Reviews

Strong potential, alas, left me disappointed

I'm conflicted on what rating to give this drama. On one hand, it made me stay up until 3am, unable to stop watching even though I had to wake up in an hour for work. It made me go into fits of giggles, laughing in public like a madwomen.

On the other hand, I had to completely skip 10 episodes to be able to continue and, at the end, it gave me such a disdain towards the Lin family and it's brothers-in-law that it made me begin to doubt all my previous feelings towards the show as a whole.

I found the plots overall to be highly entertaining and well done. I don't care much about cliché or out of pocket stories, I think complaining about that is like if I were to complain about murder being in a thriller or magic being in a fantasy movie. That's simply the genre of the show. I liked the acting and the chemistry of most couples.

However, as I mentionned the cons of the series just were so big it truly turned such a good experience into contempt. I love real characters, characters with both flaws and merits. Yet, when a show portrays a flaw as a merit, it is unacceptable to me. Throughout the show, the Lin family is known to scheme. And a lot of the time, it is for good reasons or for a good moral cause. But not all the time. And when they hurt people and cause harm with the schemes, the show still portrays the scheming in a good light, telling us they had good reasons to do so. After a couple of uncomfortable moments, the way they handled Yang Xian was the final straw. It just made the whole family extrenely unlikeable, to the point that I wasn't rooting for them. I needed at least one scheme that showed them a lesson that they can't just play with people's feelings and lives just because they are uncertain about them.

Then there are smaller negatives about the show, such as the 2nd cp that was unlikeable to me as their foundation seemed very weak to me. A proud man who denies any women for his focus on his career and who is unhappy with the marriage, going as far as openly disrespecting his wife, changes his whole character once he glances at his wife. I know they slid in a "he read her poetry so it's not only about her looks", yet he didn't actually change his attitude until his eyes laid on her. Another one, is how we don't see much of the couple's dynamic after their episodes end.

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more fun than deep, but the chemistry and chaos make it worth watching

Flex x Cop is one of those dramas that doesn’t try to be overly complicated, and that’s honestly part of why it works. The plot is pretty predictable at times, and some cases feel more interesting than others, but the show knows how to balance crime, comedy, action, and character development without becoming too heavy.

Ahn Bo Hyun absolutely carries the drama as Jin Yi Soo. He could’ve easily been just another rich, immature chaebol character, but he makes Yi Soo genuinely funny, charming, and surprisingly lovable. Park Ji Hyun is also great as Kang Hyun, and their dynamic is probably one of the strongest parts of the show. It’s more slow-burn and subtle than romantic, so don’t go in expecting a lot of romance, but the chemistry is definitely there.

The supporting cast adds a lot too, and the team slowly starts to feel like a real unit. Some emotional moments hit harder than expected, especially when the story explores Yi Soo’s family and why he acts the way he does.

The biggest weakness is that the drama can feel a little formulaic, and the main mystery isn’t always as exciting as the character moments. Still, it’s entertaining, easy to binge, funny without being ridiculous, and has enough heart to keep you invested.

overall, Flex x Cop isn’t trying to reinvent the crime drama genre… it just gives you a fun, charismatic lead, a lovable team, good chemistry, and a satisfying mix of comedy and action. not perfect, but definitely a good time.

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Just Fine for What It Is

I’d say I liked this drama, but it’s the kind of show you watch once and that’s it. I understand the themes they wanted to explore and how they tried to handle them, but sometimes I just couldn't fully understand the characters. In the end, it’s a pretty standard office romance. I enjoyed the moments between the leads, but beyond that, there isn’t much else to say since I didn’t even like the second couple.
Still, that’s just my opinion, and I think plenty of people might enjoy it because it’s a simple, easy watch. So I think you should check it out for yourself.

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Short, fun and completely silly.

That is one of the silliest things I have seen in a long time! I laughed so hard and cringed fully. Fully.

Rappers in do-rags and glitter! Oh Jung Se as a hunter of large wild vermin! The adorable smiling Kang Ki Yong in a pink flowered jacket! Kang Dong Won in the most enormous wig!

It was partly so funny to see great serious actors giving their absolute all and having a ball doing it. I am not so sure it would be as funny if you dont already know the actors.

Anything with Oh Jung Se in it is genius, but Uhm Tae Goo cracked me up completely. And somehow the combination of Kang Dong Won completely out on a limb and the always crisp and clear Park Ji Hyun was very harmonious.

Nice, short and fun. Definitely something to remember and rewatch on an easy day.

ps. I dont know what to say about the fabulous and here completely shameless Shin Ha Kyun except to flap my hands and giggle helplessly.

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Where Romance Goes to Die…and Gets (Cautiously) Resurrected (Tomorrow at Work)

Summary (synopsis was actually right this time!): Though there’s not much that stands out, this is probably one of the few dramas I have felt a sense of real vindication from, with the protagonistic characters actually speaking up against their abusive adversaries. Despite a short 12-episode run, it felt as if the filmmakers ran out of relevant material as the last episode was filled with unnecessary scenes that added little to no value to the overall story. Note that the rom was a bit lacking in progression and the com just faded with each episode to oblivion; I wish the com was just as robust as in the early episodes. Also, this show is not for swoon mongers, there’s a lot of relational analysis going on. 죄송해요 (sorry). I shared my amateuristic ideas for improvement below. 😂

Ads noticed: Kold beer, Trevi sparkling water, Binggrae/Blue Diamond/Bacchus-F/Cheongjungone snacks, x brand bananas?, Munhwa Bakery, Returnity beauty mask, Aurelia Vita supplements?, Icis water, unnamed fried food and soup restaurant? (I asked my Korean relative to translate and it didn’t seem like an actual restaurant), more supplements?…

Soundtrack: Standard poppy ballads with a few throwbacks highlighted in the show. The only songs that uniquely stood out to me were from Fifty Fifty or Hana.


Details: Prime’s synopsis on this series was spot-on: “Cha Ji-yoon is a 7th-year corporate worker who's tired of both work and dating. She crosses paths with Kang Si-woo, the cynical boss with a terrifying reputation. Unexpectedly, she regains spark in her life as she gets to know the kindness behind his stern words. Amid repeated commutes, accidents at work, and failed relationships, the two become each other's irreplaceable anchor.” There’s no surprising story elements thrown at the audience - it is most definitely a genuine romcom (not hidden murder mystery), which is helpful if you’re only in the mood for a romcom.

I normally skip the intro but the opening credits animation paired with song from Fifty Fifty on this drama was super gwiyeowo!! 🥰 You can tell there was more attention added to this production and not just folks rushing to finish another project. I also don’t recall normally seeing disclaimers in opening credits about child actors and animals being filmed safely with supervision… Is that not standard? 😅 It was interesting that they used Kawaii like elements, like with random close-up of office dolls in some episodes (which I kinda want to get now ^^).

I do feel that the female lead’s lack of willingness to fight for their relationship became her own self-fulfilling prophecy from “…marriage is where romance goes to die” when she was affected by both her parents and own previous relationship. Yes, she was messed over by her ex but they really dragged that point out with her having entitled expectations toward a man (who’s ALSO HER BOSS btw) that she just met. I would have preferred she kindly kept him at professional arms’ distance until she found some healing on her own. Also, why was she looking melancholy through almost the whole series?? They also could have thrown in a lot more comedic “coincidental” meetings to strengthen the leads’ romantic connection as well. That awkward and cringily sappy yet graceful fall-catch is probably one of the best I’ve seen! I mean, may I have this dance or what? 😍

Despite the usual tropes like the fall-catch between leads (romance teaser) or highly publicized scandal (climactic plot twist), along with a fizzling storyline, I felt pretty satisfied with this drama’s overall storyline and less than fairytale ending. They could have redistributed the screen time from the last episode toward moments of romantic misunderstanding in earlier episodes. Like maybe reveal his true (nice) personality later and have them start dating later. The ending wasn’t your typical happily ever after but it seemed appropriate given Cha Ji-Yoon’s fears. I wonder if the filmmakers were attempting to address Korean anti-family work culture and how it affects office workers’ personal life choices. Since there wasn’t much drama to this drama, which included a quickly axed love triangle, I have little to review other than it should be a hit for office romance lovers.

One thing I do have to express is that the few dramas I’ve seen Seo In-Guk in (Doom at Your Service, Café Minamdang, Boyfriend on Demand) feels like he’s playing the same calm character over and over. Like with very little expressions or emotions. I’m not sure if that’s on purpose but it’s getting a little old, in my opinion. Again, my watches of his stuff are limited (don’t kill me, people!).


Side Notes: Ep1: In her apartment: Baseball pitcher loses a game as she’s getting ghosted. Sheesh! That’s clever. 😂 And wow, that fire activated message revealing cake??? IS THAT FOR REAL??? 🤯 I want one!!!

In her daydream: The turtle swimming by as she treks through a thigh high flooded street, only to be whisked away by a mysterious gentleman… to work (of all places) and the look of despair on her face. Lol. I feel ya, sister! Love this show already! 😍

Him flying in to Seoul: That girl at the airport with a red drink, turning around suddenly, was a dumb scene. Who carries around drinks that carelessly, unless they were already inebriated. Ok, fine. You won that argument. Also, I wonder how many shirts did they sacrifice for that scene? 😂

At the office: Huh? Sticker over the phone camera? I’ve never seen that before…won’t that mess up the camera lens? What was the point of that detail? Company helicopter? Whaaaa? I doubt their deadlines are so intense that they’d allow a regular employee access to a helicopter. Is Saeum supposed to be big like Samsung? Also, how the heck does she have her boss’s number, who she barely met?

QUOTE of the episode: “Some say that marriage is where romance goes to die.” Wow 😂

The sticky note on the forehead. Lol. I’ve only ever seen that ONCE and it was on “Better Off Dead” so the filmmakers probably have watched it.

Ep3: Beach break-up scene: LAME; no one in real life would be staring that hard at someone crying; those folks just want camera time 😂

After work team gathering: Drunkee restaurant? Wow, office boozing scenes never fail in a K-drama. Lol

Ep4: QUOTE of the episode: "Hey, work, thank you for letting me drown out my sadness with pain." 😂

Baseball game Saturday demo: “(random fan) May I get your autograph? (Kang Si-Woo) I’m not a player." Wow, really, random fan, how do you not know who’s a player and who isn’t? You do WATCH the games right? In the stands: they're allowed to drink on the job? 😮

Club scene where Yun No-A confronts Lee Jae-In: lame but not worse than the one in Dynamite Kiss! At least these kids looked like they were actually dancing 😂

Ep6: Whaaa, how could those be the most “phenomenal” croissants you’ve ever had? The Costco ones look better! 😂

Ep7: 어째서죠 (how come)? She can't just tell him the truth about her ex forcing his way into the wedding performance?

Ep9: QUOTE of the episode: “Good... morning?” (from Kang Si-Woo’s friend’s advice: always start your conversation with a question) 🤣🤣🤣 I wish they stretched out these antics more and had more co-workers swooning loudly around her just to make it stick. Maybe added her daydreaming about him slow motion in his boyfriend outfit, and then asking later why he changed his look. That would be so awkward. 🤣 They dropped that part so fast that it seemed irrelevant and non-comedic. That was a wasted opportunity for drawing in the audience more.

After team demo practice and speak of ghosts: What’s with the Kawaii office animals?? 🤔

Ep10: Burgled?? Huh?? Now I know the translator speaks British English!

QUOTE of the episode: “It never once crossed my mind that marriage could be one of my housing options." 😂

And who is this random tall and pretty guy all the sudden hanging out with their task force team?? 😂

Galaxy XR? Is that a hidden ad for Samsung?

Ep11: Ummm, I know it’s for love and everything buuutt I think the smarter approach would’ve been to film Mr. Ko acting all crazy in the lobby and just tell him that Mr. Kang was helping her with a personal emergency because no one else was available. But you know, that’s too reasonable and boring. Lol. Another no-fail use of the scandal trope in K-dramas. (sigh) I do like that it turned out fine eventually and that most of her co-workers were nice people. :)

PEEVE of the episode: Video meeting with external investor: annoying; forcing non-native speakers to do English dialog...for no good reason. And then the cruelty of not translating that in the subtitles! Why is it that English never gets translated in Asian drama subtitles? 😩 Just because they’re speaking English doesn’t mean audiences automatically know what they’re saying. Ugh.

Ummm, from where the heck did that window behind his kitchen show up?? It can't be outside because he's facing the sliding door window to his balcony.. That better not be the window to the outer hallway. Creepy 😵

Ep12: Leads walking up the street from the beach: That was an unexpected twist but I like that the story didn’t have to succeed with both of them overcoming adversity in big corp but rather figuring out what they wanted to do in life. However, I didn’t get the new tech job setup that Kang Si-Woo had going. What was the point of that scene? That he completed his soul searching within 6 months and actually found what he wanted to do? And what’s with the Kawaii AI bot giving attitude to him in the meeting?

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My New, Light Hearted, Feel Good Romance Movie

Review

My Rating is 10/10

And Yet, You Are So Sweet is a delightful Japanese movie that quickly moved up to one of my favorite J-dramas/movies. I rated it 10/10 and would happily watch it again. If you enjoy heartwarming coming-of-age romances with believable emotions and strong character growth, this one is excellent. The story feels genuine, the leads have wonderful chemistry, and it perfectly captures the sweetness and awkwardness of teenage feelings without unnecessary drama. Highly recommended for a comforting, uplifting watch.

Spoilers

I loved Sui Chigira (male lead) so much. He was handsome and popular, but it didn’t ruin him. In fact, he seemed tired of the shallow attention. He rescued Maaya Kisaragi (main girl) in the sweetest way by suggesting she pretend to have a one-sided crush on him until her heart healed. Their little “game” let her truly get to know him, and she fell for the real him. He was consistently kind and thoughtful throughout. I also really liked Maaya Kisaragi (main girl). Her unrequited love schedule was a bit silly at first, but she matured beautifully as she spent time with him. It was realistic that dating the most popular guy in school brought some mean comments calling her ugly or weird, but I was glad she learned to tune it out—she just kept cheering for him at the track meet. My one very minor regret is the trope of the girl running out into the road. It felt unnecessary, especially since Japanese kids learn traffic safety young. She could have had an accident in many other ways. The ending was perfect though. Sui Chigira (male lead)’s confession was so cute, and I loved that Maaya Kisaragi (main girl) told him she loved him too. It wrapped everything up warmly and satisfyingly.

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More than just a gender discrimination film

Though gender and discrimination are explored on both a personal and systemic level, Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 is more fundamentally a study of how small accommodations and accumulated slights produce lasting effects. Objects, gestures, and everyday activities quietly illustrate position, identity, and value as a young mother struggles with her changed status and her diminishing sense of self. Exploring nuance while resisting reductive answers, the film gives convincing motivation and emotional meaning to the behavior of every major character. Jung Yu-mi and Gong Yoo inhabit their roles with remarkable naturalism, allowing the relationship to unfold with tenderness, restraint, and complexity. Deftly told with quietness and heart, this is an outstanding film. Bravo.

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