Reviews

"Atypical Family" captivated me in a way few shows have. Initially dismissing it as another run-of-the-mill superhero series, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a drama that subverts expectations at every turn. The family depicted may appear conventional, but their story is anything but. This show introduces fresh concepts and paradigm shifts that keep the narrative unpredictable and engaging.

The characters are complex and break away from traditional roles. The female lead, far from being a typical damsel, demonstrates strength and resilience, while the male lead's unique powers add an intriguing twist to the story. The show masterfully combines suspense with a therapeutic narrative, ensuring that viewers are kept on edge until the very last moment of the final episode.

What started as a casual viewing experience quickly turned into an immersive journey. The seamless incorporation of time-travel, a notoriously difficult plot device, showcases the brilliance of the writing. The direction complements the script perfectly, with a melancholic yet captivating vibe and an outstanding soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.

Each episode surpasses the last, driven by stellar performances, particularly from the female lead. Her emotional depth and beauty make her scenes particularly impactful. Despite its quality, "Atypical Family" remains underappreciated, possibly due to its appeal to a more mature audience.

In essence, "Atypical Family" is a groundbreaking series that defies stereotypes and sets new standards in storytelling. It is a must-watch for anyone seeking a drama that is refreshingly different and profoundly moving.

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Who's your daddy? Or brother? Or lover?

One Fine Day boasted a fine cast and one of the messiest plots I’ve seen. Starring Gong Yoo, Namkoong Min, Lee Yun Hee, and Sung Yoo Ri, the writers didn’t have to do much to develop a story interesting enough to showcase their young cast’s talents but decided instead to make the story as ridiculous and melodramatic as possible.

I usually give a brief synopsis of the drama so that my review makes some sense but this story will give you emotional whiplash with the way it starts and drops story threads and then completely changes them. Geon and Ha Neul are stepsiblings-no blood relation-who have been separated for 15 years. Tae Won and Ha Neul/Hye Won are siblings via adoption. Geon just wants to be her brother or so he says. Tae Won is a creepy incestuous molester. Gang Dong Ha is Ha Neul’s boss at the aquarium where she works and he is also in love with her. Hyo Ju is the girl Geon grew up with after his parents died and his dad’s driver took him to live in Australia. Hyo has a heart condition and is cuckoo, obsessively in love with Geon. Geon may or may not be reconnecting with Ha Neul because her adoptive family has money and Hyo Ju needs an expensive surgery. Ha Neul’s adoptive father may hold the key to what happened to Geon’s father.

Gong Yoo, when he wasn’t having to play the yelling possessive brother, gave a strong performance. Namkoong Min was entertaining as the charming boss with a past. I couldn’t help but root for him. Both men sported their BoF style haircuts before BoF came out. Sung Yoo Ri only had to display three emotions-surprised, sad, and “where did I leave my wallet?” Nothing any deeper as Ha Neul had no lasting emotional trauma from being molested. This was prime time for wrist grabbing in dramas. This girl was yanked from pillar to post throughout the drama. They even pulled off the complex double wrist grab. In one scene I saw bruises on her arms, no surprise where those came from. I’m not a fan of the wrist grab, I find it a dominant move that is degrading.

Hyo Ju will go down as one of the most selfish, manipulative characters in drama history. Lee Yun Hee did a good job of making me loathe her character. Yoo Ha Joon was excellent as the creepy, incestuous brother who had a scene with his dad that the drama The Heirs lifted straight from. And Jung Dong Hwan who would later play the wealthy lemon sucking dad in The Heirs played the wealthy lemon sucking dad here. The drama couldn’t decide whether to make him a villain or sympathetic. No sympathy from me, he knew his son was creeping on Ha Neul/Hye Won and did nothing about it.

The biggest problem with this drama was that it had no commitment and follow-through. The plot was overly complex and never fully explained. I kept waiting for the big flashback to show exactly what happened from the guilty party’s viewpoint, but it never happened. Geon prepaid for Hyo Ju’s surgery in Australia but she refused to have it when he left to find his sister. That money was still available, so why the proposed scam on Ha Neul’s family? Geon made some inexplicable decisions near the end of the drama, that truly made no sense. Even his motives toward Ha Neul took most of the drama to come to the surface. He and his found family brother went to work for Ha Neul’s adoptive father, but were never at work. Ha Neul worked at the aquarium but was hardly ever there except to mope in front of the fish so that Gang could comfort her. Her adoptive family was seriously twisted but she kept going back to them to act like a good daughter.

There’s a lot to unload with this drama, mainly because people’s motivations changed from minute to minute. Also, the secrets they knew changed which completely overrode their prior actions. There were plot holes big enough for a fleet of Mack trucks to drive through. One Fine Day was like a rollercoaster ride with no seatbelts. I was able to hang with the story and get some enjoyment out of it for most of the drama until the last few episodes when they completely ran that ride off the rails. If you like to watch pretty people and/or pretty fish, have a very flexible neck for when the ride changes directions, you could try this drama, but I suggest giving the Tilt-a-Whirl a chance instead.

26 June 2024

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Historical Drama Blends Romance and Political Intrigue

100 Days My Prince" starts strong with a captivating first few episodes. As the story unfolds, Lee Yool, an amnesiac prince, and Hong Shim navigate a unique and charming romance filled with heartwarming moments and delightful interactions.

Nam Ji-Hyun delivers a standout performance, bringing energy and comedic timing to her role, especially in her scenes with the supporting cast of villagers. The subplot involving political intrigue adds layers to the story, and while some characters are less developed, the dynamic sibling relationship between Hong Shim and Yoon Seok-Ha adds depth and emotional resonance.

Despite some pacing issues and a few underutilized characters, "100 Days My Prince" offers a mix of romance, humor, and drama that makes it a worthwhile watch. Its engaging moments and good performances ensure that it remains an enjoyable and series.

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I have watched many Korean dramas about time travel and this is one of my favorite. you will surely love the romance between the two main characters.

The performances of the two leads were so powerful. I have watched these in some of their dramas and they are always amazing. Their chemistry is so amazing. However, the story is so focus on them that other support roles were not given emphasis (except for that mysterious man). There are no back-stories to develop their characters.

I really don’t know why it’s so underrated . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to watch it guys. Everything is perfect from the storyline to the cast and the OST. SUPER PERFECT!

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I don't have any words left to describe how beautiful this drama is. Apart from the storyline the production crew also made sure that the songs included in this drama are all amazing and meaningfully beautiful.
Hats off to the story writer and the amazing production crew. Also a big round of applause to the actors who portrayed their roles perfectly. While watching the drama you can see and feel that the actors really became one with their respective characters
I personally think that this was by far the best drama released in 2023!
I'm just amazed by this perfect drama? I'll be waiting for season 2 desperately!

Spoiler Alert:-
When Ha Eun-gyeol returns from 1995 in 2023 and meets his father (Ha Yi-Chan), his father finds a cassette of an old song of his that he recorded in 1995 (A Song for you). His father (Ha Yi-Chan) suspects that Ha Eun-gyeol was his old friend from 1995 and he (Ha Yi-Chan) suspects Ha Eun-gyeol, when he was performing in stage too. I was waiting When Ha Yi-Chan finds out that his son goes into the past and meets him there and I'm waiting for Ha Yi-Chan and Ha Eun-Gyeol conversation after Ha Yi-Chan finds about his son's time traveling. But it didn't happen. (˙◠˙)(˙◠˙)???

Definitely go and watch this drama it's truly a work of art and perfection ❤ I'll never forget this drama and will desperately wait for season 2!!??

VIVA LA VIDA!
(Long live life)?

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Uninspired and Uneventful: '#Alive' Strains to Stay Interesting

"#Alive" presents a modern twist on the zombie genre, weaving in themes of isolation and survival with a subtle nod to current societal challenges. However, while the film has an introspective approach and traces protagonist Oh Joon-woo's evolution from a disconnected gamer to a resilient fighter, it often succumbs to a tedious and monotonous pace, making it difficult to stay engaged.

The addition of lead characters injects a brief spark of energy, emphasizing the importance of human connection during adversity. Their evolving partnership enriches the narrative, but even this can't completely salvage the film from its dull stretches.

The film's innovative use of technology in survival tactics is a commendable attempt at refreshing familiar tropes, but it isn't enough to overcome the overall sense of predictability and lack of excitement. Despite occasional moments of thought-provoking exploration of personal growth amidst chaos, "#Alive" struggles to maintain a compelling narrative, resulting in a rather lackluster experience.

Overall, while "#Alive" offers some interesting ideas, its slow pacing and predictable plot points make it a boring watch for those seeking a thrilling or innovative addition to the zombie genre.

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Wonderful. Absolutely Intriguing. Perfect romantic-comedy, thriller and fantasy. Most of the korean rom-com lacks comedy but I loved this show. This show is so so much better than any other overrated shows. Storyline is perfect with perfect ending. I love jung suk and kim seon partnership. Jung Suk is really a true actor. He is different from other korean actors because he doesn't only act as cute but do some actions and a real acting, his face expressions are adorable. I love his acting skill. Most of korean dramas are boring but this drama is exciting, fascinating and actions scenes are also good. I love this drama so much. I also like Dokgo and Ko-Bong moments. Actually, every actor did pretty good job in this drama.
“TWO COPS” is worth your time. YOU MUST WATCH IT. This drama is so hilarious! ?. I can't remember how many times I laughed.

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A Classic Lakorn

Pin Anong is a beautiful lakorn that encapsulates all the classic elements of lakorn. However, despite its charm, the series is not without its flaws. The story, while engaging, often feels drawn out and at times suffers from noticeable plot holes.

The narrative follows the journey of Pin Anong, affectionately known as P'Pin, who is portrayed as a somewhat inept and naive character for the majority of the series. Her character development is slow, taking about 16-18 episodes to show any significant growth, which is frustrating looking for a more dynamic protagonist. P'Pin's lack of basic common knowledge often leaves her vulnerable and seemingly helpless.

On the other hand, the male lead, P'Yai, is depicted as stubborn and unfocused. His playful demeanor, especially in the first half of the show, borders on irresponsibility and at times, he appears to be the worst of the worst. P'Yai’s interactions with P'Pin are inconsistent, often treating her without consideration, which adds to the frustration.

The main antagonist, P'Nai, is a character that should have faced justice much earlier in the series. The prolonged charade upheld by P'Yai in dealing with P'Nai feels forced and adds to the overall sense of the plot being unnecessarily extended.

The direction seems to falter with pacing issues, as the series could have effectively concluded around episode 16. Instead, it feels unnecessarily dragged out, which dilutes the impact of the story.

Pin Anong is a must-watch for fans of Thai dramas. Whether you are a longtime fan of lakorns or new to the genre, "Pin Anong" offers a rich and rewarding viewing experience.

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I absolutely LOVED IT! It is so entertaining the romance is on point and if you keep watching you won't be disappointed. Very interesting script. From the beginning to the ending ,it was mind blowing. The chemistry between the main characters where very nice and strong. I watched it because of the kid at first. But then it lead me to wanna watch more because of the male lead. He is very handsome, gentle and not the typical style of CEO. The storyline is so different from normal love drama. More talking about how to cure the kid's trauma and the female lead involving next. They both looks very cute and sweet after they got fall in love.

The only part I'm not satisfy is the show kinda rushed it ending, where they only have 24 episodes I felt they rushed the ending. Especially episode 23. I definitely would have expected more exposure of the main lead trauma, since it has been the center of our focus since the inception of the Drama. I felt we needed more closure. it was wrapped up too fast. Humor, romance, storyline, production everything was perfect in this show but I felt like they will expand the story just a little more it would be be better but that's not the case.

Overall I would definitely recommend this show. It does not 100% show couple love but more towards a happy family love. I really love it.???

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After Completing the Show I Watched extra episode "Unforgettable Love: Extra Story" which is not that good, I thought it shows the life of married couples about love, Humor but extra story shows that female lead wanna become romantic novel writer. And write a story of her life title as "Unforgettable Love". I absolutely LOVED the drama but extra episode was not worth watching!???

The drama was ended in a rush so I thought that extra episode covers all the the missing parts of storyline. I felt we needed more closure because drama was wrapped up too fast but that's not the case.?
It's a special episode showing a peek into Qin Yi Yue's creative and imaginative start at writing a novel.

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