The Story of Park's Marriage Contract
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This review may contain spoilers
Started out strong, ended up being BAD!
I have loved the first 6 episodes and every week I used to rave about this drama and how nearly perfect it was and then, what happens in drama land happened. The curse of the second half, where a perfectly good drama just takes a nose dive and end up ruining all the set up it had worked so hard initially to charm and engage the drama viewer flying out of the window.To begin with the sweet grandpa turning to be a mid villain or how his character took a 180 turn for me was one instance but then as it continued the drama couldn't explain the loophole of how the same Kang Tae Ha in the past and present is one with all the characteristics but couldn't be a reincarnation but different people at the same time! Huh? Like, if Yeon Woo could time travel and be in the modern world, why couldn't Tae Ha be an reincarnation of himself but two different identity and why did the Joseon Tae Ha have to suffer and see his wife fall for someone else, (more like his future self) but not him. How was that fair? How did it make sense? I mean do I make sense? Why couldn't it had been the same person with the same memories and just have lived in both worlds?
I hated the ending. I hated how past Tae Ha just died not knowing why his wife suddenly was with in love with someone who looked like him but not him but him and on and on...grr
This drama was just confusing with confusing characters with loophole like land mines every corner with no escape. The chemistry between the leads was amazing and I swooned in the initial episodes at how great they were together and also the secondary characters were worth the screen time they got. This drama had all the ingredients but then the second half just had to go and blow it all up.
I wish the writer took some time to flourish out the ideas and explained more about the connection of the past and present world and its inhabitants.
I would recommend the first 6 episodes since it was just too sweet and cute. The rest? Naaa...
Rating 2/10
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The Hidden Gem Smile Code
The NEW CDrama of 2024, "Smile Code" has awakened Fans from around the world to watch this upcoming story about a young man played by Lin Yi who suffers from Alexithymia. What is Alexithymia? It is a condition where a person is unable to express emotion, and 1 in 10 people suffer from it and their unable to "LAUGH". It is common condition with people that suffer from depression and Autism (ASD).Next, comes the witty, clumsy, and humorous Shen Yue who makes everyone laugh except Lin Yi. They develop a friendship based on coincidences and it sparks a new relationship about Love while still dealing with the aftermath of their past family trauma and circumstances. This is another beautiful love story with 34 episodes and is a must Watch series. This is a drama that is unlike any other drama because it deals with a condition that is not talked about and the only cure is finding another person who has the opposite personality.
What I Love about this Drama? Both Lin Yi and Shen Yue are the 2 Most Popular International Chinese Stars that are underrated in China, but around the World they're "Loved" by their fans across continents from: Thailand, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Brazil, Venezuela, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and the USA etc. All the promotion from this Drama is "Fan" based because platforms only provide advertisements for the well-known actors in China. Fans from around the world have come together to watch this CDrama for their favorite two stars, Shen Yue and Lin Yi. The chemistry and friendship of these two actors is displayed on the screen.
The amazing Director, Randy Che his experience in Cinematography displays some of the Best Screen shots and even with less resources when you watch this drama it is a Top-rated Film production. The English music, "Yes" you heard me right International fans, the songs are in English so we can sing along including singer-songwriter Lily Allen.
International Fans subscribe with Viki to watch Smile Code. They have better English Translations and the drama is easy to find on their Website: https://www.viki.com/ and for more information here's an Article, you can read about the Storyline: https://mydramalist.com/article/shen-yue-returns-to-the-small-screen-with-smile-code.
Congratulations Smile Code on providing audiences with a sincere Story and a heartfelt drama that will be watched by millions of fans. Hopefully soon Netflix will pick this drama to showcase to all countries. The dynamic duo is really a must watch drama that will leave you laughing and entertained.
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This review may contain spoilers
Story was not bad, but lack of couple chemistry I guess?
The whole vibe of the story is a bit like vampire/dracula as the main character travels fast, strong and have some sort of power. But I really fancy this kind of story so it is definitely a go-go for me no matter what the rating was.To summarise what I like and dislike about the show for people who are contemplating whether you should go ahead watching!
Things I liked about the drama:
- Handsome male leads with charming characteristics, I meant both Lee Dong Wook and Kim Beom! (Extremely hopeless 2nd lead syndrome here, Kim Beom SO COOL AND CUTE HERE!!!!)
- Unusual warm-hearted brotherhood
- Exciting fighting scenes with effects (More in the first half of the drama)
- Genre (if you enjoyed fantasy you will like this drama)
- Cute second fox couple too (I prefer them than the main ones)
Things I disliked about the drama:
- Female lead (Honestly she had a pretty good acting but I don't know why I felt she is not so suitable for this role)
- Chemistry between the couple (LDW had a pretty good chemistry with Yoo Inna in previous show but not this one), I don't feel the love between the two hence unable to feel the sadness when they broke apart, which it is actually a huge part in this show.
- Although it is a HE, but some parts of the ending are quite speechless and not well explained. Personally I think they should have just cut short the lovey dovey scenes for the couple and do more explanations on the ending (Please don't read below if you do not want spoiler)
***SPOILER***
I don't understand why they made it so deliberately to kill the 2nd male lead just to save the male lead (when all the bad things have already settled down and back to a peaceful life, yet adding in such scene just because 2nd lead is alive). I understand how they wanted to bring out the brotherhood between the two but it was so unfair that they can sacrifice 2nd male lead life but not the male lead ones, duh. So who is the hero here anyway? Also, no explanation on how male lead return, what happened to him and why he became a fox etc.
Lastly, one word to conclude my review: Overall a nice piece and good story that is worth watching but I don't enjoy the couple that much!
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Lot's of people said they didn't like it and there are those who did like it.
I can understand both.
If you like romance genre, then try it WITHOUT expectations. You can enjoy the main couple's lovey-dovey, the two immortals' fight with each other( a childish one and a repenter one), the childish one's more and more immature acts to get her 'loved' one and beautiful views of places.
If you don't really like anyone in the cast or if you are picky about dramas, then FORGET it. Believe in your hunch! Don't believe in the teasers! (I did and regret it now...)
If you have time then listen to OSTs of it. They are likable.
Rewatching it? NO, I would never do that. NEVER.
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This review may contain spoilers
A lot of things were hidden, mainly the reason.
This was a sweet story at times, frustrating at other times.My biggest gripe comes from the FL character early on.
It almost seemed as if the 14 year old version was more mature than the 18 year old.
I had a hard time at one point keeping track of her age due to her overly childish behavior and ridiculous baby voice.
No one I know has ever acted or talked like that.
From other reviews it seems she does this intentionally (?) which is even more bizarre for a character to do.
The ML was pure eye candy and he knows it.
This role was just another way for him to boost his fan count.
I disliked the way he dressed / styling of his character.
Some scenes his jeans seemed too high up and he'd have his shirt tucked in like someone's grandpa.
A 5 year age difference is not that much, especially not to dress him so much older.
I appreciated the few times they did things and it was a first for both.
Example: walking together on campus and then he plays basketball.
Even though he had already been to college, he didn't have the chance to do 'couple things'.
We saw very little development in his feelings for the FL though which was a let down.
It was very sudden and not very convincing.
The reason seems to be a complete mystery other than a few flashbacks of him looking at her (very short span of time).
He literally was calling her kid and treating her like a little sister one day and then BAM! all of a sudden he's head over heels in love with her.
How?
They could've spent more time developing that part of the story and less time on the fact that his dad killed someone while drunk driving.
I also didn't understand the constant emphasis on how wealthy the FL supposedly was.
They seemed to be middle class, maybe a little higher.
Not too impressive but somehow was a big point.
The leads are both good actors so they played their parts well, but their chemistry was very lacking.
Not a popular opinion, but given my seasoned experience, one I am sticking with.
I was not moved by it, but overall it was a good watch.
Just not worth all the 9s and 10s floating about.
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It started out as a promising drama. The first episodes were great, you had the various stories set out, and I was ready for a cute drama about friendship, life and romance.
But not even the great acting, lovely secondary characters, and much-anticipated cameos from the R1997 cast could light this drama up.
It's all about the husband scavenger hunt, at least a 90%. It was so focused on that, that two of the characters involved in the love triangle did not have any story other than that. And that's bad, because it means that two of our leads were empty as heck.
My main concern was Najung, the female lead. I think she was the only reason why I did not ship anyone with her in this mess of a drama. Whatever happened to her story? Whenever she appeared onscreen, it was either about her undying love for Trash (the childish part of the love triangle), or something that had to do with her friends (only 10% of the time it was about this, sadly).
And the endgame couple... quite boring, too. This pairing... I won't say much, but unless you shipped it, I'm not sure how satisfied you could be. For me, there was just no spark. Maybe due to the fact that I disliked Najung, or maybe because the writers probably switched their endgame couple toward the middle, throwing away the flow this drama could've had.
This also made the dumped second lead, not saying who, seem like an empty plot point. What exactly was he doing in the show? He started out with a hint of the story, but then he was down-leveled to an empty character, a bit fuller than Najung, but still empty. As I mentioned, he was just there to keep the drama more "interesting", nothing to gain out of his presence, sadly.
To wrap things up, this drama was a disappointment. Maybe because I began watching it with too high expectations thanks to everybody's comments, or maybe because it truly was a bad drama.
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a dark and gripping historical thriller
Fair warning, this drama is not suitable for the light hearted. Gyeongseong Creature is one of the darkest and most unsettling dramas I have seen so far. It explores the darkest side of human nature during horrifying times and some scenes may be hard to stomach.That being said, this drama is an unforgettable and compelling narrative of the brutality of Japanese war crimes during World War 2. It is a terrifying yet gripping experience, as we witness the cruel and inhumane conditions of war fueled by the evil and greed of humans. The standout elements of this drama includes the cinematography, an outstanding cast and the high production value, as we have come to expect of high budget Netflix productions. Props to the production team who did an amazing job with the gorgeous set and costume design, both of which helped capture the mid 1900s era in South Korea during Japanese occupation. Additionally the cgi was good, maybe a step down from Stranger Things but solid nonetheless. As for the story, I found the writing to be intricate yet accessible, ensuring that even those not familiar with the history can follow the storyline with ease. The plot was well written and brought to life with strong performances, especially from Han So Hee, Claudia Kim and Park Seo Joon. However I will note that the romance seemed unnecessary and a little forced, but personally it did not bother me too much. In conclusion, Gyeongseong Creature stands out as a thrilling blend of historical drama, supernatural horror, and emotional depth. The series offers a unique exploration of trauma, survival, and the human spirit, while keeping viewers on the edge of their seats with intense action and suspense. The strong performances, especially from the lead characters, and the clever intertwining of mystery and supernatural elements make this show a captivating watch.
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It's cute but repetitive
When this started, I loved it - the characters are interesting, with Aoki having cute freakouts and Ida being this sexy clueless overserious guy, and a series of misunderstandings cause them to accidentally draw together, and not the usual way where one trips and the other catches him and they stare at each other until they turn gay.But then it bogs down into an endless cycle of very similar breakdowns in communication that reduces the story to running in circles to prevent the couple from getting together. The problem is that the crises are all so similar that I lost all sympathy for Aoki and wanted Ida to find someone less mentally unstable, and frankly stopped caring about whether or not they'd end up together. Either way would have been equally fine to me. I was actually more invested in the straight couple, which at least had a progression in their relationship.
TBH, the avoidance of affection starts to feel homophobic - I realize this is aimed at younger audiences, but similar stories with a straight pair don't have the same pathological aversion to depicting romantic interaction.
The quality of the production is high, the dialogue is cute, the acting is excellent, and the music is fine, if not particularly notable. I can't imagine rewatching any of it, since it already feels like I watched the same episode ten times. I'd recommend it if you like cuteness, but not if you think romance should be more than holding hands for about 10 seconds.
Story: 6 - too repetitive, although the starting premise is clever and the first few episodes are really engaging.
Acting: 9 - very good all around.
Music: 7 - it's appropriate and never annoying, but there's nothing extraordinary about it.
Rewatch: 5 - I doubt I'd rewatch it, although I might want to go back and stare at Ida and listen to him speak.
Overall: 7.5 - the "suggested" rating is lower, but I don't think it deserves less than a "C". It was cute and well-done, but it's just not memorable and I'll likely forget about it fairly quickly.
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Keep calm and drink on!
While modern affairs says Moonshine is a brand of corn whisky, according to medieval literature, it means high-proof liquor that is produced illegally and the name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. The drama, in fact, is based on the same concept and truly depicts and justifies throughout.Literally titled "When Flowers Bloom, I Think of the Moon (꽃 피면 달 생각하고)", the show is created by KBS Drama Division & 2 other companies and distributed by KBS. This drama is a debut for the writer Kim Joo Hee and directed by the exclusively KBS PD Hwang In Hyuk.
A period of 10 years ban on alcohol leads to the formation of hidden Moonshine organizations who secretly produce alcohol to do business and to take advantage of the ban by earning plenty. Sequence of events lead to the discovery of stash of such alcohol and while unveiling the forces behind everything, even bigger truths are disclosed which seem to be involving the main leads as well.
Inspector Nam Young (Yoo Seung Ho), appointed at the Prohibition Office (Sheonbu) is a law-abiding officer who craves for justice and truly carry out the ban as ordered by the King. Kang Ro Seo (Lee Hye Ri) is a poor noblewoman who got no skill but to make excellent quality liquor. To live a normal life by making money, she dares to disobey the laws but got a pure conscience and uprightly morale. Byun Woo Suk plays the naive yet calculative Crown Prince Lee Pyo and Kang Mi Na plays Han Yae Jin, a noble lady who is easy peasy and believes in being honest.
In supporting cast, there are many familiar faces like Choi Won Young, Jang Gwang, Jung Young Joo, Moon Kou Kang, Park Ah In, Kim Gi Bang, Im Won Hee, Seo Ye Hwa, Hong Yeon Pyo etc. The acting department was full of decent actors and the performance was overally very good except for Byuk Woo Suk. He didn't show any improvement from his previous dramas and him playing a main character wasn't a good impression though his screentime was significantly reduced in the later half.
Most of the major characters are likable, especially, the ones played by Seungho, Hyeri and Mina; I liked their roles and their characters. The one with the least experience is Mina and I was actually happy seeing her doing good in here.
Plot development is more than just good. It's not a brainy intriguing watch with lots of angst or even heart-fluttering moments. Plus, unlike most of the Korean sageuks, where the central plot gets diverted to plenty of political conspiracies and somehow becomes romance-centric with the goal of uniting the ML & FL in the end, this truly sticks to its main plotline for most of it's parts. The first 2 introductory episodes were able create some impression regarding the moonshine businesses and the progression throughout remained up to snuff and satisfactory.
It obviously has several peak moments as expected but not that stupefying in general; I think that's the speciality about this drama. The ending sequence however got a bit repetitive but it was okay. There's not really much to discuss about the development honestly and it was a good watch throughout. In addition, the pacing remains constant plus up to par and it didn't demand me to skip anything or even fast-forward it at all. I think the biggest plus point for this was the fact that it never ran out of substance involving the main theme, despite an average storyline.
Hwang In Hyuk PD-nim is a familiar face in KBS Drama Division with more than a couple of hugely acclaimed dramas in his resume and the decades of experience seems to have been reflected despite the drama being not a masterpiece of some sort. The screenplay management, premise settings, the scenario conduction and the cinematography have been well taken care of. The overall screen editing is nice, and despite the least amount of emphasis on colour pallettes, the vibe organization using appropriate hue, is brilliantly done. The pacing is good as well; which at few places (for instance ep 9 & 11) felt like becoming slow, but glad they picked up the acceleration shortly.
Writers making a decent delivery in their debut is not new, however, this was indeed a beyond decent one from Kim Joo Hee, and I believe, she should be paid her due credit. The overal value of the script is way more than average though I can't deny the flaws, but I feel those were manageable and I'm sure many of the viewers wouldn't notice. The plot development is simple, steady and entertaining. Some plot elements could be predictive for avid watchers but that clearly doesn't decrease the quality; I must mention, it's a light and decent sageuk. Unlike 90% of recent sageuks, the screenplay doesn't have any fillers and complementary side plots just to complete the 16 episode quota.
In fact, the amount of romance is very less and equally balanced with the bromance line. The development of bonding between different characters including the love relationships, is simple, good and not exaggerated. The patriarchal dominance is almost nonexistent and to my delight, this has so many feminist female, and not to lie, male characters. Using a contrary approach, the female lead here is the saviour of the male lead and in way, anything misogynistic has been included either.
Composed by Park Se Joon, the OST album ha a total of 9 songs and all of them are likable. My most favourite is "Even Though" by Monday Kiz which has beautifully written lyrics that render your heart. "Love Me Again" by Sojung (Ladie's Code) has the old K sageuk vibes. "Who You Are" by Ha Sung Woon is a song with is a soulful romantic track. "Missing You" by Minseo is a heart-rendering song with great vocal values. "Once In A Minute" by Seo Eun Kwang (BTOB) is a jolly track. Other tracks are:
# "Fly High" by LUCY
# "Moonshine" by JAIME
# "Someday" by Miyeon
# "Love Your Everything" by Golden Child
What I liked...
# The feminist female characters.
# The plot transition
# The character arcss and their growths
# The unique conspiracy plot
# The balance between different factors like: romance, bromance, family aspect, royal affairs, conspiracies, comedy, fighting & stunts, etc.
Final Remarks... Overally, "Moonshine" was a good watch in my opinion. It was likable, engaging and not time-wasting. It could have been a very good thing given the concept and storyline but the fact that it is one of those dramas with least amount of noticeable flaws, makes it an average and decent piece. I won't say it's a must watch but please do it in case you're not looking for a simple sageuks with typical yet balanced elements.
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Game of True Love: A Thrilling Romance of Passion, Betrayal, and Power Struggles
If you enjoy intense romance with power struggles and deep emotions, Game of True Love is worth watching! He Ruixian and Fan Zhixin deliver compelling performances, making Xu Nuo and Shen Jiahe’s complex relationship feel raw and captivating. Their chemistry keeps you hooked as love and revenge intertwine in a thrilling battle of wills. A must-watch for fans of dramatic, emotionally charged C-dramasWas this review helpful to you?
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It doesn't matter if some people hate me. And let me be alone here - but I enjoyed it. A series to have a good evening. I was really looking forward to the end of this series so I could watch it later. And I was not disappointed. I really liked it. JoongDunk acting has improved. And this is noticeable in many episodes. For example, in the episode where Zo and Joke have their first time/first night. I really liked this scene. Zo's embarrassment, hesitation, awkwardness - how well Dunk portrayed it. You watch it and you rejoice that the writers added conversations and such a scene. In most of the series I've watched, the main characters are so experienced and active in their first time/first night. So this Zo and Joke scene appealed to me.
I also liked the scenes with aggressive Zo. It's probably funny, but it is. I think Dunk manages to portray aggression excellently.
The plot itself is filled with tenderness. It really seemed that way to me. Yes, the plot is not genius, but it's not as bad as many people write here. But I liked the idea of the writers about the plot. And I won't even mention the chemistry between the main characters. It's just unbelievable. The looks, the tenderness, the kisses. Haha
Again, I don't understand some people who obsess over these debates. What's the big deal with it? I don't understand comments like "I forgot that Zo is part of the debate club", "the plot is not consistent, I forgot about the debates". I am not in any way condemning these people. I know that everyone has different tastes. But some of them remain incomprehensible to me. The series' plot doesn't revolve around debates. Imagine if they talked about debates every 5 minutes for 12 episodes. People wouldn't have liked it, they would have said that apart from debates, there is no plot. It's the same thing.
I liked how they tried to show the problems between parents and children here, about unhappy first love. Especially in the 9th episode, they managed to show that relationships are not always perfect, any misunderstandings or attempts to hide the truth can have consequences. Zo and Joke showed us that. And yes, I understand that the reason for their fight may seem trivial/stupid to some. But as I already said, it's about relationships, where any small misunderstanding can have consequences. Furthermore, I can understand why Zo reacted that way. He had an unsuccessful experience with his first love. Moreover, I like such scenes in series, they are a kind of resemblance to real life, and about situations that can happen in real life.
Overall, I liked it. Yes, the plot may be banal, but I liked it. And honestly, I can't understand why everyone doesn't like Dunk's acting? Maybe it's because I liked the series, and I liked the main actors, and I just don't notice it. But after watching the series "Sky and Stars," I still don't understand what's wrong with Dunk's acting. I personally really like it. Especially his smile.
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BEST CDRAMA I’VE EVER WATCHED
I really enjoyed this cdrama, i like the story and the flow, and the setting it’s really fantasy. Whei Zhi and Yan Yue’s chemistry is the best, their cute interaction behind the scene and on the scene is really romantic and cute. The open ost sang by ju jing yu is music to my ears, it’s really sweet like her voice, I’ve already fallen for her since then, and the closing ost sang by Ju jing Yu and Guo Jun Chen, their voice really match well, I hope they have more collabs songs in the future. I’m literally crying right now beacuse it ended, I wish it will never rnd, the show will never end, I will miss it forever. Whei Zhi and Yan Yue you will be missed forever. I wish Beauty of Resilience is having a season 2 soon.Was this review helpful to you?
Why do I say waste? Because the story line was pretty annoying. I don't know what the writers were thinking when they started brewing up the plot. It had a weak start and a weak ending. The main character was a superb actor, we all know that but the story didn't give justice to his acting skills at all.
Though I would have to admit that there were times where I laughed my ass out to some scenes but that wasn't enough for me to go on rambling and recommending the drama. It will only be a waste of time. So I'm posting it to say that this is one of those drama's which people should avoid watching. Even the music did not give color to the loose story line.
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