Reviews

Honest bits of gold in a sometimes-befuddled narrative

I really wanted to make this spoiler-free as possible, but there are a few spoilers in this review.

Let me start off by saying this is one of those rare drama where I wanted to hug every single one of our core characters for one thing or another, and in all my drama watching days, I truly don't think that has ever happened. These characters felt real and honest, and I truly cared about each of their plights, albeit in varying degrees. This is very much a character-driven drama.

It's also a drama where I found the dialogue to be so vivid in instances that it would immediately evoke images in my mind as if they were polaroid's. For example, in one of the earlier episodes Zheng Da Qian's father used a pancake metaphor to describe the heart. "Our hearts are like pancakes. You need to open it up before it can hold all the fillings (read: feelings) in it."

Or

When Da Qian asked her mother to paint her toes in the dead of winter in thick, thick layers, so much so, that the polish would remain for months after so that every time she looked at her toes she would remember her mother. Absolutely disgusting visual, but oddly sweet.

Or

When Da Qian and Mu Zi Li were talking about them reuniting decades later when they're old and gray and trembling when they got their marriage license. I pictured them with walkers heading into a city hall of sorts lol.

While on the topic of dialogue and the general script, I just need to give a shoutout to how self-aware the script is and how self-aware the screenwriter wrote our two protagonists, Da Qian and Zi Li. This was not a drama where our protagonists expected to change anything for their present or future life. They were completely aware that this was not their world (more Da Qian than Zi Li for the first half of the drama). That in all possibilities, this could very well be a dream, so whether they woke up or returned, nothing would change.

This was a drama about closure for Da Qian and possibly self-discovery for Zi Li. This made watching their actions almost tangible, more so than watching characters in similar dramas who believe that this fantastical thing they're experiencing is real and they can incur changes to their present or future when 99% of the time we as the audience know that it'll end as a dream or coma. This made the situations in this drama that our protagonists, their families, and other characters were in feel much less abstract and rooting for them to overcome obstacles much more tangible.

Speaking of obstacles, for the most part, a fair number of them didn't feel stupid or trivial. In general, this drama wasn't bogged down by problem after problem. The problems that were presented I could understand on some level. I totally understood the confusion Zi Li had about his feelings for "Baihe" Da Qian after his memories returned. I understood why he pulled away because he knew that he was 100% in love with his world's Da Qian. I understood why other characters thought Da Qian was different, but Zi Li, even without his memories, thought that she was the same as always because she was in fact the same Da Qian he's always known. I understood the brief rift between Da Qian and Mi Lan when her dad was taken advantage of even if he played his own part. The way problems were handled with levels of care from not only the scriptwriter, but also the characters, made wading through the problems do-able.

That's another thing, even if there was a problem between characters or obstacles presented, the characters at the core cared about the others. They'll be mad their father was taken advantage of, but they'll make efforts to find a person they hold responsible as a rag-tag group in the middle of the night in a snowstorm. They'll come back home after experiencing what feels like disappointment after disappointment with a husband who won't try, even swearing it's a good thing if something happened to him, after the husband goes missing. They'll continue to put up the ruse with someone who doesn't want them to know they're dying from last-stage prostate cancer because the last thing they need to do is comfort them. Or they'll trudge through a snow-filled forest for hours to find someone they told to find a place and die because it's something they said in he heat of the moment because they've worked their butt off to find them a job they're just willing to throw away. Or they'll ask to forgo chemotherapy to go home because it's hopeless and all they want to do is be with the person they love.

I've watched a ton of dramas in my years, but I don't think I've come across a heroine with such a deep-level of empathy as Zheng Da Qian (at least in the c-dramas that I've watched). She's stubborn, but also empathized with pretty much every character and actively tried to repair relationships that had nothing to really do with her. This drama required a lot of dramatic scenes from Qiao Xin and she did extremely well here. Her crying scenes were so good and so heartbreaking for me. But not just her, everyone had their moments to completely shine and you empathized with all of the core characters. No character was perfect and that's why they felt lived in and resonated with me so well. So much heart this drama had and some truly beautiful moments.

As far as the romance, it was there, it was good, but it never felt like it was at the forefront of the drama so I'm not gonna put it at the forefront of the review. In fact, there were a couple different developments for potential relationships, but that's not really what this drama is about so going into this expecting some grand romantic plot will probably lead to disappointment.

Before I wrap this up, I also appreciated how both Da Qian's changed things for each other, repairing relationships, With this drama it felt like plot points weren't just left hanging in either worlds (even if we spent the majority of out time in the Baihe world). Every plot point got proper endings even if they weren't wrapped up in nice little bows. Not everything in life is wrapped up pretty.

So often fantastical dramas like this fall under the weight of the parameters of the world that they built, but happily, this did not. The ending made sense. Everything must eventually return to its rightful place. This is not a time-travel drama so this is how it got around Chinese censorship and this already puts it ahead of a lot of it's predecessors in my book. The idea of changing things not for you to enjoy the fruits of your labor, but for another you is beautiful.

As far as the befuddled narrative I mentioned at the beginning, I personally didn't care for the plot line with Zheng Da Qian's ex, no matter how brief it was, it was unnecessary imo. Since this is the only thing that I really feel the need to nitpick, this drama did pretty damn well for me. I did struggle with whether or to I wanted to give this drama an 8.5 or 9 rating and I decided to go up to 9 because of how emotionally invested in the characters I was.

This drama has a lot of heart, characters to root for, and it's goddamn funny to boot!

Read More

If I'm honest, I think I liked the message more than the show...

"Hello, Me!" is a drama I have mixed feelings about. Although I did love the concept and self-love theme a lot, I could feel myself losing interest in this drama towards the end. In spite of dealing with serious things like grief and guilt, this drama tries to stay lighthearted and "feel good" which I think stopped it from becoming as deep as it could've been. I think playing it too safe and relying on tropes is what made me less excited about what was going to happen, but there was still a lot that I did like, and I'm glad I eventually watched it until the end.

I'll start with Ban Ha Ni, played by Choi Kang Hee. I think she is a great actress, and this character reminded me a bit of her role in "Heart to Heart", which I really liked, but one petty thing was driving me crazy. Sorry, but I just couldn't believe she was 37. Since so much about this drama is about her age, as opposed to Lee Re who is Ban Ha Ni at 17, I just kept wishing they bumped the time difference up to 25 years, which would have been way more realistic. Still, I did like the idea of the major contrast between her past self and current self and thought they were a great match. Lee Re is super cute and obnoxious but likable, which is the perfect contrast to Kang Hee's passive and worn-down version of Ha Ni. I won't go into the details of how and why their paths cross, but the idea of not being a disappointment to your past self was an inspiring theme, and what kept me initially engaged. Many of Ban Ha Ni's moments, at both ages, are silly and over the top which stops the story from ever getting too heavy, but I think that also backfired and made the story feel too repetitive and cliché at times. Convenient connections and "fated" situations became this drama's crutch. I appreciate that this drama wasn't too dark, or depressing, but the over the top comedy was sometimes too much.

Speaking of balance, this drama also stars Kim Young Kwang as Han Yoo Hyun, who was my favorite character even if his storyline was all over the place. He also played a similar role in Pinocchio (another favorite drama of mine) as a spoiled rich heir who is still sweet and considerate. In this drama he thankfully isn't the second lead. He's also cute and cheesy in "The Secret Life of My Secretary", so this is definitely his lane, but any romance in "Hello, Me!" is definitely just implied and that was very disappointing. The chemistry between him and Kang Hee is cute but super platonic. They have cute teamwork moments, and the way he supports Ha Ni is like a loyal puppy more than a love interest. I guess I'm glad they didn't force the romance idea too much, but I wish they made them clearly just friends instead. Any small attempts at romance between the two just seemed too awkward, and forced. He did make me smile whenever he was on screen, which was another thing that kept me watching even when I stopped caring. He has such a great smile! More than with Ha Ni I loved his chemistry and banter with his dad, played by Yoon Joo Sang. Some of my favorite scenes in this drama were random moments between the two of them more than any moment between the leads. If romance is your reason for watching this, definitely lower those expectations.

The rest of the cast was also good but because so much of the story lacked depth so did many of their performances. Ha Ni's classmates and family are all great. Eum Moon Suk as Anthony is considered a lead, maybe even an intended 2nd lead, but as much as his story works as a direct counter narrative to Ha Ni's story, I just never cared as much about him and what happened to him. I also didn't really care about the drama in Yoo Hyun's family, beyond his back and forth with his dad, the fighting for company control trope felt really out of place in this drama. Then there is one Shaman character who feels completely unnecessary. A character that weird and random should have had much better scenes. In contrast, I adored the lunch lady duo. In fact I liked them way more than many of the more prominent characters.

Would I watch this again? I don't think so. I didn't even feel motivated to finish this drama but I still wanted to know what would happen to Ha Ni. I do feel like that part of the story ended well, and I was satisfied with that, but the ways that so many other parts of the drama were resolved were extra corny and predictable. I feel like maybe to counter the sad parts they made sure the ending was extra positive, which felt a little like overkill. I only learned after watching that this was a novel so I'm curious which parts were added to fill in the 16 episodes, because that's what a lot of it felt like.

Overall this drama is Ok. I think I liked the message and idea of the show more than watching all of the episodes. Some parts made me laugh, and some parts made me really cry, and I loved the theme of making peace with who you are no matter what. I wouldn't call this a must see drama by any means, but there are enough good things about it to make me recommend this to anyone looking for something that's not too deep or completely frivolous. If you're a scene skipper, this is the kind of drama that has many skippable scenes. Also, if you are on any kind of diet beware! Snacks and snack love are a major factor in this drama, which felt a little overdone, but I can appreciate the sentiment as a snack lover. This drama itself is kinda like a snack more than a meal. It may not be filling but if you're in the mood for comedy sprinkled with nostalgia and self reflection and with just a slight (very slight) hint of romance it might just hit the spot.

Read More

Prescribing a dose of hope

Every so often in drama land, I would come across a gem of a drama that’s so low key, unassuming and totally under the radar. This drama truly is one of those rare gems, and I’m so fortunate and glad to have discovered it. When I chanced upon this show, I thought it was going to be similar to say Doctors (SK), Surgeons (China) or even Grey’s Anatomy (US), but with the focus on pharmacists instead of doctors, which piqued my curiosity because it’s never been done before as far as I’m aware. It turned out to be so much more than that.

Unsung Cinderella is adapted from the manga series "Unsung Cinderella Byoin Yakuzaishi Aoi Midori" by Mamare Arai. I’ve not read the manga but because of how fantastic this show is, I might just be tempted to pick up the manga, which comprises 5 volumes and still ongoing at the time of writing. This is a story about the pharmacist Aoi Midori’s experiences working at Tatsuya General Hospital. Unlike her colleagues including her peers and the higher ranked health care staff such as doctors and nurses, Midori has a big heart of gold and she’s not afraid to show it, even at the expense of crossing the boundaries of expected code of conduct and hospital regulations. She doesn’t treat her patients merely as case files, but she views them as human beings with unique circumstances and who are in need of genuine care and concern, beyond the routine impassive facade and superficial interaction when administering medication. Going beyond her scope of duty in no way diminishes her professionalism, and over the course of 11 episodes we see how her unorthodox approach actually brings added value that benefits those under her care.

Do not be fooled thinking that this drama is purely goodness and heart. From the very first minute in episode 1, I was completely caught off guard by the fast and furious action. Every episode addresses a particular medical condition concerning certain patients and is filled with action packed and fast paced scenes involving life and death situations, before slowing down to focus on the complexities of human drama. This episodic procedural format works very well by incorporating enough urgency and agency that it never gets dull or monotonous, while cases are neatly resolved within each episode.

The overarching storyline and the different cases are very creatively conceived, while the main and supporting characters are superbly written to be realistic and relatable that I cannot help but empathize with them and hence become totally invested in the show. Kudos to Mamare Arai for creating this masterpiece, and the screenwriter for adapting it into this well made production.

The producers couldn’t have selected a better cast for this production. This is my first time seeing Ishihara Satomi in a drama, having seen her in various films over the years and what a talented actress she is. She brings to life the role of Midori and in fact, she does resemble the manga character to a certain degree. Her ability to convey the nuances in the emotional moments as well as her portrayal of a health care professional is utterly convincing to me. Narita Ryo’s Onozuka Ryo is also very interesting as his role is probably the most layered and multidimensional among all the characters, with a depiction of conflicted emotions within a somewhat tortured soul, especially at the initial stages. The many guest stars also add much colour to the production with their respective portrayals of patients and their families who carry the burden of pain and suffering. I honestly thought everybody did such remarkable work, even the child actors for that matter.

Overall, this drama has been an emotional ride personally for me. I hardly ever watch slice of life but this drama has done an amazing job of depicting the despair that patients of chronic illnesses go through, only to emerge with hope and optimism, thanks to our heroine, Midori. The beautifully crafted poignant moments throughout the series certainly bring out a tear or two, I admit. I’m aware that there are concerns or even criticism over perceived lack of realism in certain scenes, which perhaps do have some merit. However, being based on a manga, I understand that this drama isn’t too engrossed in the finer details and technicalities on the roles of pharmacists and hospital administration, and I can accept that. I have truly enjoyed this live adaptation and the performance by the cast. Give this show a chance, and I think you would too.

Read More

Lots of mystery, suspense, and great acting! Waiting for the second season

Particularly, I am not used to watch mystery and suspense movies and series, but I confess that I decided to watch this series because it has some actors that I like a lot.
At first, I thought I would not like it, but the acting of each one of the characters is so good that it caught me in the story and aroused my curiosity. And of course, each character has their own particular issue, which makes it even more interesting.
Watching this series, I felt all kinds of emotions possible.
Each character aroused a different feeling in me. I felt a lot of anger in several moments with the character Anan, who always likes to keep control over everything and everyone, and give orders, without taking into consideration the opinion and feelings of others, regardless of whether they are colleagues or girlfriends. The moments that touch me the most are the scenes with Krit, Jack and his sister Jan, they were amazing in every scene and have a lot of chemistry, it's really involving, I cried a lot! And also, I felt very tense in several other scenes with other actors.
There are many moments and situations that leave us confused, but, considering that it is a series of mystery and suspense, it is normal, right? And also, we have an open ending, which leaves us with a lot of expectation for a second season.
I hope that in the future there will be a second season with all the same cast, and I wish a different ending for Krit and Jack.

Read More

Dai Gao Zheng

I will shamelessly admit I watched this drama for the ML Dai Gao Zheng. Standing still with those smoldering, soulful gazes and his kissing scenes. He's simply gorgeous. The SML and the brother were easy on the eyes as well, but their characters were not appealing to me at all.

Equally unappealing was the FL. Whether it was the way her character was written or her acting, it's hard to tell. There was very little chemistry between she and the sizzling ML. He carried all the intimate scenes on his own. After a while I wished I could have muted every time she said his name (which was almost the entire dialogue for Episode 22. The writers must have run out of lines for her). The character was silly and clueless and just plain blah, and she played it that way.

The story itself had promise, DGZ could have done a little more acting and the villain could have been a little more dimensional than he was. He was just so bitter I couldn't feel any pity for him. And the female character attached to the brother was kind of one-dimensional herself. Not interesting at all.

So... if you're looking for a riveting story with award-winning acting, this isn't it. However, the eye candy is well worth it, and there is a lot of that!

Read More

The cycles of history

Set during the latter half of the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Swords into Plowshares endeavors to condense several decades of turmoil into a cohesive story. For the most part, it succeeds as a well-produced historical epic, anchoring the story around a few historical figures - Qian Chu of Wuyue, his wife Sun Taizhen, Zhao Kuangyin of Song and Guo Rong (Chai Rong) of Later Zhou.

The first 12 episodes or so are some of my favorite - bold, devastating and moving in its depiction of the wanton slaughter and abuse of the common people as the Central Plains exchanged one ruler for another. There are also moments of human triumph some to arise out of that destruction and usher in a semblance of peace and order. But mankind is fickle, and human nature is not easily overcome. Until the final frame, our main characters face struggle after another in order to bring about a "year of peace."

A few historical figures are unfortunately whitewashed to fit an overall narrative of unifying the lands for peace, but the drama is overall still a respectable attempt to faithfully depict an often overlooked period of Chinese history. The script at its best waxes philosophical regarding varying viewpoints regarding human governance, and its strong use of classical Chinese is a much needed breath of fresh air in this age of idol dramas. It may too dense for some, but the cast deftly bring their characters to life, and one can simply follow their emotional journey fairly well even if much of the detail in the dialogue escapes them.

As a longtime enjoyer of historical dramas - from any country or language - I hope to see more in this vein from C drama land.

Read More

STORY: This time it's really all about dealing with being a couple and families who are vehemently opposed. There are very heavy-hitting dramatic scenes in this that threaten the very existence of the couple. There are light-hearted moments also. In fact, wait until Mai Ding meets An Zi Yan's grandfather! I laughed so hard!

Total run-time: 3h, 21m. I saw this on YouTube, look for the HD versions, under the title Like Love 2.

ACTING/CAST: Superb, all around. The performances by the cast that played the families was fantastic.

MUSIC: Standard music for a drama.

REWATCH VALUE: Oh yeah, gonna watch it with a friend.

OVERALL: A very satisfying continuation of the story. Don't forget to watch the outtakes! Also, these guys have a lot of fan service so check that stuff out. Also check out the Like Love shorts, He's Next to You.

TL;DR: The relationship is threatened by families on both sides, and the boys must persevere.

Read More

So this drama can be finished in a night. Trust me once you'll start this you'll feel like they are opening the secrets or the identities really fast what are they going to show in the rest of the episodes and ultimately you'll be hooked up. If you watch suspense/ mystery or crime dramas then guessing the things won't be difficult and your 90% guesses would be right. It was fun to watch this. the writer has very nicely + logically wrapped the whole story. Though you'll feel ditched while watching last 20 minutes of the drama [ I won't spoil for you, when you'll see you'll get to know what I was talking about] but still it was worth watching. I guess there is no need to tell about the plot cause it's pretty clear from the synopsis. I forgot to add one thing, after watching first 2 to 3 episodes you may feel that the female lead's way of revenge is exaggerated but because of this do not drop the drama cause you'll get the answer of this exaggeration. Okay I won't write more or else I'll spoil a good show.

I had never seen any of the main leads earlier so for me there acting skills were unexpected, I'm really really impressed and now would like keep the track of their dramas.

Enough with the review, if you were planning to watch or this drama was on hold then what are you waiting for you should give it a try!!

Read More

Seriously, after finishing the movie, just before the credits all I could say was 'waah, Daebak!' The writing and scenarios were gold. You think you know the plot, but then PDnim/writernim twists it and you're left laughing out loud. I was genuinely shocked at times, and I think that's what catapulted this to a 10 instead of a 9. It's not really a funny cop movie. The ensemble cast was perfect, with Jung Jaeyoung leading naturally in his "quirky yet straight man" role. Son Byungho's charisma shone through even when he had few lines. The rest of the cast played their roles to the hilt- milking every gag, compressing tension -adding an absurdist feel to the film. If you like comedy then you have to watch this. The romance is light but you won't miss it -I promise this even though romcoms are my favorite genre.

Bottom line: Going By the Book is a slightly twisted comedy featuring an affable and quirky hero (who's actually a villain -sorta), that you have to see!

Read More

Okay so I watched because of Kwon Sang Woo, if you've seen 'Bad Love' then you'll know the reason. Now the drama:

Kwon Sang Woo- I know his dramas are really great and his emotional scenes are heartfelt. whenever he cried I cried and when he was happy I smiled. the love he has for Choi Ji Hoo (Jung Suh) believing in their love from children, although he was not sure if she would believe him when he said he loved her, cause they were kids and he was questioning the meaning of love, his love for her is astounding. Even when she was 'supposed to be dead' he would not give up and he kept her in his heart.

This drama is about a never-ending love of 2 people who believed that as long as you love each other it does not matter the time you are separated from each other, your heart would always find a way back to each other.

Some scenes I did not agree with, what's with having a relationship with the person your family member was dating? That's so wrong on all accounts. It should matter, it they were intimate, you do not date your relatives past or present lovers. that said -

Shin Hyun Joon (Tae Hwa) the step-brother, after seeing his love for Jung Suh I tried to understand his feelings and after a while I was at a point that I could sympathize with him. Jung Suh, was the first person to show him love, to give him a birthday present, to actually reach out to him as a person, so I could understand the reason he was so attached to her, although it was a bit too much at a point.

This drama is for all mother's to watch so you know the way not to bring up your children. Lee Hwi Hyang (Tae Mira) the evvil step-mother (yes, it needs 2 v's)and kim Tae hae (Yu Ri)
I wanted to hurt these two. really hurt them. I cried until there were no sounds coming out of mouth at the level of evil these two did. And I know it's just a drama which ends at episode 20, but my heart refused to accept that at one point. I had to really take a break and listen to some music before I could continue again.

The drama was worth all the time, tears, smiles, cursing, everything as it has a very good ending. the OST is good also.
So if you like romance, suspense, and everything else then you'll have fun watching this, just be prepared to cray a lot in between, but there are some very good moments, very good, and that makes the rest of the tears worthwhile. This drama is worth 100% in total value.
Enjoy!

Read More

Cuteness incarnate

Recently, thai bls are ferociously betting on cuteness and it pays off: just see the success of My School President! Well, Our Winter is somewhere along the same lines.
Story is very simple: two Thai boys meet in Korea in wintertime and they spend some time together and fall in love. THE END
These are 14 short vignettes giving us every step of falling in love: from meet cute by accident to happily ever after. And all along flogging drinks and brand winter clothing! Product placement and the whole shabang!
Korea is stunningly beautiful under the snow. The actors are cute and oozing chemistry. And the way their relationship deveop is cute!
So this is basically a cute 14 minutes to enjoy and that will make you smile!
What more can you ask from such a microseries?

Read More

!MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!

Main couple? If you've seen the previous seasons, it's basically the same concept; they break up, FL got locked in a room and ML saved her, new love rival, but with the campus setting.
At least the female had learned how to stand up for herself

Side characters are more interesting, i really like A-Hoon and Ji-Seong.
A-Hoon is a cutie, who makes the drama more comedic. I really like his interaction with Ji-Seong.
Ji-Seong and A-Ra, i didn't expect them to be together after what happen in season 2. Same with Seung-Hyun and YuNa, i never expect this couple would happen.
Seol and Ju-Ho, after 2 seasons they finally together... At first, i don't agree with how Seol making Ju-Ho experience unrequited love. But seeing how she used to pursue Ju-Ho. I think he deserves it. I was waiting for either Young-Dae/Ju-Ho to have a kiss scene with Seol. But instead of with Seol, we got a scene of them accidentally kiss each other.

Tbh Hyewon is still lacking in terms of expression. She basically had the same look from the beginning to the end. Well, sometimes she smiled a bit. It's still acceptable, after all this drama were her first work.
As for Wonpil and Hyunsuk, they pull off their role.

The crossover with Light on Me and Be My Boyfriend's character was funny. I mean... before i checked the actors profile i didn't realize that some cast of LOM had appeared in Best Mistake too. Especially Choe Chan Yi, i really liked him as Ji-Seong ever since i watch this drama. But i didn't realize he's the same guy who played as Da-On.

I don't really notice the music
But the quality/cinematography was good.

However i can't help but think that this drama should've ended with the 2nd season. I feel like this season only filled with cringey draggy plot.

Overall, it's worth watching if you only want to see your bias's acting. Just remember to watch it with 2× speed, throw the logic away, and enjoy the ride!

Read More

I had been waiting to watch this one for a while and, let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

Before starting let me just put out there that I haven't read the manga yet, so this review is solely based on the drama. However, I'll point out that the drama does a good job of making people want to read the source material, if they haven't.

This story starts in an aftermath, where many stories would end. You have a divorced father, who recently lost his twin brother, a little girl navigating her parents' separation and a widower brother-in-law who comes into their lives for the first time, after his husband's passing. Still, even though the events that lead to this setting are sad and filled with regret, the drama is not centered on that, but in the re-building of a family and the search of happiness.

The drama could have gone melodramatic so easily, and it could have used the subjects it portrays for gratuitous suffering, but it never does. It deals with stuff like bullying, homophobia, grief, separation anxiety and letting go, but it always does so respectfully and with emotional maturity.

It could have also turned preachy or superficial, considering that Yaichi (performed by Sato Ryuta) isn't gay and is left to understand the life of his brother who was, and to navigate his relationship with the brother-in-law he is meeting for the first time. Yaichi, being not only the protagonist but a kind of ambassador to Mike, who is a foreigner and a stranger in many ways to their community, could have very easily turned into a 'ally savior' trope. But there are well crafted elements throughout the story, instances of development and conversations with Mike and other characters, that allow for this show to be a great combination between a mature lgbtq+ narrative, a wholesome family story and a way to put out there subjects into conversation that the audience the drama was aiming to might have not seen in this way before.

Also, absolute stand out thing to me that I was not expecting is the way in which Yaichi's relationship with Natsuki, his ex wife, was written and performed. It's complex yet very simply human but it's not demonized or made into a him vs her situation with their daughter in the middle, like a lot of dramas with divorce tend to do.

The kids in this are adorable, btw.

All in all, wholesome, bittersweet yet with a positive spirit and an ultimate message of family, I would absolutely recommend. The only bad thing is that it's only 3 episodes long.

Read More

Have to be a fan

I don't think this show deserves such a low rating. It is a simple story but with an innovative storyline, not the trope Kdrama or Kmovie plot that we see so much of. A Kdrama-loving Ahjumma who speaks no Korean is lost in SKorea. It's more than just a-fish-out-of water story. It deals with deeper issues of living in a big city - the dislocation and isolation that elderly parents feel - experiences that both people who live in big cities like Seoul and Singapore can similarly identify with. [Aside: I certainly wouldn't call her relationship with her son "estranged" as the synopsis describes. It's just a normal mother-son relationship in a busy big city.]

However, you really have to be a fan of Kdramas and perhaps more importantly, identify as Singaporean to really fully understand the in-jokes and appreciate the context of the movie. There's a real kick from watching a Singaporean actress, who is a household name that many of us grew up with, acting in a Korean production starring a few stars that many of us are now fan-girling. In particular, I get a real kick out of listening to Kang Hyung Suk speaking rather impeccable Mandarin for a non-native speaker.

Would I watch this again? Probably not. It was good enough but certainly not an Oscar-winning movie. It gave me a sense of home and also fun to see a linkage to my self-professed adopted culture. It is a good fun ride if you leave your heart switched on but switch off your brain. Just go for the ride.

Read More

surprisingly good

I was worried after the first episode that it was going to be too over the top with the yelling and the pettiness. But it soon settled and I enjoyed the way they developed the characters, and we got to know them and what drives them, how they ended up in the situation they are in. This drama flowed pretty fast with only 13 half hour episodes, so it didn't get bogged down by a lot of useless stuff. But the ending did wrap up abruptly and very tidily, which I was both annoyed with and somehow was ok with - one more episode might have rounded it out to fill out the ending more properly. I'm not mad at it though.

I have waited so long for Jung Woo to be a romantic lead again after Reply 1994 - and I was not disappointed! Oh Yeon Seo, who I've only enjoyed watching in Korean Odyssey, did a really good job in this. She nailed this role. I enjoyed the side characters - especially 'Samantha'. The neighborhood busy-bodies were nosy and jumped to conclusions, but I liked that they apologized when they knew they were wrong and tried to make things right. That made them endearing rather than irritating.

This was just a nice healing type of drama and would be great for a quick watch some rainy weekend!

Read More