There were times the acting was very off, especially with Victoria, she seemed to only express sadness and Johnny could barely show any emotion on his face. The writing was sometimes sloppy, with too many unnecessary moments, so much time was wasted on the ex-friends when I wish they could've fleshed out Qianhua/Zhaosong a bit more and they glossed over the r*pe scene after it happened.. Felt like Wangxuan was an addition that wasn't necessary – they didn't even treat her character right! I liked the use of flashbacks, it was interesting to see how everything has changed from then to now. Except episode 24 - a flashback to the 80s/90s of Pipi's parents were extra weird, but I guess it was done to provide Johnny with much needed extra screentime.
Despite these flaws, I still liked the drama – throughout the series, I liked the interactions of the characters, especially the two boys and Xiaoju - which gave us the right amount of humour. The pacing was good, issues weren't dragged out and sorted in appropriate timing.
Now the ending. Felt like they completely ignored everything that happened and did a 180 on what viewer's wanted and expected. Bad writing and bad execution. Barely tied any loose ends. Awkward time jump. Like, there were mention of the south/north war - but now that he's a fox/human without powers or memories, what are the fox clan left to do? Meeting of Helan Xi and Pipi after six months was awkward and could have been executed much better.
Was this review helpful to you?
Shine or Be Mad
45 people found this review helpful
1This review may contain spoilers
About prince Wang So of Goryeo. A love story with wit, charm & affection. Makjang alert. Toxic, too
First of all: "Shine or Go Crazy" is a love story from head to toe with all the trimmings. Nevertheless, it is also about the dazzling historical figure of Wang So - King Gwangjong from the early hours of the Goryeo era. Thus it is a beautiful character study about the young prince, who at last became king, but who had by far not been the preferred prince of choice as far as the future throne was concerned. How did HE happen to become not only king but such an outstanding one as well - one who is NOT automatically (as so often) a jumping jack for his ministers, eunuchs and palace ladies? Who or what motivated and inspired his rather grounded, almost visionary, innovative, citizen-oriented policies?This KDrama offers a (possible) answer to history, as well as an epic love story, playfully sprinkling disguise of origin and confusion of gender.
----------------- SIDE NOTE: --- Wang So, 4th son of Goryeo King Wang Geon, and later King Gwangjong
During his 26-year reign at the end of the first millennium, King Gwangjong laid solid foundations for the next four centuries. To this end, he introduced some popular reforms for the common people (yet unpopular among the nobility). Above all, these concerned slavery. Additionally he instituted the national civil service exam, which allowed people to serve the country according to their ability. Introduced during his reign, too, were so-called "Daebi-won" - medical centers for the free care of the poor. Finally, he secured the borders of the empire with military measures. Throughout, he consistently had to deal with opponing noblemen ... and eliminated them uncompromisingly. "Shine or Go Crazy" is a dignified multimedia monument to his rulership, that in general rather focused on the needs of his ordinary citizens than aristocracy.
The KDrama "Shine or Go Crazy" (as well as "Moon Lovers" who deals with King Gwangjong, too), offers a conclusive explanation for this King´s particular career. Whether this is historically justified by sources, I could not find out yet. In any case, Prince Wang So becomes tangible and understandable with the help of this fictional setting: The KDramas tell his story as at a young age being banished from the palace and sent to the mountains - thus hopefully avoiding a bloody prophesy from coming true. There he lived a life beyond the palace intrigues, yet close to nature and its existential everyday struggles for survival. Like that, his everyday life inevitably came quite a bit closer to that of the ordinary people of his time. This socialization in 'freedom' and largely grounded normality shaped him in a completely different way than his (numerous) direct and indirect siblings within the palace walls and thus makes him a resolute and popular monarchical free spirit. At the same time, this lays the right foundation for placing a completely unorthodox, unexpected and inspiring commoner´s love at his emotional side. Like that the fictional K-Drama helps to on the one hand understand the sharp edges of his disappointment because of parental rejection as well as his self-doubt due to his curse. On the other hand, however, this is balanced by down-to-earth experience of authentic affection and love. Historically true or not, the extrordinary historic personality of prince Wang So is painted in an impressively tangible, comprehensible way.
------------------- SIDE NOTE --- Trading at the time ---
An aspect of historical detail that's (in general rarely) brought into focus in "Shine or Go Crazy", too, is the importance of thriving international trade at the end of the first millennium. Throughout Korean history, life on the peninsula (not only, but also in KDrama) is rather isolated and self-centered. In this story, at least, business relationships with the immediate neighbors and with the rest of the world are given some space, at least to some extent.
-------------------- SIDE NOTE --- Balhae / Late Balhae
Also rarely a topic in the focus of KDrama is the Korean history BEFORE Goryeo - the time of the three kingdoms Silla, Goguryeo and Baekje. In "Shine or Go Crazy," the female protagonist is a princess from the Late Balhae Kingdom in what is now Manchuria. This dates back to one of five kingdoms that in 37 BC united to form the kingdom of Goguryeo. The first Goryeo King Wang Geon (posthumously Taejo) at his time attempted to reconquer the former territories of the original Goguryeo Empire and thus set his kingdom on proven, solid ground. Balhae being one of them, had previously fallen victim to the Para-Mongolian Kitan. Some (many) Koreans from ancient Goguryeo, who formed the ruling Balhaen elite, escaped to Goryeo - with the crown prince, the nobles and parts of the population. The female lead is set in this context (and also personally associated with an alarming (fictitious) prophecy regarding the future of her people.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back to the (love) story between the 4th son of Goryeo King Wang Geon and the Balhaean princess, who is an independent prosperous business woman.
In proven KDrama style, there are subplots with their own stories and characters with their own motives, who courageously get involved in the (love) life of Prince Wang So. The political stage is intransigently characterized by malevolent power intrigues. There aren´t any scruples anywhere. Upright people hardly exist, loyalty and dependence being mixed up and confused. There's a lot of bad stuff going on everywhere. It gets pretty ´toxic´, too.
Set in this context is the affectionately and also humourously told relationship of young prince Wang So with a smart, proficient, quite self-confident lady in a double role in disguise as young man. These encounters inspire and enhance Wang So´s pragmatic world view. The dynamic between them is fun to watch - with wit and charm, since his queen of hearts is sometimes hidden behind a veil and sometimes in men's clothes. At times, Wang So has to seriously doubt his gender orientation (... not that this would have deterred him...).
Ah. Yes. The ending... Reviews I had read often blamed the ending. I was ready for the worst. Probably that was a good thing. Like that I was pleasantly surprised as I had expected even worse. In fact, whether I liked it or not, the ending made quite a lot of sense to me. (After all, this is about a historical character - the prince becomes king and has an archetypal task that is greater than himself - during his reign, Gwangjong sets the course for future generations.) Nevertheless, KDrama land even got us a little candy at the very end, too.
My criticism, however, refers to the soundtrack! Unfortunately, this is the first time I definitely have to complain! Shallow songs can have their time, I don´t mind. But in this case (at least in my acustic sound system) as soon as romantic vibes gently started to develop, an inappropriately dull, meaningless song (in my perception) acustically dominated the scene and thus insensitively destroyed each and every moment (again and again). A real shame! (I would like to hope, that this was just due to my technical device...)
Was this review helpful to you?
Homecoming
Hometown is a psychological thriller that revolves around three main characters; police detective Choi Hyung In, convicted mass murderer Jo Kyung Ho, and his estranged sister Jo Jyung Hun. The premise is based on the preliminary investigation of a murder case which escalates into the search for a missing schoolgirl and subsequently the mystery surrounding the abduction of her classmate. Both events spark an explosive chain of events with wide-reaching implications for their family, friends and the community they belong to.Originally an OCN production, it was eventually broadcast by sister channel, TVN. Directed by Park Hyun Suk (Stranger 2) based on the screenplay by Cho Hyun Hoon. Initially credited via his pseudonym of Joojin, the screenwriter was removed from the production credits altogether once his real identity had surfaced which resulted in controversy and public backlash due to his past sexual harrasment case. Choi Seong Gwon is engaged as the composer for the drama.
What to watch out for
The story is set in 2000 with a re-telling of events taking place in 1999 and frequent flashbacks to multiple timelines in the 1980s, particularly to a terror attack on a bus terminal in 1987. The storytelling is non-linear for the most part, which utilises parallel and converging plots based on the shared narrative of the three POV characters.
The eponymous hometown refers to the fictional town of Saju which is located in Gyeongsangnam or South Gyeongsang province. Nearly all characters in this drama speak the distinctive Gyeongsang dialect, as opposed to the central dialects (Seoul or Gyeonggi) that most viewers are perhaps used to.
Elements of mystery and horror are present throughout but, rather than outright terror and fright, the drama projects an overall eerie, ominous and psychologically disturbing aura. By the time the halfway point is reached, if not earlier, viewers should be quite aware of the direction of the story.
Expect trigger warnings in the form of drug references, abuse and bullying, as well as some violence resulting in depictions of blood and gore in certain scenes.
What I Liked
I enjoyed the storytelling approach which feels distinctively neo noir in terms of the visual language, compelling dialogue and the variety of complex characters written in the screenplay. We have the hard-boiled detective who does the nitty gritty legwork, the charismatic yet sinister psychopathic mass murderer and the frantic family member of the victim. Add to that an extremely detailed worldbuilding and a whole host of intriguing side characters ranging from the questionably dubious to the downright bizarre that make their truly disquieting presence felt.
The first 8 episodes of the drama felt the most captivating for me. This is largely because of the mystery surrounding the events at play and the infusion of a rather horrific scene that reeled me in right from the start. It is also during this stage that I found myself still able to sufficiently keep track of the happenings which connect the dots to the grand scheme of things.
The cast is, without question, absolutely outstanding. Yoo Jae Myung’s portrayal of Regional Investigation Unit’s Detective Choi Hyung In is utterly convincing. He made me believe that he truly is a seasoned yet somewhat traumatised cop, in a gripping performance that is reflective of his experience in the industry.
Likewise Uhm Tae Goo delivers a compelling depiction of convicted killer Jo Kyung Ho. This is my first time watching him and what a talent he is. The most nuanced of the main leads, his subtle interpretation of the intricately written role and the delicate articulation of his lines through a deceptively calm demeanour and soothing voice literally enthralled me into a false sense of security.
The drama also features the award-winning Han Ye Ri, fresh from making her Hollywood debut with the critically acclaimed Minari for which she garnered 4 nominations. She provides another fine performance through her captivating portrayal of Jo Jung Hyun, a woman struggling to break free from the burden of truth and her tormented past that threatens to overcome her seemingly bleak and hopeless existence.
I truly enjoyed the brilliant original score composed by Choi Seong Gwon. This is not easy listening music for relaxing with a glass of wine but the kind that elevates the sense of foreboding and completely immerses the mind into the dark and ominous atmospherics throughout. The soundtrack also features two OSTs performed in English that actually sounds more contemporary than the retro settings of the drama.
유라 Youra - Remember
문수진 Moon Sujin - Hide and Seek
What I Didn’t Appreciate As Much
As riveting and morbidly entertaining as this drama was, I would have preferred for the “supernatural” aspects to be the main focus and potential for driving the story development. This would have provided a different spin and a breath of fresh air to the genre. However, although the story takes a more familiar course, the sense of unpredictability still remains and even culminates in a rather surprising and unexpected outcome.
Speaking of unpredictability, either the rationale behind certain plot points or much-needed connecting scenes were sacrificed as part of efforts to induce viewers’ intrigue and suspense as well as, in my case, confusion. Perhaps this was also attributed to the shorter duration of the drama, at 12 episodes. A number of key events shown, particularly from episode 9 onwards, were never fully or properly explained. Without giving spoilers, let’s just say that viewers will have to formulate their own hypotheses as the story unfolds because ultimately the ending does not provide clarity for all the questions asked.
Adding to the air of uncertainty is the countless switching of timelines, sometimes captioned for viewers’ benefit but at times they occur unannounced. It certainly doesn’t help when the disparate scenes are acted by different sets of actors that I end up having to pause and rewind simply to ascertain who exactly these characters are.
Conclusion
On the whole, Hometown is a very good drama with high production quality and a top tier cast whose performances are deserving of praise. The slightly over complicated narrative, uneven storytelling, somewhat surrealistic setting and arguably lack of logical clarification particularly during the final quarter may give rise to bewilderment for some viewers, as it did for me. This perhaps hints at the drama's selective appeal, particularly for those who are fans of the genre rather than the casual watcher. Notwithstanding the issues, I still had an enjoyable (and moderately spine-chilling) time watching this absolutely binge-worthy drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
A drama for serial killer fanatics
Netflix originals can always be a hit or a miss, but this was so good in my opinion. The only reason it's not a ten in my book is that there were a few things left unanswered/things I would've liked to delve more into. The acting was almost too good, to the point I was uncomfortable with some scenes. Now that being said this drama is not for those with a faint of heart!! It's super gory and has quite a few triggering scenes (animal murder, graphic murder, rape, etc) but what can you expect from a Netflix show. Now what surprised me the most was the amount of sex scenes in the show, and they were SUPER explicit, especially for a k-drama! Their was almost a sex scene in every episode, if not multiple in one episode ( I think one went on for like 7 minutes if not longer, which is pretty long for me lol) Maybe it's just because I'm not use to seeing those type of scenes in Korean dramas . The chemistry between the two leads was also sooooo good, I would definitely be pleased to see them in another work together. If you're looking for a good psychological thriller, with a really good plot then give this a try!Was this review helpful to you?
-Story
i thoroughly enjoyed this drama. It has a good plot line (i know the synopsis told a lot but when you watch it, it's really not much) that also sets its pacing well.
We're introduced to YunXi, the daughter of the Imperial Doctor and FeiYe, Duke of Qin and the King's younger brother. The King and his mother does not believe him to be his actual brother because of an event. To help the King, the Queen Dowager ends up arranging him to be married to YunXi, who also harbors a secret. Their story then develops from there.
Apart from this, there is also the politic side of it, FeiYe's hidden secret, the secret plans from different Kingdoms, the King's own plots, and also those of his sons.
-Acting
Super well done! They really played out their parts. I especially fell in love with our main girl. For most light hearted historical dramas like this, i find it hard to continue watching the main girl but for this one, i really ended up enjoying all her expressions, her scenes, and her emotions. FeiYe is your typical stone faced male lead at first but quickly ends up warming up. Their little romance is adorable to watch! and honestly, despite the amount of troubles that come between the two, they never really end up having bad blood or angsty scenes (even with that slight betrayal tag).
Another reason i stayed till the end of this drama was because of Qishao ;_; developed major second lead sydrome thanks to him. He played his part out sooooo well, i absolutely loved all his scenes!
and the side characters in this did not lose out too, they were well focused and planned out.
Opening and ending theme song for this was great and the music that played during sad scenes matched well.
Rewatch? i'll come back to this when i miss the second lead and the chemistry between all the characters here.
One thing- THE ENDING- its a really open ending (Eps49/50 are both different endings). I love this drama, not intense love but happy love. I'm really sensitive and it was only at the last episode that i cried my heart out.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This was a popular series, and deservedly so! As you can see, my ratings are all over the place, so I will explain why.I loved the music. For me, Mew (Tharn) carried this show, with brilliant acting = A+. Mild (Techno) was great = A+. Gulf (Type) was really good, too = A. Kaownah (Lhong) was a great singer and a decent actor (although, with all the crying, some real tears would have been welcome) = A-.
The chemistry between Mew and Gulf was off the charts! (That ice cube kissing scene in the last episode was epic.)
Now, for my issues with the series (hence, some of my lower ratings):
Despite some great performances, THE STORY WAS SO BAD I nearly dropped it after about four episodes. Here's why:
1) THARN'S MOLESTATION OF TYPE, WHILE TYPE WAS SLEEPING (And yes, that's what it was.)
For someone who was supposed to be the "good guy," this was not cool, not funny, not appropriate. Can something like this be portrayed in a drama? Yes, of course it can. But it should be presented as what it is, a molestation. Not as something cute, that can just be dismissed as "oh well."
2) THE WAY TYPE'S CHILDHOOD RAPE STORY WAS HANDLED.
At first I was intrigued, because Type was obviously scarred, and his intense hatred of gays made sense. All good. Then, without any buildup, Type has no issue with getting a blow job from his hated gay roommate. Then, in the next episode, he comes out and asks Tharn for anal sex (with Type as receiver), just one time, to "get it over with, once and for all." Are you kidding me? This was a childhood rape victim? And, Tharn's going along with it was almost as incredulous.
I seriously think (and wish) that the author would have had a better story, had she simply made Type a bigoted homophobe who eventually came around. That in itself would have been dramatic enough. As written, the "rape victim suddenly turned gay" storyline was not only unbelievable, but incredibly insensitive and offensive to actual victims of childhood rape.
3) THE TIMELINE.
I was confused (and still am) about what the timeline was for this story. There was no "six months later" that I could see. So, even if we allow for some time lapses here and there, we saw absolutely zero development of Type's character. He went from understandably hating gays, to suddenly having sex with Tharn. So, how exactly did this happen? We got no explanation.
4) THE ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THARN/TYPE.
Not talking about the sexy hotness. That was there in spades, no question! But, it was never explained why Tharn was so taken with Type. Let's face it, Type was a hot mess on many levels. Did Tharn just think Type was hot? What in Type's personality attracted Tharn?
5) LHONG'S ENDING.
Why on Earth didn't Lhong end up in prison, or committed to a psych ward?????
The following were not dealbreakers, but I found them a little hard to swallow:
a) MEW PLAYING A 19 YEAR OLD. Sorry, not buying it. Mew is 28, and he looks 28. Don't get me wrong, 28 isn't exactly old, but it's nowhere near 19. Mew looks like a hot, sexy 28 year old. He looks like he should be a teacher in the college. (That said, I had no problem with Mew/Gulf. Gulf is 21 but could easily pass for 24-25. They look fine together.)
b) TAR LOOKED 14. (Apparently he's 25 or something, a few years older than Gulf. But that's not the point.) Tar looked completely juvenile and the idea of Tharn falling for him -- to the point of being destroyed when Tar left him -- was almost laughable to me. To go along with that...
c) THE BED SCENE WITH TAR/THARN WAS SILLY. Tharn was there begging for Tar to let him up when, in real life, I'm sure Mew could have thrown him off with almost no effort!
d) TYPE HITS THARN IN THE BALLS IN THE BAR BATHROOM. Why? Totally uncalled for.
e) LHONG/TYPE IN THE LAST EPISODE. Type looks like he could easily kick Lhong's ass, but he sat there being strangled, without fighting back even a little.
f) LHONG DROPPING THE GLASS. Really? It was dumb when Pete did it in LBC (especially since he and Ae had already slept together, but I digress... ) and it was dumb here. And then, Lhong uncomfortably makes an excuse and practically runs out of the room. Tharn and Type just shrug it off. Seriously? Was there anyone who didn't know right then and there that Lhong was hopelessly in love with Tharn?? Without the glass drop, Lhong's devious behavior would have been even more of a surprise.
g) THORN, THARN'S OLDER BROTHER. Not only does the actor who plays Thorn NOT look older than Mew, but he is actually younger in real life.
With all that said, I can't say I didn't enjoy the series. I did. There were really great moments. But, despite all the good, it had some real flaws.
Was this review helpful to you?
romcom fantasy done right
90% of the reason this worked out was Lee Dam, 9% of it was the mythical creature ML that was civil and sweet and 1% was for the age gap done rightLee Dam is my ideal type of FLs, she was realistic, she had low tolerance for bs, she thought on her own, she went after what she wanted, she trusted with her whole heart but she didn't let others take advantage and best of all she was HILARIOUS! and also fashionable❣ and so so cute ❤o❤
these things sound so simple yet romcom writers 99% of the time ruin their fls, but Lee Dam was the perfect representation of gen z, she was believable as a person and that helped this fantasy drama feel realistic as far as fantasy goes
on the other hand as a mythical creature oh so amazing out of everyone's reach ML, Woo Yeo was again done right. he smiled when he had to, he talked and interacted with people though he never cared for their presence, he was imperfect, sometimes rash disguised as wisdom in his eyes -ie he'd leave cuz it's the "best" choice- but he was also weak infront of his own decisions, he was emotionless but he changed with Lee Dam (she didn't "change" him, he just reacted to her presence), he was curios because of her, he was happy because of her and he opened up his heart to his lost dream of family and love because of her
another point I really loved was the friendships, the 2FL was not a jealous evil character that was desperately in love with the ML, they were friends, they were siblings and they were each other's home.
Hye Sun is confident, poised, elegant but kinda sloppy and though her relationship with Woo Yeo felt like tom and jerry she cared for him and she ended up becoming friends with lee dam as well~
Jae Jin is the soft naive uwu type of character, he again was like a brother to lee dam, he always protected her and sometimes he needed the protection and again it's great to not only see the FL have friends but to see normal male characters that love and respect the fl in a non romantic way is always welcome (special shoutout to sunbae Jung Suk who was also a great normal friend to lee dam)
Sun Woo was the cute type of typical jerk ml but he was kidna overboard by the end, but he was still cute, I hope to see more of the actor~
I did also love lee dam's friendship with Soo Kyung but I'm kinda sad they made her too comedic even more than lee dam.
another great part of this drama was the comedy, I've not laughed this much since Birthcare Center, it was exactly my type~ like the drama never tried to take itself seriously, it was a fantasy after all there was no need for life threatening "I love you but you'll keep getting chased by the truck of doom cuz of our love" randomness.
it did have the star cross lovers that started too soon and took too much time, but as a long term webtoon it did need more than one conflict so I forgive them
also, my FAVORITE part was the no past connection! I think this is the 1st romcom, and fantasy with no past 1st love fate bs. and that made their love so much more endearing.
they met, had a accidental tie down, lived together, saw each other's true selves and they fell in love, how normal and sweet is that?❤❤❤❤
in the webtoon they seemed to imply a lee dam's brother x sunwoo's sister and I think that'd be hilarious and sad for them to make the 2ml her brother in law xD
I didn't like some of the guys' reactions, their possessiveness, their tears, their clingyness, or the way jaejin x hyesun happened and also the way lee dam felt the need to apologize while Woo Yeo stayed quiet as if she needed to apologize, but overall the perfection of lee dam and the cuteness of Woo Yeo smiling when he didn't go through the writers "we can't be together" brooding mood, everything was perfect~
tbh I hated all of the breakups and near deaths, I wish it was more like 49 days (minus the ending) where they had to collect tears of love
so like they could've done more things to make him feel human. I was more touched at Hye Sun's tears over Woo Yeo's return than anything
though I was happy with the subtle change in his personality, like he got more carefree and dorky and my girl lee dam was always rational about it
I like the ost enough and I actually rewatched some scenes for my article so I'll say I'll rewatch lee dam's hilarious comedies and the cute dates ;p
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Exciting, yet gloomy thriller. The murder case being tried by a jury is just a kick off for more…
"Blind" is a fabulous, exciting, somewhat dark thriller."Blind" weaves its fictional story around 'survivors' of brutal child abuse and severely traumatizing exploitation as kids. These 'survivors' meet each other and their perpetrators 20 years later as adults. Each of those involved tried in his/her own way to come to terms with the past and lead a more or less normal life. Not only the abusive childhood, but also its psychological effects on their later life are a severe issue - and become a topic here. In addition, in this context complex interdependencies between the perpetrators of the time are dissolved and - against the background of a brutal variant of public vigilante justice - the original roles as perpetrators and victims are turned upside down.
"Blind" is haunting. The focus is on a murder case that is being tried by a jury. More murders follow. The dramaturgical setting is to some extent perhaps a bit reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel - insofar as suddenly almost everyone in the case-related group of the selected jury could be the perpetrators... the distribution of roles between judges, investigators, victims and presumed suspects is also becoming increasingly opaque and fatefully intertwined. To pretend that one can turn a 'blind' eye to what used to be is no longer possible. Everyone must now look at the past and (even if it is perhaps a little late) bear the consequences. Magnificent.
----- SIDE NOTE: ---Child abuse - a sad and highly topical issue in South Korea ---
The thriller obviously saddles its story on the unspeakably sad topic of child abuse, which due to its unbroken topicality has increasingly made it into South Korea's series and film productions of recent years (among others "Children of Nobody" and "Mother" as drama or "Miss Baek" and "Bring me Home" as movie.) Many a well-established member of society prefer to look the other way when unbelievable deals are being made concerning minors, as long as they might even benefit themselves. And any 'survivors' can be glad if they manage to split off the traumatic experience to some extent - nevertheless most often PTS comes right along. Usually, those ´survivors´ until old age are psychologically still stuck in that desperate helplessness and inner agony of the past.
A South Korean government study from 2021 reveals, that abusive trafficking in minors has been rampant and even increasing in recent years. There is an acute need for action regarding more effective education in all public areas - from prevention to investigation and criminal prosecution up to employee training. A big problem with this: usually police officers or other officials are directly involved and work together with the traffickers, who specialize in the ruthless exploitation of minors. If the children and young people survive this, the psychological consequences of these deeply traumatizing experiences will be very hard - if at all - to be overcome. They are left helpless at the mercy of adults (who actually should take good care of them) and utterly hopeless in the face of a society that turns a blind eye to their torment. The only thing that is left: feeling betrayed and/or obviously of no worth whatsoever...
--------------------------
PS:
It may be that in reality a larger task force would have been set up to investigate the serial murders of the jury members. In my opinion, however, the KDrama didn't take anything away from keeping the circle compact in order to tell the story in its essential entanglements in a powerful way.
P.P.S.:
At last, I don't want to leave a pleasant detail (I think) unmentioned. We have seen it so often in KDramas: within the social ranking in South Korea, the older colleagues are obviously allowed to rebuke the younger ones with a shove, a kick or a snap on the forehead. (In view of my German socialization background, that is unheard of, but ...) In "Blind" one can now observe (among other things) that a transformation in this natural ranking behavior may be starting to happen within the younger generation: a colleague police officer in "Blind" actually gives back to his colleague and stands up for himself. So far, I have seen this rather rarely, if at all. Until now, as a rule in comparable situations, the fist usually remained in the pocket. In the mass consciousness, KDrama is relating to, starting 2022 such physical rebuke might obviously no longer be tolerated as a matter of course. Stand-up-for-your-rights seems to/wants to become possible - like a wind breeze of change coming up within a hierarchical tradition since centuries chiseled in stone...
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I'm not going to be writing a really long review but I'm just going to say that this drama was so good! This drama made me cry, laugh, feel fuzzy in the inside! If a drama or movie made me cry, then I would rate it a 10/10! Of course there are some flaws but I really enjoyed it! The story was a bit like Love O20 with the game and stuff, the acting was really good it seamed real, music was good too, i would totally rewatch it but probably from the middle onwards. Overall, I really recommend this drama if you love romance dramas like me. It's really hard to find a good drama that has at least good looking main leads. I hope they would have a season 2 for this drama!
Was this review helpful to you?
even appeared and I stopped watching. The first 15 minutes were slow, If I had known that I was a little bit more patient or gave this drama an actual chance then I would find myself falling in love just a few minutes after dropping. Why? Chen Berlin who is known as Li Da Ren in this gem of a drama appeared and he just lit the whole drama up.
I finished the first episode and I was already falling for this drama truly, madly and deeply. I found Ariel lovable! and Chen Berlin dashing!I would slap myself silly for not continuing after those 15 minutes. If only I gave the drama a real go then it would have been in my life longer. We all make silly mistakes and I should really watch 3-5 episodes before thinking about dropping.
So this drama is about two best friends who have known each other for about 10-15 years and one thing is certain from the very start.
Li Da Ren loves and has always loved Cheng You Qing. It is also obvisous that You Qing feels the same but she's a woman and she's naive and I guess you could say she's scared about losing Da Ren. Li Da Ren starts to date a girl called Maggie who is very annoying and If I ever come across a girl like Maggie I will run for the hills. The thing about Maggie is she plans and she plots. Maggie wants the perfect boyfriend/husband and this girl has a list of qualities her perfect man has to have and it just so happens Li Da Ren ticks all of her boxes (He would tick mine too) so this begins the love triangle. Even though I said "I would run for the hills" I would say she did help You Qing wake up a bit but You Qing is very complicated especially in her love life. This is when her ex-boyfriend comes back and they had/have a very intense relationship. You know the type one minute they are arguing and the next they are sucking each others faces off.
Throughout the whole drama we are rooting for Li Da Ren to win his girl! We want Cheng You Qing to wake up and realise that Li Da Ren has always and will always be there for her. He is her soulmate. This is the type of drama where you watch one episode and you don't go "I might watch episode 2 tomorrow" no...you say "Next episode NOW!" and you keep on saying that until you realise 13 hours of your life have passed and the drama is over. The couple is no more and you
won't see anymore Li Da Ren and Cheng You Qing scenes. You will find yourself depressed and it will probably take you about 1-3 weeks to find another drama. However those 1-3 weeks of depression are worth those beautiful 13 hours.
P.S:. If you think Ariel and Joe Cheng are IT then think again. It's all about Chen Berlin and Ariel!
Was this review helpful to you?
Arghh... and don't get me started on the FL!
What a waste of drama. What a waste of the actor talents like Lee Jae Wook and Lee Jun Young.I was so excited for this drama because of the both male leads. I have loved most of their previous works, especially LJY. But here I am, frustrated and disappointed in this show. The unnecessary love triangle is the first drawback of this drama. Even by just putting it in the back of my mind hoping to focus on the revenge and all the scheming the main lead would be doing, all we get is some discussion here and there and no action. Very boring... Whereas, we are shoved in with the infuriating love triangle which honestly doesn't make sense, like as if the FL is the only woman in this world for these two male leads. I don't even get what these two sees in her. It's more like, they just want to win her over the other than actually want her for herself.
And don't get me started on the FL. How did this lady even get a main role? HOW? Did no one make her audition or ask her if she can act? Ya, I know it sounds harsh, but gosh she is so bad in acting that I just skip her scenes rather than watch her trying to emote nothingness. And before any of you come at me saying, hey it's her first role and cut her some slack... I would understand if it was a supporting role, I would agree she is learning but to land a main lead and to do a horrendous job out of it. Yikes. Give it to some other talented person rather than ruin it for everyone else. I am sorry but she really is so bad I would not recommend this drama to anyone. And also will be staying away from any of her projects in the future. Argh!
Rating: 1/10
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
I came into this drama for the cast alone, but I got much more than I was expecting. If you are expecting a great romance, you may be disappointed. There are some romantic feelings, but it is not the main point. The quartet of flawed but likable individuals find friendship and support at a time when they all have a deep need for it. As a hardcore romantic, I thoroughly enjoyed the friendship and didn't feel any lack due to the barely there romance.
The best things about this drama:
1) the acting- the casting could not have been more perfect. Each actor seemed fitted to the role, bringing out the best in their character.
2) the characters- perfectly imperfect, and quirky. Their interactions with each other made each episode special.
3) the witty banter- I applaud the writer. So very clever. This truly made the drama a joy to watch.
4) the music- brilliant!
Quartet may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me, this is the best drama of the year.
Was this review helpful to you?
because its so unpopular..or lets say one of the mdl underrated of 2012. (seen only by 40 mdl users)
Expect not to see any eye candy on here and it was evident on the poster.
I think somebody who come across w/ this drama with an impression like this..
"ooh The chaser? hmm ahjussis?"
*reads synopsis
*looks on the cast
"oops theres no hottie nevermind lol"
Oh well..anyway
for anyone who likes another revenge drama should give this a chance.
It was very relatable with emphasis on importance of living w/ family.
If i would think of a drama that shares some similarity...hmm
Think of city hunter w/o a superhero thing and the rom com stuff and add
the movie "the Crucible" not exactly but just to show some idea.
i will give you some hints on how entertaining this is
- after the 1st episode there is no break on tension or a big pause on plot,
it keeps moving in a above average pace on first 60% of the drama,
- it was so complex and every character interwind in the plot/ very well deveveloped and no weak performance.
- the politics scheme is easy to follow as it really happening on real event.
The Story: It was compelling and there is so many situations/happening in an episode w/ no dull momnets but its up to you.
Since its only 16 episodes...its not so dragging if you spot one.
The Cast/Acting: lets us not so bias if there no fave actor in it but what important is the character developement
and the performance they made. The Main villain has to be one of the great one you will see in a dramaland that isnt annoying.
The Main lead is very relatable and his character will make you symphatize w/ him greatly.
Music: entertaining as what you could expect in a tense drama
Replay: there is a part of me that even i watched this again...it isnt as entertaing as before since i got everything
from my first viewing, anyway it was a satisfying drama....w/ a fulfiliing conclusion as a whole but again its up to you =)
note: I heard this got Daesang award yay!
my other recommendation:
The Devil
Resurrection
Equator MAn
City Hunter
Giant*
Was this review helpful to you?
