Reviews

This was barely an 8 due to the ending, more like a 7.5 or 8 depending on my mood. I chose to give it an 8 though, because lets be real I'm a sucker for student-teacher stories, as they remind me of why I want to be a teacher (I'm working towards being a elementary school teacher). This movie did exactly that, it reminded me of why I want to teach, and gave me that fresh excitement all over again. The teacher-student interactions were cute, and it was nice to see how they effected EACH OTHER. Typically in these stories, the teacher has got it all, and he effects the students. Not in this story. Mr. Perfect, well isn't perfect, and has his own issues to figure out. Him serving the island and being a teacher helps him lead to his own road of self-discovery and renewal. The students aren't perfect either. They have their own personal struggles and problems, and it's nice to see the teacher effect their lives and show them that they truly have an adult by their side. I particularly liked his relationship with Byeong Joo. It was nice for Byeong Joo to have an adult on his side, and for him to open up to his teacher :) I would also like to add, that this movie was funny and had me laughing out loud at some parts. It was truly a joy to watch :) Now, it's not all roses, and there are some things I had problems with. One being, the overly light treatment of Byeong Joo and his problems with his father. Though this is mainly due to culture differences, in how that specific topic is treated. I personally thought that things were a bit too smooth, and found it unrealistic. The second problem I had was the ending. At first I was going to to give this a 6 I was so mad. But after discussing with a friend whose also seen the movie, I realized that this movie is about Mr. Perfect's personal journey. The movie does fulfill that, just in an unexpected way. The ending was a tad bit unsatisfying, but really it's like the last 10 minutes, and the rest of it is so good.

Overall, I would recommend this movie. The ending could've been done better, but the rest of it was well-done and worth the watch. Also, for those curious, I'll leave a comment explaining my interpretation of the ending below.

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This is definitely a sweet little sentimental film. Unlike many time-travel dramas and movies, it uses this theme in the sense of “what if” and leaves viewers to reflect about life. The lead character does not go back in time to save the world but to merely save his loved ones. It’s personal and small-scale. I loved the reactions (I wouldn’t say ‘relationship’) between his present and past self, and I thought they looked so much like father and son.

This movie had a quite ‘commercial’ mood, meaning they made the overall tone light enough to reach a wide range of viewers. The directing, the cinematography, the atmosphere, even the story and the core message itself weren’t explored in depth. Personally I think It lacked personality, considering the fact that I enjoy independent films where messages are deeper and cinematography targets my ‘aesthetic trash’ self. In the story here there’s only a bit of romance, a bit of friendship, a bit of comedy, a bit of family and a bit of medical, portrayed in a rather vibrant palette. Nothing particularly stood out. Nothing deep.

However, this could be a good point for someone who’s looking for a rather light watch. It’s really nothing grand like its *wrong* choice of tagline: “What if you get 10 chances to change your past?” It doesn’t drive you to calculate your ability for 10 times time-travel that much.

Acting was really great in here. The leads Kim Yoonseok and Byun Yohan were alive in their roles. Other actors also did well. The music didn’t stand out to me, but it wasn’t awkward. It also seems like an easy choice to rewatch, but I don’t really know what I’d rewatch this for. I’m not a re-watcher so don’t mind my score.

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I must say, Circle is the closest to a near-perfect minidrama that I've ever seen. In just 12 episodes it succinctly and cleverly delivers a solid and captivating story without being overly ambitious nor disappointingly sparse. Was is my favorite drama of 2017? Probably not. So why do I pretentiously name it as a near-perfect minidrama? Because despite it not being my personal favorite (I still thoroughly enjoyed it), it is the pinnacle of what a minidrama should be. Usually, due to limited runtime, 12-episode dramas either are too ambitious and fail to properly articulate the story/message, or they just forego substance altogether. Circle's writing, editing, and formatting is able to present a story, message, and impact that balances pace and relevance.
It's easy to mix up sci-fi and fantasy. In my dictionary, fantasy tends to focus more on lore, while sci-fi is more focused on the consequences of human's actions. I'm not going to spoil anything, but I will confirm that this is sci-fi. There's action, tech, and definitely some curveballs, but if you're looking for something more fantasy, this drama may not be what you want. If you're looking for some action and thought-provoking narrative, I'd highly recommend this.
Now for the best part: the cast and acting. With such a short and fast-paced drama, a huge burden shifts from the story to the actors; they basically have to carry the story along. I've watched some of Yeo Jin Goo's child acting, which was enjoyable, but him as a lead was very impressive. Aside from the fact that he's just so darn pretty, he's able to express emotion far beyond his young age. The biggest surprises here were Kim Kang Woo and Lee Ki Kwang. I must say that Kang Woo stole the entire show (sorry Jin Goo). I've never seen him before, but I plan to keep watching his works; I haven't seen an actor display such raw emotion in a long time. He even moved me to tears in my favorite scene of this drama. As for Ki Kwang, I didn't know what to expect from an idol actor, but he blew me away. I felt every emotion he expressed, when he smiled, I found myself smiling. When he was distressed, I felt his frustration. Absolutely amazing. As for Gong Seung Yeon, I recently became a HUGE fan after Introverted Boss and My Only Love Song. This girl will make it big. She's absolutely charming.
As for music, there's only 2 songs on the OST, but they're solid. Not the best, but definitely enough for this drama.
As for rewatch value, I think this is the only drama I would give a 10. It's so complex that I'm tempted to go back and find clues.
Overall, a very good drama. Some may find unsatisfying plot holes, but I had no problem with the omitted information. It's heavy on action and humanity, and light on world-building and lore.

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This show is such a little gem, I'm really surprised it's not more popular. I think this is the only drama where every episode was uniformly satisfying. I loved everything about this series: the romantic leads with their amazing chemistry, the realistic conflicts that were never allowed to drag on forever, and the overall sweetness.

One of the things that I love about this drama is how satisfying equal their relationship is. While the male lead is pretty rich, his lady is never overawed by it, and he doesn't use his wealth to overwhelm her either. And I can't say just how satisfying to watch a drama with leads who seem to genuinely like AND LUST after each other. Trust me, you won't find any fish kisses or pained expressions in these kiss scenes [Heirs I'm looking at you] I never understood why so many female leads in korean dramas look as though they are just enduring the kisses. It's a real buzz killer, one that is thankfully absent in this drama. Overall I highly recommend this one if you are looking for a sweet, cute love story with great rewatch value

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I was so busy that's why I just finished the Korean drama just now. But here we go!

"STORYLINE OF ME BEFORE WATCHING IT"
At first, I was not going to watch this because Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo has the same airing week as LOTBS and I feel like the viewers liked WFKBJ more than this and some say that it's boring and cliche, so I don't want to watch it. Then after months, a friend recommend me to watch it but I doubt that I will like this drama. But after finishing this, I think that LOTBS is GREAT! WFKBJ is better but LOTBS is great too! Here are the reasons why:

PLOT/STORY - I really like the story. I don't know why you think that it's boring. Yes, I have to agree that it's a bit convoluted or complex because of things going on, but that's what it is all about to be honest, to have it's thrill and having questions in our mind about what will happen next. Yes, I also have to agree that it is predictable, maybe it is just me that likes the drama being predictable on some scenes. But some scenes are not predictable for me, I was always questioning myself about what will happen next (maybe I am a clueless person that's why I can't think outside the box LOL). I love the reincarnation idea too! Well to be honest, I'm almost going to drop the drama because of the start of episode 1, but because of the funny moments of the mermaid, it made me want to watch more.

This drama made me laugh because of the mermaid & the cast, clenched my teeth and curse words because of the villain, & tense because of all the thriller. And it really ended out well. I gave it 9 and not 10 because even though it's a great drama, there are still questions that are unanswered and I wish that you made the ending very detailed. I'm not a harsh & strict critic so yeah. :D I cried but just a few seconds for the main couple but it didn't emotionally hit me COMPLETELY, but it made me emotional though.. Like 75%. So in short, the story was great and even though it's complex, it still works for me and gave me mixed emotions.

ACTING/CAST - Okay, I got to agree with you that the main characters which are the couples (Cheong and Joon Jae) missed something. I don't know if it is that chemistry or closure. There are times that I smile because of their sweet scenes but the couples didn't made me jump with joy and scream (because that's how I will react when they have great chemistry), but I didn't. I just smiled and cry a bit. I kinda giggled though with Cha Shi Ah and Tae Oh's development because they are so cute. I think the cast did well. The villain character (the woman) really made me clenched my teeth and scream with anger, because she is that good. Other casts did so well too so I don't have problems with the others. I think Lee Min Ho's acting is great, what the eff are y'all saying?! He doesn't have emotion sometimes because that's the personality of the character. Good job!

MUSIC - The songs are not memorable though but it really fits to the drama. I don't get why you find the theme song cheesy, it sounds perfectly fine for me (or maybe because I can't understand the lyrics because I am not Korean)

REWATCH VALUE - I am not that kind of person to rewatch some korean dramas but I would watch this again but for a very long time.

I'm going to miss this drama though because it is really good. I would recommend you guys to watch it. :) (for those who are way more outdated than me that didn't watch this yet LOL)

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Get ready to be swooned! If you're looking for a light and cutesy drama, then this one is for you!
It is a short but oh so packed with cuteness and OH MY GOSH scenes. The main leads in my opinion, have great chemistry! The main guy, Jae Won, is your ideal boyfriend; caring, sweet, cute (haha in all ways,mind you he loves his bear slippers and bear apron) and all other good stuff. There was no episode where I did not squeal, well probably there was err when that shameless ex of hers is on the screen.
But anyhow, I highly recommend this drama to my fellow viewers who's looking for a romance fill in, as this definitely did the job for me. I hope that my future man will do that kind of dating course for me!!!
Overall, I give this drama an A- ;as the acting was good, story is not so out of the ordinary but I liked the concept of the whole Wednesday 3:30 pm project, casts were good (cute chemistry between the leads), phasing of the drama was perfect and last but not the least, this drama had cute OST too

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I have not written a review in a really long time but after finishing this drama I felt I should write one. This drama is nothing I have seen so far in the K-drama land and it was simply amazing! I am actually really glad it had 12 episodes (no more, no less), because it was just a perfect length.

If you are postponing watching the drama because of the synopsis, let me assure you that the story is nothing like the synopsis. If the plot was written there, then there would be no surprises when you watch the drama. Throughout the drama, I was constantly guessing what is going on and how will the two plot lines come together. To be honest, most of the time, I was wrong in my guessing :D That is why I loved the drama, because it was really unpredictable, kept me on the edge all the time and never stopped me guessing the plot. One great script-writing there!

The acting was very good, even though there were some actors which did not portray their roles as believably as others, but such actors had just minor roles so it did not bother me that much. The main cast did an admirable job and I am going to stalk everyone's future works from now on :)

The instrumental music was very fitting for the drama. There was only one memorable vocal OST song.

I am not sure whether I will rewatch the drama since I know all the plot twists now but maybe I will watch it later just to see some details I could have missed while watching it for the first time.

Overall, it was a spectacular drama which deserved to put on my "Worth to mention Dramas" list. So far, the best finished drama of 2017!

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I really wanted to like this drama more. I love Shin Min Ah and the premise sounded fun and unique. But show didn't quite do it for me. Honestly, I don't know why I finished this drama other than some weird compulsion to not leave things unfinished.

Anyway, lets start with the good. Shin Min Ah delivered an amazing performance as per usual. I definitely believed her as Kang Joo Eun. She delivered the weird and quirky personality so well. Yoo In Young was great as Oh Soo Jin. I especially loved when the two were on screen together. They worked so well as friends to rivals to friends.

I really loved Henry's character as well. He was fun and definitely helped add comedic moments to otherwise too intense ones. His acting wasn't amazing, but since he wasn't on screen too much it didn't really bother me.

The soundtrack was really good too. Several of the songs got stuck in my head and I never found them annoying. They cycled threw a few different songs so it wasn't constantly the same verse anytime there was an influx in emotion.

I also loved the cute, fluffy moments between the main couple. They were adorable and I'm pretty sure they're the reason I even finished it. I'm a sucker for really good fluff and Kang Joo Eun and Kim Yeong Ho provided tooth aching, cotton candy filled fluff whenever they could.

Now the not so good, the entire plot. I was extremely uncomfortable from the very beginning with how Yeong Ho was constantly shaming Joo Eun for her weight. An especially hard concept for me to take was the "your body is mine" thing he said throughout the first few episodes. I get that show was trying to promote being healthy but I think they went about it in a way that could be harmful.

It was too long. The last two episodes were completely unnecessary. the amount of repeated scenes from previous episodes had me skipping through them almost completely. And the two little "plot twists" they threw in in the last 5 minutes of the show were completely unnecessary.

Despite all this, I still mostly enjoyed watching the drama if only for the cuteness of the OTP, the side characters, and the general humor in the show.

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2.5
This was just a seriously bad drama that I watched regardless, cringing all the way through. :/ What can I say...Statutory holiday and pouring outside? One more drama to add to MDL? ....
Maybe Yang Jin Sung did it as a favor? Though she wasn't good here either. How could she be? The male lead definitely needs an acting mentor/coach (he's an ex-boy band member) and the writing/plot? - The leads fiance dies, then he finds her doppelganger and she...Holy smokes! It's what she does and how she/the writing explains away her decision, that I find horrid. Let's see: make-up, lighting, acting, plot..poor, poor, poor and lame. Go on and see for yourself. That's what I always do.
You may disagree with me but I doubt it.

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Really touching movie. If you are planning to watch this expecting it to be a cute animation. You will be shocked, definitely not something to watch with kids so....don't lol. I would personally rate this 15 if it was in the cinema as there are some sensitive images.

Anywho back to the movie. It is a great mash up of east meets west. A great cast, with everyone acting superbly. It's a cute movie about a girl and her friend being separated for greed. I won't go in to too much detail or else it spoils it. There were some tears and there were some chuckles. Definitely a rewatch just to see the girls relationship with Okja. Don't think there was a soundtrack and the movie seems shorter than it is, it is over 2hrs long. It is a Netflix production, which seems to be more of a thing nowadays. Great production with clear and lovely graphics.

Nice to see Choi woo shik, brought some comedy. Oooo and watch till the credits finish rolling for some more of him lol

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