rest of the characters were truly awful.. Most weren’t just bad they were outright evil.. Manipulating and feasting on others pain.. Even the detective who forced the ML’s confession was being gaslighted by the chief.. It’s a story packed with evil people.. I mean nobody felt a hint of remorse of regret for what they did..

Initially, I felt bad for Choi Na Gyeom. She stood by the ML for 10 years, visiting him in prison when even his mother didn’t. That devotion was admirable. That was quite something.. But how he kept pushing her away.. Ignoring her.. That felt bad.. But well.. She turned out to be a psychopath.. A total psychopath.. But Go Bo Gyeol nailed her role..


Around episode six the story starts coming together... Everything starts to make sense and just when you think you’ve figured it out.. Another twist drops and then another.. It keeps you hooked till the very end.

There were a few flaws though.. Like the unrealistically clear footage from a foldable keypad mobile phone.. Seriously.. how was it not grainy??

Anyhow.. Black Out delivered a satisfying conclusion.. Though I would have loved to see the ML’s friends suffer more for their actions.. They lost what they valued most and ended up in jail but they deserved even worse.. They deserved more pain.. More and more and more pain..

For the first time in a long time.. I was fully immersed in a Korean drama.. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride..

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"What's It Like to Date a Walking Red Flag"

That's what this title should be called...

I watched the animated version, (The Girl Downstairs) and now having watched the live version, my opinion hasn't changed. I was very surprised when I heard that they were making a live version of this because IMO, it really wasn't worth it. While the storyline vastly differed from each other (webtoon vs live action), the main characters were the same. This is probably one of the shallowest k-drama I've ever watched. Usually, you might see some immature ones like you find with some high school genres but this one certainly had no real, true depth.

The FL was a huge, walking, waving RED FLAG right from the beginning. She had no charming traits to her at all. A smoker, a drinker and basically a hothead. She obviously had some serious mental issues and was very unlikeable. The only reason you can think of why the ML falls for her is because of the physical attraction and all the moves she was pulling on him. After finding out the reason why the SFL, Jin-ju, left him in the first place, you sympathize with her and honestly, I was baffled as to why he never chose her. Jin-ju was way better than Doona. You only get glimpses of Doona's life and whatever the ML read about her online but she never once really opens up about herself at all. She just expects the ML to put up with her closed off attitude and he embarrassingly does.

Halfway through this, I was getting sick of watching the ML just get used and abused by the FL. He was constantly apologizing to her and putting up with her tantrums, mood swings and silent treatment for no good reason. He put up with so much of her BS that you lose respect for him early on. By the time EP7 came around, the minute she got into the Manager's car, I basically threw my hands up and gave up on both of them. The ML remains a pushover the entire time. It never stopped right from beginning to end and there was absolutely NO character growth from the FL at all. Four years go by and yet she remained self-centered, obsessive, whiny, and demanding til the very end. She never seeks any professional help. She could've used some serious therapy. In all honesty, it would've been good to see her talking to a therapist or doing some kind of work on herself like meditation. At least then it would've shown some self-reflection or inner work and it would've shown the audience that there's professional help and some options available to those who need it. That even "idols" could use some help.

In regards to the side characters, they contributed almost nothing to the story. The writer just couldn't write anyone having a real, heartfelt conversation. Like why did the FL's mother even bother making an appearance and nevermind the ML's family or best friend? All the side characters were just fillers. All the non-verbal communication was just irritating and frustrating to watch. I didn't even care about all the intimate scenes because I didn't care much for the ML and FL and especially the side characters. At least the side characters showed some changes and personal growth and I didn't even care for them.

It was really strategic and lucky that Netflix dropped all episodes at once as I think it would've been a lot different and worst if we had to wait for 1 or 2 episodes weekly. Overall, a hard pass on this one.

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Bloodshed And History ; Where To Begin With One Of The Most Controversial Dramas Of 2021...

Before getting on to analysing the main storyline and characters of the series as individuals , it is probably most prominent to address two main controversies which ultimately affected character and production in the drama. First, dropping initial actor Ji Soo with his allegations in favour of Na In Woo in episode 7 ( subverting On Dal’s personality ) and then having to reshoot scenes eventually with Na In Woo and releasing the earlier episodes after the initial finale . Whilst a lot of diehard advocates of the show will probably sugarcoat this by stating that “ it didn’t stop the storyline from being good” or “ Kim So Hyun made up for this”, it is important to note that even in early episodes, the series did often feel hampered by several incoherent screenwriting choices.

A notable example of poor scriptwriting occurs by the usage of contemporary vernacular in the show’s main setting of the Goguryeo era (37BC – 668AD). Although admittedly it would be equally ridiculous for the show to even attempt speaking in an outdated and incomprehensible tongue for the whole course of the series, it felt laughable when a palace guard or a member of the royal court suddenly sprouted demotic Korean phrases that would not be out of place in an Internet cafe in Seoul today. Of course, it is understandable that the drama does want to resonate with modern audiences, and as a fictionalised story, tweaking history can present an interesting depiction of the director and screenwriter’s thoughts. However, instead of actually bothering to take the time to present authenticity through discourse exchanges, some of the spoken lines of the series felt awkwardly mismatched with its time and setting. ( Though admittedly this did improve in later episodes.)

As a consequence, this often took away from the more intriguing portrayal of the historical costumes , and the storyline ‘s main focus on a warring nation torn by clans. The premise is fairly intriguing by its initial setup of the amnesiac heroine Princess Pyeonggang ( Kim So-hyun) defying her fate , falling in love with “the fool” On Dal ( Ji Soo/ Na In Woo) and of course taking its origins from a modern spin on the traditional folktale based on the 2010 novel Princess Pyeonggang (written by Choi Sa-gyu).

Nevertheless, Kim So-Hyun is able to brilliantly capture Pyeonggang ( or “ Ga Jin”) through her individual performance , however, something which should initially be addressed as an example of questionable miscasting, was the choice also to use So-Hyun to play her character’s mother, Queen Yeon during flashbacks in early episodes. ( Leading to a lot of confusion for first-time viewers of the show.)

In addition to this whilst it is hard to fault Kim So Hyun’s performance, her character felt oddly-written. When we are first introduced to Ga Jin she is a ‘’blank slate’’ due to not possessing defining memories of her past. However, the main issue towards Pyeonggang is due to her character development as the story progresses. We were told that Pyeonggang grew up as a top assassin Yeom Ga-jin, which implied that she should not only be skilled in martial arts, but also would be able to be quick-thinking in dire situations. Yet often during key events in the series, Ga Jin/ Pyeonggang was often reckless and foolish. Near the ending, admittedly Pyeonggang did resort back to her resilient and tough role as the heroine, however, the development in between deeply questioned how such a fierce, decisive and brave warrior from the flash-forward during the opening montage matched up with the character who seemed to unfold over the course of the series in front of viewers’ eyes.

This moves us onto the biggest elephant in the room, On Dal. Being played by two different actors, there is the most evident problem of how to assess this character from the two difference performances upon the archetype of the ‘ kind-hearted and foolish male lead’.

Ji Soo seemed to capture the ‘ fool’ as benign and goofy, adding a notably fractious and eccentric undertone to On Dal as a character. However, Na In Woo took a less childish approach to On Dal’s constant grins and confused tone , through dumbstruck expressions for the latter part of the series before taking on a more serious tone towards the character (as he is becomes a more revered individual due to the circumstances ). Regardless, On Dal acts as a major asset within Pyeonggang’s journey of self discovery and their fairly sweet romance tale by bringing out her personality and as a tie to her complicated past. However, the problem still remains not merely by the different performances of On Dal for viewers , but trying to flesh-out On-Dal as a sentient character.

In fact, this was an evident problem between how the show dedicated time to sketching out the drama’s personae , but it’s hard to really “ grasp” or feel intricate emotional attachment towards most of them. The early episodes of the drama enjoyed using the stock side characters of the village as comic relief, before in the second half and the time-skip bringing in a multitude of either newly introduced or previously mentioned antagonists and characters . (Whilst many of these characters and villains were incredibly interesting , they often struggled to have decent screen time in order to develop out of their one-dimensional shell.)

Perhaps the one character in the show who was surprisingly quite intriguing in the beginning of the series was General Go Geon ( Lee Ji Hoon). As it may seem evident through tropes, Go Geon naturally becomes the ‘ second love interest’ through his ‘ complicated’ feelings with Ga-Jin. However, whilst Go Geon did surprisingly possess the potential role as an an intriguingly motivated anti-hero in the series, his role ( without any spoilers) was sadly blanked out due to poor character development.

The ending was predictable to say the least and arguably anticlimactic by straying away from the actual conclusion of the renowned tale. Of course, this is a fictionalised drama and having an artistic license is not inherently wrong. However, the ending may cause a little bit of head scratching for viewers by ( the change of actors for On Dal aside) the entire flashforward , weather and certain events being subverted entirely. In addition to this, the ending felt more like a ” quick-fix”, than being built upon strong foundations by the slow-paced storyline (in parts ) diminishing often the more intriguing elements of the drama.

So, is ” A Moon Where The River Rises” being unfairly criticised, or is it genuinely a good watch? Controversies aside, whilst the aesthetic cinematography, a high-budget production value ( especially remaining apparent with its CGI and beautiful outfits) and Kim So Hyun ’s brilliant performance remained compelling enticements towards watching the drama, ” River Where The Moon Rises" suffered ultimately from whimsical screenwriting. Intriguing characters and villains often felt half-baked, the overused tropes in the first-half of the series often made the second-half struggle to catch-up with the more intriguing elements of the storyline ( resulting in slow-pacing also ) and the ending felt rushed to say the least. Ultimately, ” River Where The Moon Rises” isn’t a dire or terrible drama and certainly does have some redeemable qualities , however, there are better sageuks ( historical dramas) out there with stronger plots, more three-dimensional characters and well-written endings also.

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An Insult to The Author.

I have created an account for the purpose of writing a review for this series, I haven't a clue, how this sorry excuse of an adaptation has a rating above 8. It is my sincere request to each and every one of you to go and read the Web Novel or for an even better experience, the Webtoon adaptation of the Webnovel, the author of the series and the characters he has written deserve better and I will explain why.

1. The Plot : The problem with the plot is that, in the novel, the MC dies and goes back in time as the son on the Chairman's estranged but his own son he has with his wife. In the drama, since it would be difficult to view the character as someone else, it is made so that this particular grandson had the same face which is Song Joong-ki. The ending is even more disastrous, it is a thorough insult to the author of the Webnovel.

2. Characters: Lee Sung-min as Jin Yang-cheol was perfect, his acting skills had me in awe, but the entire characters, regardless of the casting were no where near as deep as the original work. Jin Yang-cheol is a complete sociopath, he is an indomitable wall, the wall that has defended Soonyang and the general that spear headed it's growth, he is not a vulnerable person and his ability to think rationally and stay calm is what makes him a truly scary character, the essence of Jin Yang-cheol who I would argue is more important to the series than the MC was lost, he was a broken old man in the series. Jin Yang-cheol is feared by his children because they know he would rather take Soonyang to his grave than give it to his children, he wants them to steal it from him, yes 'steal' is the right word and that is how much of a sociopath he is.

The MC is actually a lot smarter, he does not get out maneuvered, he is always steps ahead of his enemies, to make the series feel like a thriller, unnecessary twists and turns were added. The characters in the original work have a deeper story and better development, they don't want Soonyang just because they think "I should be the rightful heir", it gets a lot more complex than that. The original work also has romance, they removed a good portion of it.

I do not claim to be an expert on K-Dramas, but this series, is a complete bastardization of the original work, the author and his hard work has been insulted in my opinion, I could write a lot more, but the more I write the angrier I get. I have nothing but absolute pity and contempt for those who gave this pathetic adaptation anything above a 2 star rating. I implore my fellow audience to look beyond the cast while deciding to rate a series.

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Scripted horror.

Unhealthy relationship, lack of communication. If there was a quote on the poster: "An example of what not to do", then it would be a masterpiece, but I doubt that the message was exactly that.

The first half of the quote on the poster states that it should be a romantic comedy, and the other half hints at a tragic ending. The story should make you laugh and connect to the characters, so that you can be moved at the end, despite the fact that you already knew the ending. This is not the case here.

About the title. Sometimes the titles of films or TV series do not carry a load, but sometimes they encapsulate the essence of the whole plot. "Mr Plankton" or simply "Plankton" clearly had to have a meaning. But what was it? It is difficult to understand what idea the drama is trying to convey. The title of the series suggests that even the smallest organisms matter, but how does the series try to make this point, which we only see in one scene where Hae Jo says this to his younger sister in a dream? Where is this overarching theme that was supposed to follow the adventure and comedy that are no less problematic here?

There is no special chemistry between the main characters, and it's not even clear whether you want them to be together or not, it's just not clear what connects them to be together in any case.

It's not funny or interesting, and sometimes even annoying. It's hard to feel any sympathy. Certain decisions of the characters are unnecessary. For example, when Hae Jo leaves Jae Mi in front of her mother's house and leaves. What's the point? He's sobbing in the car because he dumped her, and she's sobbing because her mother didn't recognise her, even though she started crying not even because of that, but because Hae Jo had abandoned her alone, and then started screaming at the woman in hysterics. Where is the compassion here?

Why did He leave her there? And why did she scream hysterically to that woman that she was just scared and ran away because she didn't want the attention of her family and it's clear that she didn't know how they would react, because it was all out of the blue. Hae Jo could have told her that he had found her mother, prepared himself, come with her with a gift, talked to her quietly or made an appointment, and then she would have introduced Jae Mi to her family. But here, there is no justification for this merry-go-round.

Then we see Jae Mi telling her newfound friends that she has found the mother who left her in the orphanage as a newborn baby. And here is a comedy that is not comedy, they are like: "Let me call the right places," each of them giving their options, "and we'll teach her a lesson, what kind of mother does that?" Was that supposed to make me laugh? There are different reasons why she could have left it, she didn't throw it in the trash. Why didn't she come back for it? The scriptwriter should have thought about that, not just left it as a subplot ending.

"Plankton" missed the mark in all areas. It is incomprehensible, emotionless, although many people write that they both laughed and cried. Honestly, it didn't give me any emotions. There is not a single spark between the characters, and for some reason it leaves us somewhat annoyed with its characters and their motivations. The main characters don't know how to communicate, they leave each other and then cry, then come back again, because it's just a forced necessity to create a drama that doesn't work like that.

For some reason, I was also annoyed that they added the song "California dreamin'," which played at the end of the episodes. I associate it with the 1994 film "Chungking Express". For me, this song is recognisable because of this film, and it makes sense even for the plot. But here, it's not clear why it's there.

The only psychological plus in this story was the character of Eo Heung, he is the only psychologically mature person, but in the ending, you can see that his mental wound has not yet completely healed, because it takes time. It would have been better if they had shown that he didn't start his travel blog alone, but with a new girlfriend.

I don't see any point in you watching it. I've warned you. 90% of people's reviews of this project as a masterpiece on various film resources are incomprehensible to me.

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The very reason I watch dramas...

I find myself never bored and happily chasing every episode. Yes there are "dog blood" cdrama tropes but with a male lead like that, I am happy to fantasize and be a little unrealistic. I find myself smiling ear to ear at times and heart wrenching other times, this is the reason why I watch dramas.
Positives)
1-a VERY manly, dominant and charismatic male lead
2-hair & costumes are refreshing (not often seen in cdramas)
3-great pacing, plot is compact
4-good fight scenes (not just posing/slow motion)
5-push pull build up to leads' romance
6-both lead characters are smart, strong and great looking (how it should be in idol dramas)
7-bromance
8-not one tone, there's light + heart wrenching moments
Negatives)
1-I prefer listening to actors' real voice but this is all dubbed except female lead. And can cdramas get rid of dubbing please already? It's 2025, an actor's voice is part of their acting and the only way to improve is to have actors keep using it!
2-CG needs improvement but gets less distracting pass a few episodes (this is only an A+ budget drama)
3-director, cinematographer, and filter need more consistency
I took half point off bc of FL's acting. AB improved but still cannot grasp/act complex emotions, surface level in the first half of drama she did ok.

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loved this!! I think this was the only series wherein I liked all the characters even the antagonists!! Almost all of the main characters were so smart and wise that it was so entertaining to watch their political wars and power struggles especially Deokman's and Mishil's fight for the throne. At first, I didn't like the character of Deokman but as the story progressed, I found myself admiring her and cheering for her success.

I only have two complaints for this drama though; first was the romance side of it. I didn't really like the characters that were paired with her. I didn't hate them, I just found myself rooting for an alcheon x deokman pairing all throughout even though I very well knew that it wouldn't happen. Hehe... Anyway, I'm just in the minority so you might actually like the love story part of it since most people do. :)

My 2nd complaint was the ending. I just think that they could have ended it better. I know the number of episodes was actually extended from its original plan but somehow the ending felt a little rushed and it seemed like there were missing scenes that should have been shown.

However, all in all, I think this was a great historical drama that left a deep impression on me. Plus, the soundtrack is good! It added to the tension and excitement of the drama!

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" Extracurricular " had an interesting story, but there were many flaws for this drama that lessen the enjoyment.

Though the issues that extracurricular is dealing with are not the typical korean school drama presents, even though the angst, drama and having the character hit a low point is part of the korean drama repertoire, the drama did a good job with dealing with them, keeping the pace fast and the cinematography dark and moody. So, the idea was there and so were the elements to make a good psychological thriller, however, the drama didn't succeed in doing so.

First of all, the characters, not all of them, but the main ones, were annoying. Actually, the leading lady was unlikable and not easy to root for, in a drama were you have to like the criminals. The main character was a bit too toned down, with the title of genius being only a tag that followed him, but in reality, or, at least as far as the drama showed us, he was just a boy with a good idea, but lonely and in a desperate situation. The characters overall were acting way too mature for their age and it was difficult to be believable.

Second of all, the drama had its boring moments. The whole action thing got tiring to watch after it followed one twist after the other and the frustrating moments were too much. And yet, somehow, they managed to get the interest hit low beats towards the end. However, the ending was nicely managed. The performances, also, were brilliant from everyone in the cast, even though most of them are young actors.

So, overall, six out of ten.

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From Obsession to Disappointment... That's the plot and my review

In the beginning, I became quickly obsessed with "Nevertheless," even during the torturous wait each week for only one new episode. This series is short so things move pretty fast in the beginning and it's clear that the subject matter is more adult and risqué than usual. What started out as a realistic look at a messy, addictive, and super toxic relationship turned into a much safer story that I lost interest in. This drama struggles with the idea of exploring non-traditional, and non-idealistic relationships while still wanting to play it safe and not cross too many lines. This drama had the potential to be cautionary but sadly turned into another love triangle cliché.

The best thing about this drama is definitely the chemistry between the leads. Han So Hee as the recently heartbroken Na Bi and Song Kang as the manipulative Jae Eon are definitely sexy as a duo. I also admit that Na Bi is annoying at times. Also, even though she is the main lead, she has the least interesting personality of the entire cast, even when listening to her inner monologues. I hated seeing her same wide-eyed expression over and over. Still Na Bi was also super relatable. If you have ever been in a toxic relationship with a narcissist you can probably understand Na Bi and her struggle between doing what she knows she should vs what she can't help but desire. Song Kan is perfectly cast as the charming baby-faced bad boy Jae Eon. His confident smirk is enough to make him very believable as the guy everyone wants, and the guy who can get away with doing whatever he wants. He gave me chills because I definitely know some "Jae Eons" and had my own struggles with one. If you ever come across one, run away and save yourself. Believe me! lol! Sadly in the later episodes, his character shifts in a way that made no sense and his performance seemed much more fake and forced, and Na Bi barely had a character arc.

As for the supporting cast, this drama does a great job of spotlighting other relationships that are just as interesting as the leads. My only issue is that I felt a little cheated when those other relationships weren't as fully explored. It was clear that there was only so far this drama was willing to go with each story, but the performances were still great, and the couples were cute.

Of course, I have to mention the all-star of this drama, the infamous "Potato Boy". Chae Jong Hyeop as Yang Do Hyuk is the 2nd lead MVP that dreams are made of. He's cute, he has a sweet smile, he's understanding, he can cook! If you love "shipping" the underdog Potato Boy will not disappoint. He was exactly the boost the main couple needed before they got too boring and repetitive. I'm also currently watching him in "The Witch's Diner" and he definitely has the potential to become a new favorite of mine. I can't wait to see him star in a full 16 episode drama.

Would I watch this again? I'm torn. I think there are definitely some scenes I could rewatch in the early episodes but the payoff was so disappointing that I probably wouldn't. I liked the characters but not enough to want to revisit them. So much about this drama is about awkwardness so it's not exactly a fun rewatch either. I also had zero interest in the art scenes besides the 2 art pieces that bookend the story. Since Art is what connects all of these characters, that's not a good thing. At least they didn't stretch the story out to make it longer. I maybe even could have been shorter.

Overall this drama should have been much better but playing it too safe was its downfall. I know many romance dramas promote unrealistic scenarios, and I don't want to give away anything, but I feel guilty recommending this drama because it may give people too much false hope in a way that could be damaging. Maybe I am too personally biased about the situation, but it still felt a little irresponsible by the end, and It seems the ending is different than the webtoon version (which I am excited to check out). I thought I might love this drama, but instead, those feelings didn't even last for the full 10 episodes. Nevertheless, I have no regrets and I'm glad I watched it.

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