Save yourself some time and skip over this drama it is not worth it.
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A drama with great potential ruined by controversy…
Story:Snowdrop’s story revolves around Lim Sooho, a North Korean spy who was used, manipulated, and betrayed by his own country. The story follows his journey to accomplish his mission and return home that had been intercepted by fate, causing his red string to intertwine with that of ANSP’s director’s daughter Eun Youngro, a lively and compassionate college student at Hosu University. Due to a series of unfortunate coincidences that unravels into a much more twisted scheme of the South and North Korean government, Sooho and Youngro face tribulation after tribulation both together and alone. Two people who face an incredible amount of suffering that is too much for any one person to bear. Despite being marketed as a romance, Snowdrop is predominantly an action/thriller drama with splashes of satire and black comedy interwoven with a tragical romance. Opposite of the tragedy that is depicted in Shakespeare’s original screenplay, however, Snowdrop’s twist of Romeo and Juliet veers away from the tragical epic love story and shows its audience a love story that had bloomed through innocence and purity against storms of hardships and suffering.
Snowdrop is a drama that promises a multitude of themes that draw in viewers from every genre, which unfortunately falls short as the drama’s multiple plot lines and characters offsets the balance of the drama as a whole. Snowdrop had convoluted plot lines that ensure plot twists through every episode, but at the same time leads to many other underdeveloped stories. Amidst a satirical black comedy, a tragical romance seems out of place and at times appear unnecessary. Besides Sooho, every other main character within the plot although start off with promise and depth, end up in disappointment due to underdevelopment.
Acting/Cast:
Snowdrop’s cast is a stellar cast with actors and actresses who bring the characters they play to life, allowing its audience to connect with their characters on a much deeper level than what we were given.
Lim Sooho is the only character that is properly developed which allows the audience to emphasize with his actions, inner turmoils, and tragic back story. Jung Haein was the perfect fit for the role and had incredible control and nuance in his micro expressions that tugs at the viewer’s heartstrings. His unmatched presence and charisma is exuded whenever he was on screen which brought to life a dynamic and tortured male lead. My heart ached for Sooho as I watched him through Jung Haein's eyes. He had too much that he wanted to protect. He carries so much pressure and guilt to not only save his comrades, but also to protect Youngro and his beloved sister. Haein left no room for criticism as he executed his role flawlessly. I am not kidding when I say that this is his best performance to date, and I will be disappointed if he doesn't win a Baeksang for this role.
The essence of Snowdrop's title is in the character of Eun Youngro herself, a flower that bloomed through hardship. Eun Youngro starts off as a character with great potential, equipped with an interesting back story that unfortunately was left undeveloped as her character is shifted towards the background in the later episodes in order to make room for the development of Sooho’s character and his redemption arc. Contrary to many people’s thoughts on Youngro’s one dimensional character, I thought that her character did have depth and multidimensional aspects that just weren’t explored enough to fully capture the audience’s attention. However, thanks to Jisoo’s acting, I personally was able to feel connected with Youngro’s character and was able to emphasize with her actions and thoughts. For a rookie, Jisoo had indeed proven herself in this drama with what she was given and showed great promise for a more successful acting career somewhere down the line. She definitely needs improvement, but for a rookie, I think that she has definitely set the standard for rookie idols actresses/actors. As her fan, I had been completely in awe and proud of her performance as well as grateful that she had the chance to work together with such a talented team for her first drama.
Lee Kang Moo originally was a character that I had despised for his self-righteousness and arrogance. However, as the drama moved forward, I began to like him more and more as his character came to accept the corruption of the ANSP and was no longer blinded by his obsession to capture Sooho. One of the reasons that Kang Moo was able to become one of my favorite characters by the end of this drama was because of the incredible performance of Jang Seungjo. The actor had great chemistry with literally every person he interacted with. He was able to portray the frustrations and resentment the character had for his higher ups as he eventually swallowed his own pride to work with the person he had dedicated his entire career to capture in order to do what he believed was right in the end. Kang Moo and Sooho’s bromance dynamic was definitely one of my favorite things to come from this drama.
Jang Hanna initially portrayed as a reckless, hot-tempered, and confident agent was what drew me to her character from the beginning. However, after the first few episodes, I grew disappointed by her character who lost her cool and rationality whenever Kang Moo’s safety was involved. I blame this on the writing which could’ve given us more background on their love story which would help explain her strong feelings for him and help us emphasize with her. It was such relief to see the shift in her character towards the end when she finally put her sense of duty over her love for Kang Moo. Jung Eugene did the best with her role, and it was unfortunate that her character was yet another character that suffered from being underdeveloped.
Pi Seunghee, better know as Ms. Pi and Kang Chungya are my two favorite characters by the end of this drama. Ms. Pi’s character is one tortured with guilt and self-resentment due to the tragedy of her past that had turned her into the person that she was now. Despite not knowing where her loyalties lie for the first half of the drama, it was clear that she had a strong sense of protectiveness over the students in the dorm and never hesitates to protect them in her own way. Her dynamic with Boon Ok’s character was intriguing to watch unfold as you try to guess the underlying relationship they had with each other. Yoon Se Ah portrayed this character with class and elegance, but never failing to influence the audience to feel for her character. Yoo In Ah also did not disappoint in her role, portraying multiple layers of a character who was first only seen as a mistress to the main antagonist of the drama. Chungya was a character you would hate but also feel for as you see her emotional side peak through when she is in the presence of the man she loves. Her character's ending was one of the very few had left me satisfied.
Gye Boon Ok is the antiheroine of the story and starts off with great promise to be one of the best and most complex characters on the show. Unfortunately, her character’s arc later on suffers as the writer turned her character down a path that I personally thought made her iredeemable. Boon Ok was initially portrayed as a selfish opportunist who is willing to do anything to ensure her survival. I emphasized with her character knowing that she was only doing what she could in order to survive given the unfortunate cards she was dealt with in life. However, there was a point where her character took a drastic turn and lost all sense of morality and rationality which made her impossible to root for. Kim Hye Yoon’s performance of Boon Ok though, was phenomenal and proves that she is one of the best new actresses of her generation.
Soundtrack:
If there was one thing the drama did right, it would be the soundtrack and scoring. Every episode ended with a cliffhanger that was accompanied by powerful and moving OSTs that had me at the edge of my seat. There were also heartfelt OSTs that convey Sooho and Youngro’s doomed romance and that pulled at my heartstrings. Every single OST and bgm was beautifully weaved into the scenes that made the drama much more enjoyable.
Overall/Rewatch Value:
What I wish could've been explored more:
- Dorm/college life set during the 80's
- Jang Hanna's back story
- Eun Youngro's back story
- Kang Moo's backstory
- Room 207's friendship dynamics
- Sooho and Youngro's love story (I was quite satisfied with what was shown, but since they marketed it as a romance, I was hoping for a much more epic tale)
- Hanna and Kang Moo's love story
- Kang Chungya's back story
Snowdrop is far from being a masterpiece, but it is not the worst drama out there. The ending although left me emotionally scarred, also left me incredibly unsatisfied. There was no closure and many characters' endings didn't feel right. There were questions left unanswered and so much wasted potential. However, If one were to ignore the flaws and plot holes, it is an enjoyable watch with interesting characters that help push the story through. The symbolism, cinematography, and plot twists within the drama were enough to pull me in and keep me engaged with the drama. Snowdrop could’ve been great if there wasn’t such an offset of balance in the number of characters and plot lines. The writer was too ambitious and tried to fit too many themes into one drama that didn’t didn’t quite convey what kind of tone the drama had. I came into this drama expecting far too much. My expectations were too high knowing that the drama was helmed by Sky Castle's writer and director. I had ended the drama with disappointment. Had I walked into this drama with no expectations in place, I would've had a less underwhelming experience. Overall though, I had enjoyed it and would watch it again.
Revised:
After having thought about the drama for a bit longer now, as well as engaging in some thoughtful discussions with other viewers, I’ve decided to come back and sort of take back my harsh criticisms for the drama and writer. Although my criticisms still hold true, I also understand that this was the best that the team could do amidst the controversy. Although the plot and characters were underdeveloped, one cannot deny that there was some clever dialogue and symbolism throughout the drama that I now feel like could’ve been very prominent had it not been for the controversy. The writer and director probably had to revise the script several times in order to be able to put the drama in air. They made sacrifices in order to make sure that everyone’s hard work did not go to waste.
It just didn’t make sense how the characters all started off with such great promise but ended up being underdeveloped despite the depth that each character had. One of my complaints for the drama was Youngro’s relationship with her grandma not being explored. But someone had pointed out that the sponsors of the rice cakes seen from Youngro’s grandma in episode 2 had pulled out of the drama which is probably why we got no substance from Youngro’s grandma and she hence why she was never shown throughout the drama.
With these thoughts in mind, all that I feel for the Snowdrop and its team now is gratitude. Despite the hardships and unfair criticism they received, they were able to stay strong until the end and blessed us with such a great drama considering the multiple rewrites. Like I had stated previously, this is not a masterpiece but it is not a bad drama. The fact that Snowdrop is still a much better drama than so many others out there despite the multiple revisions of the script really says how truly amazing and dedicated the Snowdrop team is. Like the flower and Youngro’s character, Snowdrop and its team was able to bloom through the hardships and tribulations. Here’s to the hope that they will one day get the recognition and good karma they deserve. Thank you to the Snowdrop team for not giving up on this beautiful story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Peak Slice of Life drama!
When it's good, it's good, BUT sadly, there were some problems with the show, as usual with most Kdrama.The overall message of the story, the characters, even the side characters are great, especially The Dolphin trio with Mina, Doein and Minchul. I love their mother-daughter dynamic, and this little 8 year old kid stole the show, to be honest. I would watch a drama with them.
The oldest sister's story was interesting too, but I'm a bit disappointed they didn't do much with their story. I mean, it's not like there weren't enough time, because they stretched the main story too long anyway.
So, now let's talk about the main couple. The whole drama between the two family was well done, even tho I can't understand why did it take like a decade or even more to finally talk about their issues. To be fair, it's a fair representation of people. What I can't understand is why Samdal and Yongpil just accepted everything broke up. It's not like it's the Joseon era where parents can control their kids, and they were teens. They were adults! And when they finally resolved every problem, and started dating again, Yongpil decides to leave for 2 years? I mean, sure, let's say he has to fulfill his dreams as well, but for me, it doesn't make sense at all. They suffered for 8 years, and now they're basically in a long-distance relationship? At least give us some info about how they managed their relationship.
Anyway, my biggest problem with the show is that I HATE what they did with the bullying scandal. I mean, it represents well how toxic the Korean society, but the whole was about how strong woman Samdal is, yet, she never did a single thing to defend herself. She should've told everyone that her boyfriend cheated on her with her employee. It's not like she didn't have proof, it was on her on phone! Also, later she traveled back to Seoul, and I thought, FINALLY, she's gonna do something, but no. All she did is asking that crazy woman if she wanted to commit suicide because of her. What the heck?
Without her friends, this problem NEVER would've been solved, and that's ridiculous! How on Earth she can be a boss if she doesn't realize that her employee promoting products from fashion brands for money? How can someone be a real photographer is she can't see what her employee does? The whole scandal plot was a MESS!
Lastly: the story with their mothers was messed up in the finale, too. She has heart problems, yet they let her work again? Makes zero sense, again!
Thankfully, I could forget it, because the rest of the show was really good. It's a feelgood drama with a good and important message, but Welcome to Samdalri could've been perfect with better writing.
The soundtrack, the directing and the acting were all great, even tho, sometimes the acting was a bit over the top. The REAL drama was top-notch!
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Not the Chinese version remake, light hearted, watchablele
Finished all the episodes today. It was a feel good, light, rom com. Touches thai culture as well, but it feels rushed.Things are rushed at the end, honestly they could have cancelled on the other unnecessary stuff like the time angle or the ta angle.
Also in ep 19-20 it suddenly feels that Dr. Gu Wei Yi became so important that the ending also didn't have the leads alone.
It could have been better but nevertheless it is a good watch
The show is light hearted, has no breakups, no problematic leads, also touches on thai aspects. Overall you can watch, BUT
Don't compare to the Chinese version, because it is different and new, also the leads are good, especially the FL.
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First off, it´s topics. This movie has such an aspect that it pulls off by making dark issues very present but not drilling it home into the viewer's mind of how serious those topics are. For example, the teachers in the movie strictly say that the only thing that matters is getting into college. The main characters aren´t very affected or shook from these statements and the characters don't go on the say something like ¨School systems are shit.¨ The movie lets you think for yourself about its issues without the characters letting you what to think about whatever.
Secondly, the acting and cast. The acting for this was a sheer masterpiece. All of the very intense chases down sense, the fights, and the bullying are all so well done. The actors did such a nice job making the fights look realistic and emotional.
The third reason is the music. There wasn´t much music to really talk about but I found the lack of music to be kind of nice. I really let you hear the tones and feelings in the dialogue whereas it is covered up by music in other dramas. But the few scenes that did have it made it better.
One final reason that this movie is such a work of art is that of its realness. In most BL dramas, things turn out happy for the main character and their love interest. But before people in the real world can form a relationship with someone of the same sex, they have to find out the answer to the question, are they not straight? Almost all the dramas I have seen overlook this question or say that if it wasn´t this person they wouldn´t like the same sex. But this drama shows you that sometimes, things don´t work out like that. Sometimes you are going to be hated on for your sexuality. Sometimes you are going to confess to your crush and they will flat out laugh in your face because they aren´t gay and could never love one of the same sex. This movie shows you what real-world rejection and bullying looks like and it is the main reason I loved this as much as I did.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants some realness in their life. But if you are a person who likes cuteness and softness in your dramas, I don't think this one is for you.
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Fall in love with each other online and offline
If you are looking for a cute and refreshing drama with touch of comedy and dream, then this drama is very recommended!From the beginning, the story is focus on 2 couple, that entangled with each other’s fate.
The main couple bring the story in very cute, sweet and fun romance, and the second couple bring you a bit more mature about love and hate relationship.
Zhou Chuan (Ryan Ding Yuxi) is a popular book author who is known by his fans as warm and gentle as the Jade. He insisted that the role of editors in the internet era is dead, but then he encounters a newby editor who captures his time and attention because of her perseverance: Chu Li (Esther Yu), from Yuan Yue Publishing company.
Both always meet coincidentally in bad timing at first, but as one of fans who admire Zhou Chuan’s book, Chu Li discover that there are two sides of him. He can maintain his cool image, confident and stubborn mind as an author in the public, but actually a cute, childish and indirect person in front of Chu Li and his friend.
Zhou Chuan discovers soon that Chu Li is actually the online netizen “Monkey” who has supported him as L. Jun (Mr. Fox) for many years.
We can see intense chats conversation between the Monkey and Fox who love to quarrel but still maintain their close relationship and sharing many things about every detail in their life like a couple who hide their love towards each other.
I’m still watching this drama now.. but so far I feel excited with the development of the story, especially when a positive, cute & energetic young editor girl is living under 1 roof with the famous author, and slowly fall in love with each other online and offline. Their cute dog Er Gou is a good extras as well.
It’s very sweet to see both leads are chasing their own dream in the same page.. like write a book together, care and support each other in the cutest way. It becomes more interesting with some naughty and cute jealousy scenes and secretly care between author - editor to be landlord - tenant and later.. between boyfriend - girlfriend till husband - wife relationship.
I think the story will teach us about how the male and female lead can grow together while pursue their dream and love.
I’m not really into books, or finish read any book in my life, except comics... But then I feel this drama teach me to respect more about the books production, and I think we really need to appreciate every book author’s hardwork in the world, especially nowadays when people tend to read it online, or even for free. I really wish many people will visit library or book store to buy it and support the authors! :)
The another reason I watch this drama is because I love Actor Ryan Ding and Actress Esther Yu as the main couple!! They are perfectly match to potray the characters that described in the original novel. Love the sweet drama ost (main song) entitled "Here's Chu Li" by The 9 Esther Yu as well.
I wish this drama can be very successful and make their 2nd season! ;)
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Novoland: The Castle in the Sky Season 2
15 people found this review helpful
Jeremy Jones Xu not him per sé but his acting and will be looking for more dramas with him in it. Uvin Wang did an excellent job just like she did in the "Goblin". Wang Zi Qi was also good but his personality changed as the General. The set, the graphics, and the music... "Excellent"!
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A Classy Little Historical BL
I honestly thought Park Jun Hee (Jun of A.C.E.) did a great job with this show. He’s a very fun likable screen presence which you need to hold down a fish out of water portal fantasy. I thought the subs on a Viki were a little difficult to follow (which might have had to do with the flashbacks and tenses of sentences). There is the usual suspension of disbelief required to cope with a time travel fantasy, mainly in the form of anachronisms around materials, props, set dressing, and communication abound. Also, I found the appeal of the prince character difficult to comprehend, we were told regularly how wonderful he was and that everyone adores him but we were never shown this on screen. But these are two minor quibbles in what ended up being a fun, pretty, and stylish BL. Am I more forgiving because I LOVE historical romances? Probubly.It’s nice to see boys in pastel flowing robes actually kiss and get a happy ending for a change. And not just one but two whole kisses! In a historical Kdrama, let alone a KBL. I am all amazement. Plus one of them was the classic through the hat shot. Korea owns this visual, see Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding for the very first BL iteration of a gat kiss on screen.
(That hat is a 갓 AKA a gat, henceforth this shall be known as a gat kiss. I appoint myself its chronicler. )
HOW MUCH DO I WANT A COMEDIC ITERATION WHERE BOTH MEN ARE IN GATS TRYING TO KISS? The great clashing of the gats!
I am well aware that I am ridiculous. But also there are more historicals coming in 2022. That means... more gats!
Anygat, in conclusion, Tinted With You is a fun watch, you should watch it... through your gat, if so inclined.
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A Journey To Heaven... more likely
I don't write reviews often, but in this drama, I felt the urge to just write a piece of my mind.From acting to production, directing, and music... this drama deserved more than 10....
BUT, if I were to value the script itself, ESPECIALLY in the last 6 episodes alone, I would go less than 7.
Here is my spoiler-free, short evaluation:
1. Acting 10/10
Liu Yuning blew my mind with his delivery of Ning Yuan Zhou.
He was the best leader, most charismatic man, and a strong, loyal warrior, brother, and friend. He was a cunning, smart, scheming leader of a spy organization, and a mighty enemy. He was the embodiment of a man that leads others, and when it comes to making hard decisions, despite how it might be against his morals, he doesn't act sanctimonious and hypocritical in the face of it. I truly admire and love how gray his character was.
Liu Shi Shi... She is the best, most unique, charismatic, and the strongest BADA** FL character I have ever seen in Cdrama and I so love how Liu Shi Shi brought Ruyi to life. She is beautiful, incredibly strong, and equally smart and cunning. She knows what she wants and gets it by any means. She isn't a damsel in distress, and she is so multilayered, I am in awe of her character.
Alen Fang... I love, Love Yu Shisan. His three-dimensional portrayal of this unique character: a free, charming, beautiful, playful, and as his own saying 'playboy' character deserves applause, and I will always love Yu Shisan.
The entirety of the other cast, including Chen You Wei and He Lan Dou, were all amazing and perfect in bringing out their roles.
2. Best, just Best love story in the entire cdrama land as of now! 10/10
Ning&Ruyi are the most mature, loving, equal footing, and endearing couple I have ever seen. Their chemistry is on another level and they truly complement each other.
3. Bromance 10/10
I can't say enough of it... it was Phenomenal and on another level entirely. The bromance between Ning & Shisan threw me off the loop. I never expected to see such a wholesome, beautiful display of friendship, comradeship, and brotherhood.
Not to mention the entire squad was just... They were amazing. So caring, understanding, and protective of one another. I laughed and cried with them, and because of them, and I don't regret it. Especially Yuan Lu... my baby!
4. Music 10/10
I don't know the names of other singers except Liu Yuning, but I downloaded the entire OST and play it on loop for hours. They are unbelievably perfect for the drama and magical.
5. plot ?/10
I will say it simple:
episodes 1-34 ---> 10/10
episodes 35-39 ---> 7/10
episode 40 ---> 5/10 (even this is only for the acting of casts, not the plot or story.)
6. Ending WTF
Here is my long rant, and it contains SPOILERS:
When you write a script with a strong start and a driven, AMAZING plot, you are raising the expectation of the audience, and there are certain minefields you just can't cross. Everything about this drama from the start was full of energy, funny, lively, and in a way that made me look forward to the ending day by day.
I knew certain characters wouldn't make it to the end, and I expected it because of the genre of the drama. But still, I had my expectations for this drama. I wanted to get closure regardless of it being a Sad, Happy, or bittersweet ending.
I DEFINITELY didn't want to see an open/ambivalent ending in the last 1 minute of the drama as if the scriptwriter just wanted to force-feed me the ending that made NO SENSE considering the preview sequence of TRAGEDY that we saw.
That ending that, in appearance, wanted to placate the audience and give a supposed happy ending to satisfy everyone did nothing but make me feel like the scriptwriter is treating the audience as fools.
I have seen similar messed-up endings in her other dramas before, but against my better judgment, I just truly wished that this drama would be different from her previous scripts, and I feel like slapping myself for it!
I'm still feeling numb from this ending and in no way feel reconciled with just that 1 minute of supposed HE.
Overall, I still can't say enough of how PHENOMENAL all the cast was. Especially Liu Yuning totally stole my heart with his AMAZING acting, so much so that just because of him and Boss Ning, despite knowing I'm going to cry myself to a headache, I still watched the dram until bitter end because he deserves nothing less.
I have never seen another drama of Liu Shi Shi, but she also turned out to be my favorite actress as of now. She was the embodiment of Ruyi and brought this character to life for me.
The chemistry between Ning and Ruyi was mind-blowing, and I dare to say they top the best couple in dramas of this year, if not the entirety of dramas I have ever seen- the list is endless- but they were just that phenomenal and I never expected a Chinese drama to create such a refreshing, modern, beautiful and equal footing couple, I NEVER expected it, and for that, I'm still shocked.
They are my most favorite couple of drama land as of now.
The other cast that truly stole my breath with his performance was Alen Fang, our dear, dear Yu Shisan. I must say I was surprised since the last drama I saw of him was Lang Ballad and I was SO not a fan of his character there, but he just stole my soul in this drama.
Yu Shisan will forever be the favorite playboy of my heart and I will NOT forget him.
I will still rewatch this drama when my mood is more stable and I can actually watch without crying but only from episode 1- 34
And I recommend everyone to see it because despite the unsatisfactory and shallow ending, this drama is the best of 2023 and perhaps many, many before it. I will definitely follow Liu Yuning's other drams too.
This is the end of my rant.
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In some ways, Majo no Jouken was a predictable roller-coaster ride as the ‘forbidden’ couple struggle to find acceptance in a society that doesn’t legally forbid their love, but certainly doesn’t know how to handle it. However, a variety of side characters add to the battle, including Hirose-sensei’s one time fiancé and Hikaru’s young and possessive single mother. And between these two, we get the feeling that there are some things even sicker and twisted than the relatively innocuous age difference of our show’s main lovers.
On a Technical Note:
This drama had me asking questions I never thought I'd worry about. The amount of time I spent surfing the internet studying Japanese legal age of consent; wondering if Japan really does consider it a psychological disorder for a woman to love a high school age boy; curiosity if Japan would really go to such lengths to depict one of the creepiest mothers ever before hinted at; confusion as to why I could care so much about a couple that seems so destined to suffer one crisis after another...
All fruitless efforts, really. Half mushy, half gritty, Majo's romance was a hot whirlwind of a mess, and not afraid of delving into serious life questions. What does a woman do when her boyfriend is uneducated and unemployed, and how does said boyfriend take care of a woman 9 years his senior? There is no instant maturity, no immediate solutions, and not every expectation will be fulfilled as first it was conceived. Kind of like... life.
I almost find it hard to recommend this, because unless you’re in the mood for a torturous road of almost Kdrama level proportions (though at least not in length), Majo no Jouken is a painful drama to watch. Even the initial sweetness of the romance is very nearly spoiled by a traumatic second half. However, if you love seeing actors portraying their characters well, and those characters being well-handled over the course of the drama, or if you just want to see Tackey back when he was young and adorable (as opposed to the older version which is just plain hot), then I guess you should watch it sometime. ;) And hardships aside, the characters really do make a sweet couple. I say that even remembering just how young he is here. At least that much is quite believable.
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This review may contain spoilers
“Idols Are Human Too ? | Must-Watch Series Review!”
This series was honestly so refreshing 😍! It really shows what people in the entertainment industry go through especially the ones we call idols. There’s so much behind the scenes backlash, pressure, and expectations and this show really brings it out. Most fans don’t realize what idols face, and this series does a great job showing that 💡. I learned so much about the world of entertainment just by watching it.Now, the story. Song‑Yong, the lawyer, is a huge fan of the idol Kim Jae‑Yong 💖. Her love and dedication to him actually kept her going through tough times. I think many of us can relate sometimes, someone we admire keeps us moving forward. But imagine being an idol like Kim Jae‑Yong all the pressure, the expectations, and the backlash 😳. This series really shows it all, and it’s done in such a thoughtful way.
If you watch closely, you’ll see that we sometimes treat idols unfairly, forgetting they are human too. This show is a gentle reminder of that 🫶. Honestly, it’s well-paced, emotional, and very interesting. For anyone new trying it, I can tell you you’ll really enjoy it 💕.
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Quality nuanced content
Listen, I'm not a fan of mini-series shows. They're usually underfinanced, undercasted and don't have enough runtime to properly explore their themes and leave an impression on the audience, I personally view it as a tool utlilised in the industry to make fast, easily consumed content similar to fast food. Nothing wrong with enjoying, fast, consumable and compromised- quality content ( I'm not one to look down on a sixteen hour c-drama where the CEO gets the gal). But it still doesn't make them into "a good memorable drama"."Shall we have a cup of coffee?" has been my favourite mini-series in my eight years of watching and enjoying various types and styles of dramas across five different countries. Each episode goes off on a tangent, with just a hint of conflict and climax near the end ( patiently spoon fed to the audience). It's beautifully filmed and scripted with a very limited but tasteful OST. The actors weren't perfect but they knew what they were doing. They understood what the drama warranted, which made their performances so deeply enjoyable. Each episode was just a like a warm calming cup of coffee or any other drink the reader thinks to be comforting and delicious. Like a small break to take within the fast pace of life to slow down but not drouse, to savour and think. I've learned so much about coffee and I came to care about the characters. Mostly, I fell into awe of how a show can have such little going but still manage to have so much substance. I'll watch this show again, no doubt.
I also wanted to mention how I found the show. The trailer ended up in my youtube algorithm. I clicked it, thinking it was a BL a minute in. Uh. It was not. The company clarified this in the comments as well ( which was very funny to me). Actually there wasn't any romance in it at all. Which is why I didn't wanna watch it. How immersive can another cafe show be? I constantly look for immersive, dopamine boosted shows that'll distract me from my problems ( this usually ends up being romance). I'm so glad I took a chance and watched this. I also know Korea is not forgiving to mainstream actors doing LGBTQ content, so I'm glad netizens can't shit on this show. The chemistry between the actor of the cafe owner and Go-Bi was so insanely good in its inintensity, I'm sure a lot people will think it's a shame. I personally don't mind the father/son relationship they chose on. I enjoyed the amazing one on one chemistry nonetheless.
I spent a lot of time trying to think of a fault this show might have. I tried. I really did.
It's not squid games, it won't give you goose bumps and it won't put you on the edge of your seat. It's supposed to be a dreamy and sweet show, as clearly intended by the creators. It's pretty easy to gage what the show wants you to feel, and it's not trying to be like mainstream, story oriented dramas. The only thing I could think of, is that it must be niche type of content targeted to a specific audience. I don't understand the low ratings for this show, probably because I am exactly the type of viewer this show was made for. Which is why I hope more people learn about this show, and more of these niche viewers can cherish and enjoy this show.
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Kim Hye-soo really never disappoints
Kim Hye-soo really never disappoints. Outstanding performance from Lee Jung Eun and Kim Hye Soo. All the ten episodes of Juvenile Justice will leave a strong impression, there is so much more to the justice that is being served. There is one thing that literally amazes me, that is Shim Eun Seok (Kim Hye Soo) character, her hatred and despise to the young kids who commit a crime, her anger, and her facial expressions every time a kid stands in the trial, felt so real.The ending was so beautiful. I hope there is a season 2.
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This review may contain spoilers
It was NOT the cast that made this bad
I have to say up front that it was NOT the cast that made this whole drama tank - the cast was amazing and they are the only reason I stayed until the last episode. It was the WORST storyline I have ever seen and I have made note of these writers and will not watch anything by them again.Where do I even start? The storyline started out good but what you read in the synopsis is nothing like the drama ended up being. The ML loses his male lead status for at least 70+ episodes as the drama focuses on the supporting character of Ju Hyuk - and at some point his status as supporting character changes to Main Character. Why? I have no idea who allowed that change to be made. but the story dragged on and on and on, ad nauseum, about the FL, Mi Rae, being in love with the cheating, gaslighting, abusive Ju Hyuk, who happened to be her first love. We rarely had any interactions between the two leads that were suppose to end up falling in love and having to fight for their love. The two "leads" - Kang San and Mi Rae - do not even get together as a couple until episode 91 - and the drama is only 121 episodes. The two actors did not have much chemistry - maybe due to the fact that the writers and director didn't have them interact much with each other for over half the drama. The characters that needed background stories for us to understand them more, never had them. The writers clearly hated Kang-San - the character they CREATED. They made him passive, meek, a doormat, and a pushover from ep 1 all the way through ep 121. The synopsis states he would have to fight for his love but we never truly saw that. The only time he came close is when Ju Hyuk was revealed to be the cheater that he was. That lasted about 2-3 episodes., then it was back to being the same Kang-San that had no self esteem and really came across as a loser.
Seo Joon Young tried his best with the terrible script he was given. He did pull out some really great emotional moments that you felt his pain so much as his character struggled day in and day out. SJY really is a great actor and I hope to see him get a ML role that he can sink his teeth into and show us more of his acting ability and ML status. I think he definitely could pull off a better romance drama. Give this guy a passionate, romantic role, please!
Kim Si Eun - I cant say enough good things about this young woman. She honestly stole the show and this girl has an awesome career ahead of her is she chooses to stick to acting. You loved her character Jan-Di and you hated her. From episode 1 - 121 this girl showed a wide range of talent and emotions. I cried, I yelled, and laughed with her. I look forward to seeing her in many more dramas.
I have made note of the Director as well - there were many scenes where I was left scratching my head as to what the director was trying to say in his scenes. So many scenes looked as if it was missing parts - it was jumping from one scene to the next with no continuity at all. There were some scenes that is obvious parts were cut and melded together - again, making no sense. At one point the ML saves Mi Rae from a motorcyclist and ends up unconscious in the hospital and it is said he would be in there for a while and have to wear the neck brace for a while then the next scene appears to be the next morning where he is sitting at the breakfast table with no neck brace and no cast on his arm. There was no indication there was a bit of a time skip or that it could have been a week or two later - it seemed like it was the next morning. Lots of us were like "what happened here?" This happened on several occasions. a lot of the time the video previews at the end of the episodes - scenes from those were never aired.
So I gave the cast and actors a 9.0, but I didn't want to even rate the story because I felt even any rating was too much, but it wouldn't let me leave it blank so I gave the story a 1.0 - If I could give it a negative number I would - that is just how bad the story was. Save yourself the trouble of watching.
**edited to add that Seo Joon Young won an Excellence Award -Actor in a Daily Drama for his role as Kang San, and Kim Si Eun won Best Young Actress Award for her role as Jan Di, at the 2023 KBS Drama Awards. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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A very refined cat and mouse chase.
If you like watching enemy spy dramas, you can watch Peng Xiaoran and Liu Xueyi's #TV series, Unshakable Faith#. The CVB peak of this drama has broken 3. In more than ten episodes, the plot is still quite engaging, and the enemy is so dense that it keeps challenging you, which makes people try to guess endlessly. Let's talk about it briefly.The background is the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, GJ was involved in the major secret project of water fall (submarine construction), and the plot revolves around the protection of experts, anti-security projects and sabotage, and the enemy.
Peng Xiaoran plays the female public security officer Pang Hongmei, who was not very calm at first, a little irrational, and a little underestimated the enemy's cunning, but she was good, vigilant, intuitive, and highly observant, and willing to make up for her shortcomings.
Liu Xueyi is a returned mathematician Ji Danyang, a computer man, mature in appearance but a bit simple like a genius child inside, has not been defeated by the enemy, likes to be free and unrestrained, and has a rebellious psychology against Pang Hongmei's step-by-step attention. However, his mathematical ability has also helped Pang Hongmei solve some cases.
In the special enemy line, the identity of the father and daughter Bai is the core, Kan Suzi plays the second female lead Bai Hui and Ding Yongdai plays Bai Hui's adoptive father Bai Minghan. The father and daughter are constantly involved in various sabotage incidents and are invited for interrogation by the special team from time to time. Bai Hui looks like an innocent little white flower, but as soon as she comes out, some people suspect her. The father, Bai Minghan, the audience in the comments will think he is bad for a while and think he is a good person for a while. In more than a dozen episodes, the identities of the two, father and daughter, are reversed. The change of perspective of the characters that incite us is quite strong.
Pang Hongmei, Bai Hui, and Ji Danyang all have emotional lines, but the emotional lines appear after a dozen episodes, because their focus is mainly on chasing spies or taking care of the development of the submarine.
The plot is not the kind of high-energy brain-burning, nor is it strong logic, but the narrative and pacing are very well controlled, and it always keeps the audience's appetite, and it is quite delicious. If you are interested, you can check it out.
Source:
Medium shade small water
7 hours ago from Rescue Drama Super Talk
https://m.weibo.cn/status/4982818952446762
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