Completed
Star and Sky: Star in My Mind
21 people found this review helpful
May 29, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

The beautiful journey of Dao and Kluen

I really enjoyed this little show and watching Kluen and Dao on their journey to finally be together. The story isn't something new and based on a novel which I would love to read some time. I guess the story itself took a shortcut through the novel and seemed a bit rushed in some parts. That didn't really bother me because the story was carried well by the cast. Dunk as the main character Dao, did a fantastic job as a newbie actor. He is perfectly paired with Joong and they have incredible chemistry. Joong played his first lead role here and he portrayed Kluen absolutely perfect. The rest of the cast did an amazing job as well as a very loveable friend group and a big support for the lead characters. What is absolutely outstanding is the music in this series with two beautiful songs by Joong and Louis. For me personally this show has a high re-watch value, espacially because it's short and has a beautiful and cute story. It's for sure not an award-winning level show but the whole production is really nice and it is really enjoyable to watch. For sure this series is not perfect by all means but it definitely presents a wonderful, cute but also realistic take on falling in love. Both main characters have their issues to overcome but it's never too overly dramatic and in the end gives us a valuable lesson: love sometimes takes time.

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Completed
Our Secret
21 people found this review helpful
by Lr
Aug 26, 2021
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Seasons

Everything is everything ,
What is meant to be,will be
After winter,must come spring
Change it brings,eventually
-Lauryn Hill



This is a random quote but I think it aptly describes what this drama meant to me.I have watched multiple dramas in all languages but nothing has touched my heart as close as this one.The journey of Ding Xian and Zhou Xiyue was a truly memorable one.If anyone asks what is the best thing about this drama it is the realistic portrayal of the difficulties of youth.It describes the various feeling of rebelliousness,friendship ,love and most importantly chasing your dreams .The feelings have been totally brought into life by the actors .Excellent would be an understatement for their performance.While in the first half I couldn’t take my eyes off Zhou Xiyue ,the second half was totally Ding Xian’s forte.
While many argue how Ding Xian was blindly following ZX ,I would completely defer.As in one of the Kdramas Run On they say your dream or destination need not necessarily be a career or any other materialistic thing it could be a person as well.No matter what anyone says you can follow whatever your dream is if you can take the responsibility for it.
The story was simple .It has been told time and again but the freshness with which it was presented made it special.Unlike most dramas where the leads wear different apparels for each episode here we see a simplistic portrayal of the daily school and college life of children from simple average families.The fact that even these simple details were taken care of makes the drama different from many others in the same genre.
The angst in the middle of the series upset many viewers but I totally think it was necessary because that made every character realise what is important to them including the main leads and supporting leads.Morever in real life there is nothing that comes easy.
I could go on and on but the rest is for you to watch.While many of my opinions could be biased on my view of life I hope you have a great time watching this series
And last but not the least Chen Zheyuan and Xu mingjie ,you couldn’t have done it better.

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Completed
Vigilante
21 people found this review helpful
Nov 30, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 3.0
This review may contain spoilers

Intriguing at first but becomes average

The best thing about this drama is the acting, it's very good in general and Nam Joo Hyuk does a very good job as main character. I did also enjoy some of the music, it was certainly more up my alley. That's all for me.

Contrary to other people I didn't think this drama was fast paced, in fact I thought it was slow, going in circles sometimes, and I got bored at times and found myself doing other things while watching. The plot is quite cliché in my opinion and except for maybe around three characters the rest were very one-dimensional, especially the bad guys. We don't learn much about anyone anyway, so it's quite superficial and it didn't make me connect with any of them, not even the ML. I also liked Choi Mi Ryeo and Cho Kang Ok as characters but I so wish we had gotten so much more insight into them, I didn't learn much at all about them. The dynamics of ML with his classmates could have also been deeper, but because it wasn't what happened in the end of the drama made me feel nothing. It felt even the writers/director knew this though, because it's treated as very secondary, something that happened in the background.

I'm ok with anti-hero stories, I do generally prefer them over hero ones, but it's not new nor fresh, and cases of corruption at all levels have been done many times as well. I don't think this drama brings that much new to the table that wasn't there, so I was not awed by it and I thought it was average. It's still watchable, especially if you like action thrillers, but it's not a masterpiece by any means.
Echoing what another user said, the fighting choreography was not bad but the way it was filmed adds no tension and didn't do any favours to the overall fighting dynamics, at times I felt I was missing the good bits, camera in and out... quite chaotic in my opinion.
I don't think they achieve enough in terms of discourse, there isn't any depth in the corruption itself either, nor in its politics, or the police involvement. Obviously there is no real debate about the police as an institution, despite the ML being both in and out of it. I haven't read the original material and it makes me wonder if there was a lot more of that that was cut out of the story.

Recommended to those that like action thrillers, it's entertaining enough but keep your expectations low to mid level.

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Ongoing 34/34
Count Your Lucky Stars
21 people found this review helpful
Aug 4, 2020
34 of 34 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Final Review (my first impressions were added below the final review for comparison)

Let me be honest. It's not as bad as everybody makes it out to be. But it's also not as good as all the Shen Yue fans are making it out to be either (I'm an SY fan so I have no intention to 'shade' their opinion).

Acting-wise, I think it was quite good despite the dubbing. In fact you get used to the dubbing as the drama goes on so it doesn't turn into a big deal. Definitely not Shen Yue's best performance (please check out Another Me, she was amazing there) but you can tell she has improved a lot in terms of portraying characters like Dong Shancai and Chen Xiaoxi. Tong Xiaoyou is simply a better and more polished version of those kind of characters. I see a lot of hate for Jerry's performance but I don't think it was that bad as he was very boring in the beginning because that's how his character's development is supposed to be. He's great at emotional scenes. However, I do understand how some people are irritated at how slow he speaks and his vocal expressions in general.

The plot is cliche to begin with but it could have been presented much better. Lots of parts were dragged on just so that it would reach 34 episodes. It should be a 24-episode drama instead. The slow pace would have been alright if they didn't repeat so many instances (Jiang Yan's antics, Lu Xingcheng being depressed, all this is repeated a lot of times). I did enjoy the romance element of the story. I loved how they made it a slowburn relationship because it's very appropriate. Jerry Yan and Shen Yue's chemistry isn't even bad, not strong, but not bad at all. I find them cute actually in a couple of scenes.

In general, it really depends on your cup of tea and what things you can handle. The production of this drama is quite a mess as editing isn't impressive at all for a delayed project. If you don't mind slowburn relationships and prolonged character development, this should be an okay drama for you. In the end I definitely think it's more of a 6.5 drama but I rounded it off as I loved watching the characters and setting. It was simply overrated before release which may be why a lot are disappointed because it isn't as good as well expected. I enjoyed it while it lasted, so that's that.

(FIRST IMPRESSIONS)

Episode 1 was not particularly amazing but it gives you a good idea of the character you'll be dealing with in the next 33 episodes. The beginning of the episode is also very good! It's a nice introduction that shows how Tong Xiaoyou (Shen Yue) and Lu Xingcheng (Jerry Yan) will officially start their story. You'll want to keep watching to find out how they end up that way. After the prologue, time is rewinded a bit to explain what happened prior.

I'm perfectly fine with Xiaoyou (Shen Yue did a good job in making her adorable and relatable!) but not warming up to Xingcheng. He's only either quiet or scolding one of his employees. But! Based on the MV and credits of the drama, they actually have decent chemistry. Looking forward to the romance parts!

Cast is very suitable for their roles too. Right now I'm looking forward to knowing more about them.

Pretty sure the actors dubbed over their own voices but there's something off about it. Mostly bothered by Shen Yue's dubbing. It's like they gave her a poor quality microphone to record her lines. They don't match perfectly with the video. Looks unnatural. Good news though is you get used to it later on. I'm not so irritated about it anymore by Episode 4.

There's an interesting film style to this drama. A lot of close-ups to the characters and you also see this in the beginning. Not a bad choice, it may need time to get used to. But sometimes it comes out as awkward.

I like the theme song and closing song but the background music during some scenes bother me. Sometimes they're dramatic for no reason.

After watching more episodes, the drama does get better (Episodes 1-3 is not attention grabbing but by Episode 4 I started to enjoy it more). The drama is very promising. I say try it out. Not surprised if it ends up as an international hit. I'll absolutely watch until the end. Even if you have other concerns I feel like it's worth checking out because of the cast. That's all for now, I'll update my review when the drama is finished!

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Completed
Shut Up: Flower Boy Band
21 people found this review helpful
Aug 17, 2012
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
I have never been so happy and satisfied at the ending of a drama before. It is the most perfect story and well written out of all dramas that I have seen.

When you think about the plot, it is just about a band of boys. One might think there could be nothing more to it than just a bunch of pretty boys strutting around and showing off. However, this is so NOT true. I cannot believe how well this story was woven. And it had such amazing depths. Every single character has been paid attention to and redeemed by the end. There were some characters I wanted to throw shoes at but I grew to love every single one of them. I simply cannot suggest anything to improve upon in it. The only thing is that in order to understand and appreciate it fully, one might need to watch it till the end. And I am sure, anybody who loves dramas with a good cast, great music and amazing story lines must watch this.

I believe this is the best drama that I have seen till date. Every other drama feels dragged and turns out to be full of nonsense during the last few episodes, but here is one which makes sense every single way. And I am overwhelmed at the character development of Ji Hyuk. I think this show is a masterpiece. I don't know why I didn't decide to watch it sooner.

What I loved most about it was that every single issue was addressed. These boys are all messed up, but we get to know each boy's backstory and then they grow up. Even the meanie turns out to be a guy I empathized with. I also liked Su Ah. She is very different from other female protagonists I often come across in stories. She fights and stays there calmly. She is not a cry baby and I love that about her. Most of all, she knows her priorities. I think the teenage essence of the characters is depicted and captured perfectly. Every single move and decision they made was understandable.

I honestly, sincerely recommend this show to every one.

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Completed
100 Days My Prince
21 people found this review helpful
Nov 10, 2018
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
I didn't expect to like this drama as much as I did, but I think it did a great job of combining a cute love story with a pretty intriguing Sageuk. In a lot of ways "100 Days My Prince" is a lighthearted romcom, but it is mixed in with an ill-fated love story, and classic political scheming without becoming too heavy handed, too silly, or overly complicated. It had many of the elements that are overdone in KDrama... amnesia, forced marriage, hidden identity, betrayal in a royal setting... but I found all of it to be entertaining and wasn't bored once. I'm sure the great cast had a lot to do with that.

I am the farthest thing from a Do Kyung Soo fangirl, but I was extremely impressed with him as the young fish out of water Prince. He is matched with Nam Ji Hyun, who I liked in a few dramas already (Suspicious Partner & Shopping King Louie), but these two specifically had really great chemistry together. I loved their banter from the start, and I loved how strong willed and equally frustrating they both were at times. Every scene they had together was entertaining, and I often felt like I was watching a real couple not matter how unbelievable their circumstances. They also both handled comedic and tragic scenes extremely well. And I think that period dress suits them both quite well.

Actually, I pretty much loved the entire cast, even the ones who didn't have the strongest storylines. The town members were all great, and more than just comic relief. I was genuinely interested in their side stories as well. I love a great villain, and Jo Sung Ha was so good that I almost found myself rooting for him at times. Another thing I loved about the characters is that they weren't all good or bad. Moo Yeon is the perfect example of that, and it helps that Kim Jae Young is easy on the eyes (all black definitely suits him). The storyline is pretty simple but the characters were often complicated which kept me interested from beginning to end. I really can't think of any character that I thought was weak. Maybe a few were less memorable than others, but most were well played, and played well off of each other.

As for the story, I appreciated that it didn't become overly complicated, and that the political parts didn't drag or take away from the lighter feel of this drama. There were some sad moments, and some tragic parts of the story, but the majority of the story is a romcom with the kind of comedy that made me giggle more than lol. I also liked the way the story ended, which I obviosuly won't give away, but it made me feel like the story came full cirlce in a way that made sense. I could see myself watching the whole thing again and still enjoying it. It may not be on the top of my rewatch list, but it has more than enough charm to make me consider watching it all again.

Overall I would definitely recommend this to those who avoid sageuks because they are too serious, or those looking for a cute couple to root for against all odds. It may not have made it's way to my list of favorites, but now that it's over I feel very... uncomfortable. Am I the only one feeling uncomfortable? :)

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Completed
A Frozen Flower
21 people found this review helpful
Sep 23, 2012
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 2.0
I am sort of having mixed thoughts about this film. While two thirds of it was cool, the last parts especially the ending- were terrible. This could have so easily become a masterpiece if not for some of the stuff included in it. The story was pretty good and new to me, so I enjoyed that but its conclusion was very disappointing. However, I still commend the film maker for such a daring attempt like 'A Frozen Flower'- something that I have not seen in any Asian movies so far.

This is a movie only for adult viewers with open thinking. Most of the film revolves around homosexuality and includes several graphical sex scenes and nudity. So I would advise every one to carefully consider about its aspects before deciding to watch this. Some of the stuff may offend you. It was very surprising to watch at times, because I didn't imagine that Korean movies could include so many tabooed issues in the same film.

Apart from that, the movie had spectacular direction. Its settings and filming locations were exquisite. The action was also quite good. The romance part was quite touching and the cast put on some great performances. There was just one particular part throughout the whole film that creeped me out in such a way that I had to take a moment to collect myself before continuing to watch it. However, lots of aspects of this movie are realistic and not unheard of. It also touches upon a variety of emotions throughout the duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes.

But due to the immensely disappointing last half, I am going to say the whole experience of the film got ruined. I am struggling to remember the parts I enjoyed while writing this because otherwise the whole film got damaged. Watch this movie at your expense. It hardly serves as entertainment.

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Completed
Sweet Sex and Love
21 people found this review helpful
May 3, 2013
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
Sweet Sex and Love is a far deeper movie than what meets the eye. At first you might be tempted to dismiss it as pure decadence, but allow yourself time to absorb the underlying themes and you'll be surprised to realize there actually is something of substance there. Something that tells you this isn't just a movie about two people who's got the horny. It has a message which is so subtly and understatedly delivered, you just might miss the message if you don't pay close attention or if you allow your own preconceived notions (that this is just softcore porn) to bias your viewing.

This is a movie about opposites attracting. Both parties jump into the relationship with gusto and are more than happy with their arrangement initially. As time goes by, though, the true natures and motives of the characters are revealed, and they begin to realize they might have bitten off more than they bargained for in starting this relationship.

Sweet Sex and Love is truly a well executed case study of how disastrous a relationship between a man and a woman can be when there's no communication of expectation on either side. When one, Sweet Sex ... or Love, is given full reign to dominate, to the neglect of the other.

I really enjoyed how the plot unfolded in this story. It's one of the better 'opposites attract' movies that I've seen in a long time. The script, the direction and the editing are all cleverly done. For once the pacing isn't slow and as grating as fingernails on chalkboard. The director deftly controls what you see, feel and experience until just the right moments. Nothing is revealed prematurely. No dialogue or sequence squandered. The narrative is very nuanced, leaving the audience to decipher much of the characters' actions and behaviour. At the same time you're taken on a journey where you're inundated with one truth for almost the entire film, until just like the characters you get the rug pulled out from under you. HARD. (No pun intended).

Certain themes that you never thought to associate with this type of film begin to surface with stark clarity and force; valuable lessons, on sweet sex ... and love, emerge. Sweet Sex represents one character & love the other, can they really coexist beyond the initial intoxicating stage of a new relationship? Everything falls into place. The title begins to make sense, the explicit internal dialogues, what you may have dismissed previously as a repetitive sex manual ... all begin to take on a whole new meaning.

Very nicely done indeed.

Certainly a good movie for audiences who enjoy a more mature exploration of the complex relationship between men and women. If there's any kind of sexy movie I love, this would be it.

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Completed
Our Beloved Summer
21 people found this review helpful
by Kate
Oct 7, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 7.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.5

Like a pack of dry cookies that are strangely addicting, even though they taste like nothing.

I know it’s a drama loved by many, but I’m sadly not in that camp. I still enjoyed it quite a lot, it just never truly moved me that much, and I think that was supposed to be the biggest selling point - how touching it is.

I think the biggest reason I did not fall in love with the drama itself is the fact I never fell in love with two main characters - Choi Woong and Gook Yeon Soo. I was indifferent about them as individuals and completely not interested in them as a pair. Something about how they were written did not click with me.

On the other hand, I adored so many supporting characters with Kim Ji Woong being easily my favorite. Both episodes focused on his point of view were in my perspective the most interesting and engaging. I know for a fact I liked him so much because I related to him in many areas, but that’s the strength of the drama - they present many unique, but realistic characters, I’m sure everyone would find one to relate to.

I’m quite sad how little they showed of NJ. There was not one scene of hers that was boring, some were quite meaningful. I appreciate how they never made her a typical toxic second female lead - her perspective on the whole situation was refreshing.

While I understand the drama portrays a lot of important life lessons that young people face - from teens to late twenties, I weirdly never connected to this presentation. Sure, there were some scenes that were memorable, but overall I don’t think I’m going to remember much after a few months.

Performances? Phenomenal from the whole cast. Exactly zero complaints. The emotional scenes were done well, the comedic bits were truly funny, not one character was miscast.

Overall, while my brain understands why many people loved this show, my heart does not follow.

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Completed
Ai Long Nhai
21 people found this review helpful
by Luna
Dec 9, 2022
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 6.5

Why are the reviews so bad?

I'm not usually the type to leave reviews but the fact that the most of the reviews here are so bad, I just had to.

This series is quite light hearted, cute and quite comforting. It doesn't have a lot of drama and the main leads get together quite early.

While there were minor flaws in detail, it was still worth the watch so far. They had chemistry and also the plot and acting wasn't so bad.

If anyone's looking for a series without a lot of drama, this is the one.
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Completed
Blossoms in Adversity
21 people found this review helpful
Apr 25, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

A beautifully presented story!

This was my first time watching an airing costume drama so in the beginning I was a little hesitant as I thought I may lose interest in the midway. But this drama did not let that happen. I was always anticipated for the new eps and this drama had become my routine everyday.
The chemistry between the leads was amazing. Even tho the drama had minimal skinship but still their chemistry captured our hearts till the end.
This drama has so many positives like there are so many couples that I lost count lol. There is no unnecessary misunderstandings , no love triangle , not a major annoying character.
Now if we talk about the leads the way the FL was shown so mature that she has become one of my favorite characters in a drama. Ofcourse we know that Zhang Jing yi never disappoints. Also the ML's actings has improved so much which was a delight to watch.

I'd like to end my review with the line I liked the most ,
"I hope the wind delivers my love to you."

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Completed
Please Be My Family
21 people found this review helpful
by Zogitt
Jun 15, 2023
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

This is how you (almost) score your own goal

This show is not particularly pretentious, and the early indication is a contract marriage trope with bonus cute little kids. The FL is a struggling single parent, but she is trying her best. The ML is the typical cold but super competent CEO who is also a single parent. After a series of fateful meetings and the odd accidental skinship later, they are married but not a couple. Easy peasy.

In fact, for a good 3/4 of the run, the show is motoring along very nicely. Their romantic journey is swoon-y and developing well. The little kids are not bothersome like some other dramas, and they add some colour to the mostly by-the-book main storyline. There is a hint of a revenge plot, but the general outlook is rosy.

This is where some iffy writing starts to rear its ugly head and almost scored an own goal. I’m keeping this spoiler free, so I'll talk in general terms.

The first problem is the portrayal of the leads. The FL is sweet and empathic, but she has a lot of self-doubt and can be easily swayed. On the other hand, the ML is smart but have very poor communication skills. This is a bad combo because it means misunderstanding can be just one scene away and any misstep escalates quickly.

This is not helped by poor communication between the protagonists. The ML, the grandfather, the FL's parents all withholding vital information and keeping secrets from each others. This only serves to pour oil on the fire of misunderstanding once there is a spark. Honestly, this is such a lazy trope but without it, there is almost no plot. Ouch!

Furthermore, the antagonist's motivation is a bit opaque. We are told one thing but snippets of information point to another. His mental state also casts a lot of doubt about what are facts and what might be his imagination. This is obviously done by the writer to keep us guessing and to create tension. Unfortunately, this part of the main plot is weak and loaded with inconsistencies and shortcuts. We are fed bits of information to try to paper over gaps in the narratives. For instance, one of the key characters is found to be adopted and her behaviour is all blamed on her time in the welfare home. Ditto pieces of damning info happen to fall into the wrong hands. Where did they come from? There are other contrivances, but I would be giving the main plot away.

Obviously, the writer is trying to shape the plot in a certain way, but it feels unnatural and leaves the viewer baffled and a bit frustrated. The drama would be better off without the revenge plot. The show doesn't need one and it derailed the main plot for little gain.

Acting wise, the FL is fine but her role is not well written. The ML’s visual is idol grade but his acting skill is still developing. There are times when he just looks uncomfortable and a bit lost.

The support cast is actually quite good. The SFL who started off chasing the ML but becomes the FL’s bestie is quite endearing. The 2CP works too. A bit kooky at times but their journey is heartfelt, and I can ship them. The senior cast members pull their weight and provided some stability.

I didn't have high hopes for the show at the beginning. I was hooked by mid show, but they lost me towards the end. The HEA ending and fan service helps to restore some faith. It is watchable and largely inoffensive. I just wish they'd leave well enough alone. Peace out.

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Completed
Anego
21 people found this review helpful
Sep 24, 2012
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
this drama's story was slightly common. younger man, older woman love blossoms. unfortunately the chemistry was just non-existent. it was just a good comedy to me and nothing more than that. It is a drama that raises some questions about relationships but other than that it only had to offer the comedic moments. it is an easy watch though, you can quickly finish it and it definitely has a generally good acting. however shinohara kyoko alone can't give this drama a 10/10 for acting. Akanishi Jin was just terrible with a character that has no development at all. if you want to watch something that doesn't really make you think too much and it is easy then this is probably your cup of tea.

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Completed
Miracle
21 people found this review helpful
Jul 31, 2022
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 4.0
Music 4.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

None of these characters are likable.

Major spoilers are ahead...

The FL, So Rin, is a fan of ML, Lucie, her idol while she's in high school, and she accidentally meets him without even believing it's him. They spend one night hanging out and the next night, she's supposed to go to a meet and greet with the real "Lucie." During this time she's also trying to audition to become an idol trainee.

Si Woo is best friends with So Rin along with their other friend mutual friend, Ye Seung and they enjoy their friendship going along with So Rin's fangirling. Si Woo secretly harbors a crush on So Rin, and together, they both win tickets to Lucie's meet and greet. While Si Woo takes both of them there on his bicycle, on the way, they're stuck by an oncoming vehicle which results in So Rin being hospitalized.

Lucie in the meantime keeps looking for So Rin at his fan meet to let her know it was really him that she met the night before. But of course, she doesn't show up. Lucie goes back to the US.

Fast forward to a few years later, Si Woo has become an idol. A decision he made for So Rin, who mentioned in the past, that if he auditioned to be an idol, they could go through it together. Feeling guilty about So Rin's accident, Si Woo becomes driven and motivated to become an idol.

But while Si Woo becomes an idol in a k-pop group, "N and S", So Rin, who suffers from severe tinnitus and dizziness, can no longer dance because of these symptoms. These came from a result of her accident but the tinnitus that she suffers from seems to be more psychologically stress-related. Although she no longer pursues the dream of becoming an idol, she works closely with Si Woo at the same agency. Their mutual friend, Ye Seung also works as a driver for the same agency. After all this time, Si Woo still hasn't told So Rin about his feelings for her.

Lucie comes back to Korea to do a collaboration with Si Woo. But Lucie goes under hardships as he is accused of tax evasion. It turns out his manager took all his money as Lucie wasn't planning to sign with him anymore. He has no choice but to collab with Si Woo and his agency. Broke and displaced in Korea, So Rin takes him in, and later, Lucie finds out that So Rin was the fangirl he met that night.

So now, here starts the love triangle... where the girl is so clueless and oblivious that these guys like her, and honestly, the story doesn't develop enough as to why these guys like her.

You can understand why Si Woo could like So Rin because after all, they grew up together as best friends, but why he takes so long to tell her is beyond me. So now Lucie enters the picture and now we just have to sit through these guys being competitive for So Rin while she doesn't have a clue. But honestly, you feel nothing for these three characters. So Rin comes off as under deserving of Si Woo's interest actually. It seems like he does more for her than she does for him. He's always checking in on her. And as for Lucie, he's just too arrogant for anyone to like him.

I find this to be a slow-paced drama. So far I'm on EP 12 and only now, are they just starting to dig into whether or not So Rin should pursue her dream as an idol. They had a few flashbacks of her trying again after her accident but nothing came of it. I don't know how, by the next two episodes, we're supposed to believe that all of a sudden, So Rin will become an idol. I think that even mentioning this in the detailed summary of this show is kind of misleading. Even the title, "Miracle" makes no sense.

So with only 14 episodes, I don't know how much progress we'll see after since the episodes are short. They're trying to show more scenes of Lucie and So Rin together as they have some "let's stare at each other with OST playing" moments. He seems to coincidently show up as he stalks her when she's having bad symptoms. But Si Woo has also been there for her so you don't know why the showrunners don't give Si Woo and So Rin more "tender moments". If you going to do a love triangle, do it somewhat properly.

There are other side stories, like Lucie's disappearing manager, another female k-pop group in which one member, Ju Ah crushes on Si Woo, and there's even some tension within Si Woo's group, N and S. The leader of N and S, Do Un wants to be an actor but only Si Woo got offered a leading role in a drama. This made Do Un jealous. But with these short episodes, their stories aren't interesting enough. Everyone seems miserable and it's not just from suffering through some hardships, it's more like everyone is miserably jealous of someone else.

The acting of everyone isn't that great so it makes it harder to enjoy this show and the singing and dancing are all subpar. Who wants to watch a show with two guys just constantly glaring at each other? It just makes this show drag on even slower.

I'll update this later if necessary.

UPDATE:
A week after the last two episodes already aired, I finally decided to dive back in and finish up the series. And... that's it. The end. (That's how exciting it was.)

I don't know what direction the writers decided to take in the last two episodes but it got pretty negative and dark all of a sudden. Ju Ah, crushes on Si Woo, finally confesses to him. He doesn't return her feelings and when he tells her he likes someone else, she's like, "So what?" I mean, why do they write women with like no dignity or pride? And if she's so close to debuting, it makes no sense why she would even be entertaining the idea of pursuing someone or even dating for that matter. Zero sense. She would just be focusing on debuting.

Then she finds out that So Rin is coming back as a trainee and now she's even more frustrated and upset. So much so that she injures herself while practicing and for good measure, the writers threw in some pills she suddenly seems dependent on.

Then all of a sudden, we find out that besides Do Un, another member of N and S, Ik Chan, also has a problem with Soo Win. Like where did this guy come from? And... they finally caught Lucie's scheming manager. And... So Rin finds out it was really Lucie she met that night. And... Lucie finds out about the accident happening that same night and why Si Woo dislikes him.

And... all this in one episode. And... it was still boring.

By the last episode, some crazy sasaeng of Si Woo tries to throw acid on So Rin but Lucie saves her by blocking it. So now we got acid folks. That's some pretty damaging and dark stuff. Like I was shocked by it. Acid is some pretty serious sh*t and it just didn't feel like it belonged in this kind of drama. It was really out of place. I felt for a moment that I was watching some Bollywood drama for a second there. It turns out that Do Un planted an idea in Ju Ah's head to post pictures of Si Woo and So Rin online as if they were dating. So that's why the jealous sasaeng showed up.

What's worse is that management finds out what Ju Ah and Do Un did and yet nothing happened to them. Management was like, " Oh we didn't know they were hurting. Let's just sweep everything under the rug and everyone make up." Seriously... W...T...F??? A crazy sasaeng was charged with aggravated assault and attempted murder for hurling ACID, because of what Ju Ah and Do Un conspired and nothing happens to them? Especially Do Un who was the mastermind. You would've thought that Si Woo would've been really angry at him since the sasaeng targeted So Rin. Whatevs dude.

Anyways, So Rin has a spot in a voice competition but she pauses during her live performance because of her tinnitus, but the guys are there to "save" her once again. And like the other reviews mention, the show doesn't show her choosing Lucie or Si Woo. And the other friend, Ye Seung as the ending fairy made zero sense too.

I changed my rating from a 5 to a 4.

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Completed
Scent of Time
21 people found this review helpful
Nov 1, 2023
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

One of the best

I have read most reviews and I think they have reviewed too prematurely. HRZ is a definitely an odd character... too perfect.. in the entire plot but the ending (last ep 30) wraps up beautifully and unexpectedly.. and explained. I'm not going to give spoilers but this show is one of the bests, great acting. It got me chasing ep by ep. I was having mixed feeling for the ML's character but great wrap with happy ending.

A word of advice to all.. dont review before you watch till the end. I hardly write reviews but cant help correcting and adding on. Enjoy the show.

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