Let's get one thing straight: I am all for love triangles/squares/whatever shape they come out to be, but one thing I cannot stand is when they objectify the women. The plot was also dragged out for way too long. I think at one point, I wasn't even sure what the actual plot was anymore. There were just so many twists and turns, I could barely keep up with it.
There were a few actors/actress that blew me away, Kim So Hyun being one of those people. It still amazes me to see how far she's come and how much she's accomplished at such a young age. Compared to her, I am nothing but a potato.
With historical dramas come ballads. I've noticed for quite a while now that ballads can sound pretty similar to one another. So much so, that they can feel a little boring at times. There were some original soundtracks that stood out to me, however, the majority didn't impress. But for those that did, extra points for them.
Overall, I think this is still a watchable drama. The ending will give you a satisfaction like no other. You might even let out a sigh of relief. Historical dramas hold a very special place in my heart because they take me back to a time that I never got the chance to experience. In addition to that, I also get to admire the costumes. So even though it lacked in some departments, I still had a good time. I don't regret finishing it but this drama definitely won't make it on my list of ones to rewatch.
With that said,
Llama out.
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At first, It'll be hard to get a good grip on what's going on because the timeline is a little scattered. I wouldn't worry too much about that though because, by the end, everything will fall into place. And yes, I would've loved it if there was more romance. But on the other hand, I'm also glad they didn't waste any precious second diverting from the actual plot.
Major shoutouts to Yeo Jin Goo and Gong Seung Yeon, because I can only imagine how difficult it was to play multiple roles at once. But nonetheless, they did an insane job of making all of the characters they played unique in their own ways. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better cast.
There weren't a lot of soundtracks for me to base my ratings on and I've come up with two ideas as to why that is. One, not a lot of people jumped at the opportunity of making a soundtrack for this drama, which is a bummer because they totally deserved it. Two, they decided to just turn it down a notch because they wanted to put more focus on the drama itself. Whatever the case may be, they definitely took a hit for this section.
Overall, this drama is a prime example that we should never judge a book by its cover. Or at least, I shouldn't. If you're new and is looking for something to dip your toes into, I would highly recommend this one. I just don't see myself rewatching this only because I was so content with its ending. And also because there's no romance to look back on.
With that said,
Llama out.
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Firstly the opening of the drama introduces you to the lead female protagonist bae Suzy who as a reporter is smart, intelligent and have a different way of looking into things. Tbh this is my first time watching bae Suzy's drama. Her character is portrayed as someone who can forsee the future. She is woman with beauty and intelligence both but knowing the future is also a curse because she can't change what she sees.
The other male lead is Lee jong suk who after meeting Suzy starts to see the future too but unlike Suzy he has a capability to change the future. Unlike other dramas where he is portrayed as someone who is an ideal type of person with nothing wrong with him here he portrays as someone who take up things and sometimes try to prove his worth but regrets it later because he fears that he might not be able to pull it off.
Now the next role of woo tak who is a dedicated police officer. But even though he was in a side role he's an eye candy, drawing all the viewers attention and making us drooling over him. We had our eyes more glued over him than LJS. Like LJS he develop the ability to see the future too. The most interesting way is how the different characters in the drama are connected together by the same ability to change and forsee the future and thus shares a adorable friendship to help and protect each other.
Finally there is a villain Lee yeob who is a prosecutor like jae Chan but unlike him he support the criminals and act as a parasite to manipulate evidence for them and feed his greed for money and power. He being in his profession has destroyed so many innocent life by tampering and changing the evidence that his deeds made him hate himself for helping wrong people.
The overall drama was good but sometimes LJS and bae Suzy's acting seems too much at places. They looked more like overacting at places but thankfully the powerful plot was able to deal with it.
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The storyline was well thought out. It's a beautiful story about four best friends trying to find their place in this world and I think that's why this drama did so well in this first place. It spoke well with its audience. With each episode, I could feel my curiosity grow, as I was constantly trying to anticipate what would happen next. Plus, there was so much going on that there wasn't even a second for me to feel bored.
What makes this great cast even more commendable is their chemistry on set. The connection between these four friends felt so real that I truly believed their friendship went beyond just their acting.
If you've read my other reviews, you would know I'm not really a fan of upbeat music. But strangely enough, I found this drama's soundtrack super uplifting. If you're ever in a bad mood, I would highly advise you to jam out to some of their OST's because they'll cheer you up for sure.
Overall, I give this drama a big thumbs up. To all you romantic-comedy fans out there, this one's for you. Though, I probably won't rewatch anytime soon. Only because I still vividly remember a lot of it. Maybe when I don't anymore (and need to refresh my memory) will I do so.
With that said,
Llama out.
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Story: Never watched anything like this, so give a 7.5, but how they deal with the two antagonists at the end should have been better.
Acting: drop a star coz of Hu Ge's acting.
Cast: Well casted. It's crazy that I approve casting Hu Ge as a 20 years old but disapprove his acting.
Music: Irritating melodramatic violins BGM too often.
Rewatch Value: Never. Maybe 3 more years and only will watch the middle parts/episodes.
Overall: Do not wanna rate this below 8.0 , was thinking of a 7.5 but pity China series never get deserving love, look at the other reviews and one reviewer rated this a 6.5??? I still think other aspects such as the very attractive 1900s Shanghai's sceneries are worthy of a cinematography-based rating of an 8.0 which added to the overall 8.0.
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Flaw #1.- There were times I thought the characters' thought process did not make sense.
Flaw #2- I was able to guess what was going to happen very early on. However, it was probably because I have seen so many dramas, but the plot seeemed to really mimic Gap Dong at times, which is what I kept thinking.
Flaw #3- There was one inconsistency that really bothered me, though I can see how it would be missed by some, especially if they watched it while it was airing. In the very first episode, a certain object is shone in one location. However, later on, it is changed to be in a completely different location, which changes the story.
Flaw #4- The ending does not really explain itself. You are left wondering what happened for it to end that particular way. It could have been on purpose, but I think that the writers could have done a better job at explaining.
Besides those flaws mentioned above, it was a really good watch. I would still highly recommend it to fellow drama watchers.
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I also had a lot of trouble backing the lead couple in While You Were Sleeping. Even though Lee Jong Suk and Suzy did very well in their roles. I didn’t sense a whole lot of chemistry or any for that matter. Thinking back on the drama, I don’t even know when feelings started to form and the romance began.
Yet there are some points in this drama that just blew me away. The pilot for instance was a work of art. If only they were able to keep that going week over week. A handful of these episodes where so beautiful and breathtaking. The effects used to bridge reality and dream whisk you away to another world. The visual effects that this drama uses make a good argument to watch it.
Overall, I think While You Were Sleeping is an interesting enough drama to watch. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was able to deliver on the ultra-hype that proceeded it. If you are interested in the premise, watch this drama! Get swept away in this beautiful striking drama!
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I recommend this is you like action samurai movies.
Oh and the sound track at least the closing song I must find it!
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The story was really well written, starting with this character that will frustate you, why? because he is the purest and kind person and you will adore him, yet he becomes falsely accused and you'll become enraged by all the injustice that happens in the world. The way he treats is daughter makes you feel warm inside, in spite of his disability he is the best parent she could have.
As I said the relationship father-daughter will move your feelings but also the friendship of the 7º cell mates, those who will do everything in their power to help him.
The acting was on point. I already new that those actors were great but I really got impressed by Kal So Won acting, for such a young child taking such an emotional role she was amazing, every time she cried she shattered my heart into pieces.
The soundtrack was really good but in some parts I was so immersed on the story that only after some time I would notice it, like if the music was blended in the story.
I had this movie on my plan to watch for a long time and I regret that I haven't seen it sooner.
I don't recall crying so much after seeing a movie or drama, it was like a storm of emotions inside of me and even 5 minutes after the movie I was still crying, so be prepared with a lot of tissues.
It is simultaneously the most beautiful, loving and sad story that I ever seen.
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If you're a fan of the original work, just know that the plot doesn't go down the route you think it might take. For me, that was a bit of a disappoint. I understand that when doing a remake, it can't entirely match the original. But they could've at least tried to follow it. Where one thing lacks, another should make it up. I was hoping the costumes would give them a chance at redemption, however, it only left me with a big hole in what could've been something great.
The casting was only mediocre. If I'm going to be entirely honest, the supporting characters were the only reason why I stuck around and finished it.
Luckily for them though, I'm more generous when it comes to the original soundtracks. Just give me good ballads and I'm all ears. I basically like anything that can give me feels, even if it's just a little bit.
Overall, if you haven't seen the original work, then you'll probably have a better time watching this than I did. One thing that I'm starting to realize is that my expectations for this drama might've been too high. At the end of the day, my loyalties lie with the manhwa version so unfortunately, I'm going to have to say no to rewatching this.
With that said,
Llama out.
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The plot isn't the most original idea, with dreams somewhat akin to the premonitions of the Final Destination franchise, though with slight modifications in the mechanics of said premonitions. The execution of the dreams is definitely done far more superbly however. The story doesn't just lead you with a series of events that occur chronologically, but pieces together a larger puzzle with dreams and events that foreshadow one another and tie up loose ends. This makes a lot of cases and mysteries more unpredictable than what meets the eye, though by the drama's repetitive nature, some conclusions by default are predictable to a means.
What really makes the drama for me are the acting and characters. If you have a strong distaste for Suzy's acting, know that I have not seen Suzy in any other dramas, nor have I known her from her singing career, so my conclusion on her acting is solely based on this drama. Suzy does Hong Joo a great service in portraying her character's ordinary yet quirky personality. She doesn't rely on pretty appearances to pull off her character. In fact, we see very early on that Hong Joo would rather sacrifice her beauty for the lives she cares about most. Lee Jong Suk does a great job playing Jae Chan as well. The character is actually quite similar to Jong Suk's many other roles, so if you've seen him before, you can know what to expect. As far as the leading pair's chemistry, I won't deny at times their relationship felt awkward, but it's not the worst. They have their moments, but the romance isn't as strong as your usual romcom.
Jung Hae In does a fantastic job as Han Woo Tak, and you just can't help but feel for him. I would argue this drama may contribute to a large case of second lead syndrome. At many times, it felt as though he and Suzy shared more chemistry than the latter with Jong Suk. Above all, I was absolutely blown away by Lee Sang Yeob's performance as Lee Yoo Beom. His character drove me insane. I absolutely hated him, but can't help but respect how Lee Sang Yeob could portray such a menacing character. He got every little detail down in persuading viewers of Yeo Beom's conniving nature, from hand motions to slight changes in facial expressions.
There's not much to say about the music; it was amazing. The soundtrack was beautiful, and was always inserted at the right times. There were no scenes where I strongly felt that the background music did not fit the scene, and many of the records ranged from a comedic euphony to an intense, suspenseful orchestra.
If you enjoyed the romance and comedy moments, you might enjoy a rewatch, but I'd say the show loses a lot of its surprise factor spark after you finish it, especially as it deals with crime & law. Overall, this drama was a great watch. There were some bumps along the ride, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
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The Good:
The originality of the plot was what drew me in initially and convinced me to give this drama a chance, and I still stand by the fact that it holds its own uniqueness and merit in how ambitious the premise was from the beginning. It's been a while since the initial episodes of a drama have captured my interest so quickly; the only issue was how it progressed as the episodes went on. I'll elaborate more on this later on in this review.
The soundtrack is among one of the best ones I've heard in a long time (in fact, I'm listening to the OST as I write this), and I particularly like the tracks by Eddy Kim, Henry and Monogram. I find the songs to be very well-suited to the overall mood of the drama, and excel at providing a soothing, dream-like atmosphere. The cinematography does a great job at this too, and WYWS is a very visually appealing drama as a whole. I liked how a lot of the dream sequences were executed, the use of colour and the use of changes in how the screen appears to viewers as the drama switches from a dream to reality and vice versa. There were few instances where they felt a little out of place (some of which I feel they may have revealed a little too much information, which detracted slightly from the suspense factor of some events), and it was a tad confusing to wrap my head around to begin with, but I'd still agree that the flow of these scenes were generally good.
I admit that I wasn't really sold on a lot of the workplace bickering and humour towards the start of the drama, but I really found myself warming to the side characters and secondary leads as the drama progressed, particularly Woo Tak, Seung Won, Prosecutor Lee, Chief Choi and Prosecutor Sohn. Personally, I would've liked to have seen more done with Woo Tak's character, and I have to admit that I felt as though he and Hong Joo had more chemistry in some of their shared scenes (I'm really feeling the second lead syndrome here, guys). It'd be lovely to have seen him end up happy with someone too, though I did enjoy his friendship with Kyung Han, his sunbae. It was also a delight to watch the brotherly relationship and believable bickering between Jae Chan and Seung Won. Additional props go to Lee Sang Yeob, who really impressed me with his portrayal of the drama's main antagonist, Yoo Beom - you know that the actor's doing a great job when it aggravates you every time you see them on screen. I'd like to see more from both him and Jung Hae In, as this is the first time seeing their works.
The Okay:
The main couple were lacking... something. I don't know if it was lack of chemistry, the execution of some of the scenes or the way the actors portrayed the romance, but I'd gone through the episodes feeling as though something was missing. I wasn't entirely convinced by it, since the basis of the romance relied a fair amount on random insertions of cute and comical scenes, which whilst endearing and adorable at times, felt a little too oddly-timed and a tad cringey or overdone on some occasions. Whilst I think it was a little too oversaturated in parts in terms of romance, I wouldn't say it was flat out unconvincing or difficult to watch (I appreciated the more sentimental/deep scenes in parts) but I wouldn't say it was particularly great either. Just okay.
The Not-So-Good:
My main gripe with WYWS is that the direction and pacing were pretty much all over the place; the initial episodes were strong, well-paced and left me with high hopes (perhaps too high, in hindsight). I was intrigued as to how it would all unfold as more events took place and how changes being made to one event would lead to another happening in its place. I enjoyed that unpredictability in the first few weeks and anticipated explanation behind how the dreams occurred in the first place, but in the middle episodes, it really started to grow predictable and repetitive.
I appreciate that some of the ways the cases were wrapped up were well done (and some of them were emotionally impactful, such as the case where Prosecutor Sohn's chronically ill son was directly affected by the outcome), but the fact that you're aware that somehow, our main leads will find a solution, often seemingly out of nowhere, takes away a little of the anticipation. In some cases, the way they wrapped up seemed too neat, too good to be true for my liking.
Towards the latter episodes, I really felt as though the plot lagged for so long that they left themselves with too much to cram in at the end. The ending itself was satisfying enough, but only just about. It could've really done with being more well-timed, with sufficient suspense to hold the viewer's attention, but as previously mentioned, the fact that some dreams gave a little too much about some situations away detracted from this. A lot of the past/present connections between characters should've been tied up and resolved earlier on to allow for more time to build up to the final case, and then wrap up neatly for the finale. Personally, I found this to be the most disappointing part, especially considering that the drama was entirely pre-produced.
Overall verdict:
I won't dissuade anyone from watching, and would still recommend that you try it out if the genres, actors, tropes or premise appeal to you in any way. If you're undecided, I still think you should give this drama a chance, as despite its flaws, I did complete it having enjoyed it as a whole. If you're here for a fast-paced, unpredictable plot and strong chemistry between the main leads... I don't think this is the drama for you.
Thanks for reading : )
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Story: [8.0/10] While you were sleeping is basically your typical prosecutor/lawyer/law drama with a slight little twist. The character played by Suzy can dream of events that happens in the future. Meanwhile Lee Jong Suk plays the role of a prosecutor. Throughout the drama he goes through solving many different cases through this ability that pops up to help him solve the case. There's is also a prosecutor turned lawyer played by Lee Sang Yeob who is the main antagonist of this story. He mostly spends his time defending the criminals opposite of main character prosecutor. I felt like the story started out pretty strong, but near the end it really started to waver. The story gets a little less interesting in my opinion when the viewers see the end result because Suzy's character can dream of the future. Instead we are left with trying to understand how we reach an end through viewing the stuff that happens in the middle. I'm just a little disappointed because it flt like the plot could be summed up as saying a prosecutor who solves cases through dreaming of the future. It basically makes for a deus ex machina. Other than my disdain for the simple plot, I really enjoyed the comedy. I also sort of liked the romance, but I felt like there wasn't too much spark or chemistry. Although I feel like that may also be a result of the plot and how the dreams played a role in how the two main characters ended up falling in love/getting together. It sort of makes it superficial. In the end, I thought that the story lacked a climax. I went to watch the episode today on 11/16 to find that it was the last one! I was like OMG WHAT? The show definitely didn't lead me to think it was nearing the end because it was sort of anti-climatic as well.
Acting/Cast; [9.5/10] This was one of my favorite parts of the drama. I'm a big fan of the two main characters. Often times I feel like a show has better production value if you have big name actors and actresses. This drama was one of them. Lee Jong Suk and Suzy has been in many big named dramas that ended up doing very well. I also enjoyed the villain that was played by Lee Sang Yeob as well. It really made me annoyed when I saw him enter the screen. I know that a show has a decent villain whenever I hate to see them. It means that the show made a good attempt at trying to make him a treacherous character.
Music: [8.0/10] I generally don't really have much about to say about music in dramas unless the genre of a drama is specifically musically-related. The music was okay. I give it around an 8.0/10.
In conclusion, I give this drama an 8.5/10. Generally I usually view dramas that score at least an 8.5 on MDL. I find that these shows are very much so above average. A 9.0 is a must watch and anything higher than that is what I assume to be a top notch drama. This show currently has a 9.0 at the time of me writing this. I slightly disagree. This isn't really a must watch drama on MDL for me, but I definitely think it's above average. I definitely felt like they could have done more with the dream concept as well as the plot. Although I'm sure that they were a little constrained based on the fact that this was a prosecutor type drama. TL;DR I liked the characters, the ending, and the comedy. I wasn't a big fan of the plot.
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When I heard all the hype surrounding this drama, at first, I kinda dismissed it since a lot of hyped up dramas never impressed me, but "While You Were Sleeping" did have my attention just after the first episode, which is a great plus.
STORY: Okay, here's the hard part. I LOVED how the plot began and all, but somewhere down a few 10-12 episodes, I started losing my interest and began looking forward to other dramas. Don't get me wrong, the plot was still good enough to make me keep watching, but it felt a bit predictable and stagnant at times. After a long time I decided to catch up, and yeah, although it wasn't as great as it started out to be, it still didn't disappoint me either, and I actually kind felt bad about dropping it earlier.
ACTING: I was already a fan of both the Lee Jong Suk and Suzy but I kinda love them a lot more after watching the drama. For me, a major factor in watching a drama is chemistry, and THEY HAD UNBELIEVABLE CHEMISTRY. They were so cute together that I just had to keep watching the drama for them.
JUNG HAE IN WAS BAE. I love him, I don't know why I've never noticed him before, cause he is HOT. And yes, his acting was on point.
Kim Won Hae's role was a plus, as I always like his acting. Overall I felt all the actors played their parts very well, and the acting in the drama is definitely a plus point
OST: I AM IN LOVE WITH THE OST FROM THIS DRAMA. There isn't a single song I don't like hearing, and Suzy's "I Love You Boy", Roy Kim's "It'd be good" and Lee Jong Suk's "Come To Me" are definitely my favourites. Boy, who knew Lee Jong Suk could sing so well!
OVERALL: I do like this drama but I feel like could have been SO much more better of they had added a little more suspense, and a little more flow to it.
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Story:
The plot premise is very interesting and unique but was not very well executed. My biggest issue with the dreams is that how they work was never really fully explained. This is one of my biggest gripes with this and all Sci-fi/fantasy dramas- we need to know the rules so we can know the stakes. Without this, anything can happen for any reason and as a viewer you can't get as invested in the story. The dreams felt a bit contrived at times. There also wasn't really a solid plotline running throughout the entire show, and there was rarely any sense of urgency.
Acting:
I love them both to pieces but I feel like neither Lee Jong Suk or Suzy are strong enough actors to carry a drama on their own. Aside from their acting not being the strongest, they have very little romantic chemistry. Other than that, their characters are very well written and are fun and believable as friends. As well, the supporting cast have great chemistry with the leads and are very strong actors.
Music
The music was outstanding and very well utilized. This show, like the writers' other work, "I Hear Your Voice," also makes amazing use of an instrumental OST, which really adds to emotional moments.
Overall
Overall, I had my gripes with this drama but I enjoyed it. It had a stellar first few episodes, and kind of slowed down in the middle and sort of sputtered out at the end, but as a whole it was pretty good. As a viewer I feel like I put more effort into thinking about directions that both the plot and characters could have gone in than the writer did at times. Even though there were things I thought could have been done better, there was nothing I hated, and I don't regret watching it.
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