I loved this drama. It was definitely a mystery/police procedural drama and not a romance drama (if this show was made in the US, there probably might have been a romance subplot between the main two characters but societal expectations in Korea are different and there isn't and that's just fine. It didn't need any romance). This show is about Yoo Seol Ok (played by Choi Kang Hee), a neighborhood ahjumma who is basically like Sherlock Holmes in her ability with deductive reasoning. Seol Ok gets involved in investigating some crimes that occur in her neighborhood because Chief Hong Joon Oh (played adorably by Lee Won Geun), the head of her neighborhood police station, consults her for help with his investigations. They cross paths with Ha Wan Seung (played by Kwon Sang Woo - who can smirk at me any time he wants to, thanks), a detective in the drug unit/violent crimes unit who is something of a loose cannon. He and Seol Ok clash quite a bit, but form a bickering partnership in order to hunt down some criminals. The various cases that they encounter are interesting (watch out for the whole serial killers are like mice - if you see one, you know there are more in the walls - trope) and Seol Ok gets to shine as a not typical female character. The supporting cast in this drama really round out the experience and make you glad to join them each episode.
Don't expect an ending where things are wrapped up tidily. I was honestly a bit flabbergasted by the ending, since kdramas don't typically have multiple seasons but it definitely felt more like a season finale in a U.S. procedural show with some big plot reveals right at the very end. I would not be unhappy if there was a second season of this show. Choi Kang Hee's clear delight in playing Seol Ok is wonderful and the bickering, sibling-like interplay she has with Kwon Sang Woo's Ha Wan Seung is very engaging. Highly recommended, especially if you're looking for something not your typical kdrama fare.
Story is really only minus half a star because of how many loose ends there still were at the end of the last episode.
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Song Ji Eun is cute as the shy and repressed Yoo Mi, and Sung Hoon is perfect as the "sexy and he knows it" typical spoiled chaebol's son Cha Jin Wook. Of course their paths keep crossing in the expected ways, and their chemistry goes from annoyance to playfulness and then escalating quickly... VERY quickly. I think that's what initially got me hooked. Still, it was obvious pretty early on that there wouldn't be much to this story. As cute as they were as a couple this love story got repetitive pretty quickly, and towards the end was so unrealistic and overly cheesy that I stopped being interested in them at all. Their inner monologues tried so hard to be deep but they seemed really shallow, and the stakes just didn't seem as high as their reactions made them out to be. The more dramatic it got the worst their acting got.
I think the drama did have some entertaining supporting characters. I enjoyed the mom, even if she was a frustrating mess, and Nam Ki Ae is always good at playing a mess of a mother. I liked the second lead, although he didn't have much of a story to work with. My favorite was the Secretary, who's suits made him an instant scene stealer, and his boo in the kitchen staff. The supporting cast helped to make some of the most repetitive moments easier to sit through.
Even though this drama is shorter than most, I still think it was too long. It could have easily been 10 episodes, or maybe even less. I still found myself eager to watch more moments between the two characters, but in the last episodes it was like they just gave up and started to rely on flashbacks! Ugh! The flashback abuse in this drama is pretty epic. Not only does every episode end with recaps that were super literal, extra cheesy, and felt completely unnecessary, but the final episodes almost seemed like music videos strung together with fan compilations of all the cutest scenes. The last 4 episodes are almost unwatchable because it was mostly everything I already saw. They repeated scenes so much that they lost all of their previous charm, including the kiss scenes.
The music is also super cheesy, which matched the show well, but it was driving me a little nutty. There was even a moment where Yoo Mi sings for so long I though it was turning into a musical. So I give the music a 4 for simply not being my taste. Not to mention the damn sound effects. Someone got a little too happy with the sound effects machine!
Would I watch this again? Maybe. I would probably skip the last episodes 10-12, but it's entertaining enough to watch if I need another quick romcom fix. The ending is such a let down, so I'd really have to have run out of other things to watch.
Overall this is a quick romcom you can easily binge watch, but I say keep your finger on the fast forward button for those repetitive flashbacks. If the idea of literally falling into someone's arms sounds too corny, or if a boss using abuse of power to flirt with an employee sounds like a reason to visit HR not a premise for a love story, then maybe you should watch a different kind of drama instead. I really wish they would have put more effort into the story, but for what it was, I was entertained enough to keep watching. For those not scared away by these mediocre reviews I'd say lower your expectations, and enjoy this cheesy romcom snack. (get it... she makes food :( sorry! )
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The story is so cute. It will make you smile, the awkward scenes are way more cuter. Relatively, the actors are newbies but they did a wonderful job with their roles. Bass as Wayo is perfect, his innocence, his excitement, his heartbreak is everything. Gxxod as Phana could a little more in his acting but his masculinity and falling for Wayo hard is also everything. The supporting cast gives light to the drama especially Ming (played by Kimmon). Him as bestfriend of Wayo blends really well with the story, his quirkiness adds life to the drama.
The music used in this series is very good. They blend well to every scenes and they stuck in your head for days.
I am re-watching each episodes numerous times, like every time I watch it it always gives me a feeling of excitement, completeness, a good feeling actually.
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Having said that ......General and I is a historical romance that really kept me hooked. I might have skipped a bit in the middle because it was tedious to watch the leads moping about when there was absolutely no valid reason except for the usual "I left you for your own good" line of thought.
The romance was sizzling. It was great to see them so devoted to each other throughout the drama with so many obstacles in their way . Ping Ting might have irritated me sometimes with her escapades but she made up for it on other situations. No complain on Bie Jie! He is so romantic!!
The political aspects was well executed and wasn't as boring as some dramas. He Xia awed me with his cold-hearted cunning and with the way he climbed the political ladder. But that also led to his downfall.
The thing that made me cringe was the exaggerated fight scenes. The actors almost seemed to fly.... way too much superhuman abilities.
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Anyways, I loved the first episodes and I loved the actors, OST was quite okay ( a few nice songs here and there ) but I don't think I would rewatch it due to the last episodes being somewhat dragging.
I would recommend watching this if you're totally into cheesy romance as well and might be willing to stick with the last few episodes even though they might be boring
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This show was AMAZING! It has sci-fi elements as well as mystery, and drama. In some cases, it had comedy, but it does not show up often.
The acting was a little robotic at the beginning, but I think it fit the story very well because the characters start to open up more. In my opinion, it had great character development and growth.
This drama reminded me of the drama, "Signal" which is also really good. If you have seen that drama, I recommend this one for you (if you haven't seen "Signal" go watch it NOW!).
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Aew ( Kimberley) god help, she's so idiot that she can't see her bf is cheating, and she doesn't listen to her friends who says that he's cheating, dishonest.
Theetat is a chauvinist playboy one day with one girl the next day with the other one, when he meets Lumpao, Lumpao sort of pushes him to be her fake bf.. He calls her guinea pig, she calls him big dog, they bricker each other and without knowing they fell in love
where as Kritchai ( Mark) was in love with Aew ( Kimberley) from day 1, and it takes Aew sort of 13 episodes to get rid of the ex bf and be with Kritchai.
Watchara a cop although we barely see him going to work, he has fiancee but the girl is obsessed with him, he bickers with Aew ( Kimberley)'s friend, Fai was a tomboy from top to bottom but she changes as she changes Watchara falls in love both to her outlook and her heart.
We don't see much of skinship between Kritchai ( Mark) & Aew ( Kimberley) as still on episode 11 she has not seen the true colours of her bf.
It takes her 12 episodes to see the true colours of her boy friend, great! this is suppose to be the love story developing in between Aew & Kritchai , if this was 24 ep drama yeah I'll get the slow move but this is extra slow, speed of a turtle.
So what are we left with 3 more episodes.
The relationships are complicated, obsessive girlfriends, guys unsure of what to do..
The only reasonable person in the drama is Kritchai ( Mark)
Out of all the couples I liked Theetat & Lumpao. The childish couple.
At the end everyone find their happy ending, but that took a long long time.
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All the gang is back except for Kaori (the actress was pregnant at that time), but she is supposed to be there too **giggles**, it's only her voice (is it?) and a picture of a new Kaori, blond and all (it is not the same actress, but it shows so fast so people can only wonder).
I teared up a little bit with Yabushita-san remembering his wife (they loved each other so much **sobs**) and when Yuriko and Taniguchi were in the abandoned little hut. There are only like 3 times in total, counting both dorama and SP, where Yuriko cries, and all these times were touching.
And I don't know if it is because it was the last time I was going to see them, but I kind of liked the song at the end. The OST was so sweet as well.
A perfect sequel for the dorama. Actually, it feels like Episode 11. It is a MUST! for people who loved the dorama.
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Why? Because there is no awkwardness, no blushings, no exciting moments where one of them is thinking "does he/she likes me?". It is about honest love, where both characters get to know each other, like to quarrel and pretend they don't like each other, until someone else point the truth to both of them.
I honestly didn't think they suited each other: Yuriko is too robotic, methodical, and doesn't know when and how to read the mood. On the other hand, Takumi is a nervous hikkikimori. Do I need to add more? The last two people who want to find love, or expect for someone to love them. It took me a while to warm towards them, more specifically, it was episode 6 that changed everything. I find that episode the best, since it moved me to tears. I guess everything that relates to parents is poignant for me. But not only that, it is the episode where both Yuriko and Taniguchi start to change for better. By the end, the changes may not be OH WOW, WHAT A CHANGE, but they were significant, enough to make them more likable but still staying true to their essence.
Some situations were so funny. Like Taniguchi cooking for the family.
Cast: (9/10) Anne and Hasegawa Hiroki were perfect in their roles. I could actually see Anne as a robotic girl, and Hasegawa as a neurotic hikkikomori. I wish their respective other love interests weren't so attractive. How in the world someone as punk and pretty as Kaori (Kuninaka Ryoko) could hold a 15-year crush on someone like Takumi? How in the world someone as attractive and nice guy as Washio-kun (Nakajima Yuta) could fall in love with such a strange girl? These two may have been the nicest love interest both weirdos could find, but I couldn't root for them at all. And ok, Washio-kun may be an "ii-otoko" (as Takumi likes to say) but he was also kind of silly and also a wimp. What the need to cry at the end?? It was too much... not even Kaori cried.
This is the 3rd CURRENT drama I am watching with Matsushige Yutaka, he is like an Uncle to me XD Everything he does, he does it well. He does some funniest expressions without being too slapstick.
Takumi's mother (Fubuki Jun) is the Dorama Mother... I guess because she is perfect for that role.
I found Yuriko's mother (Wakui Emi) a bit annoying in the first couple of episodes, but later on I liked her role. I love that not only Yuriko likes to talk to her, but her father as well. Isn't that cute? She is dead, btw. She plays a ghost-like.
Music: (5/10) OMG, the OP song was ridiculous, but guess what, it totally match the dorama. It is silly and olfashioned, just like the characters of Yabushita and Taniguchi. The ED song was better, though.
I absolutely love that this was set in Yokohama, such a beautiful city! In Christmas time it looks sooo pretty. BEAUTIFUL.
The ending was good, but for anyone who wants more -like me-, the SP is a must.
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The cast was damn good. All the main and supporting leads are good. But gotta say......by FAV is SHAN SHAN!!!! She was the best. Her acting is very natural. Feng teng as well. His smile is just........????his smile is fire-ahhhhhhhhhhhh???? ???????????????????? The love story Li shu and zheng Qi is also very cute! Feng tengs sis and bro-in-law as well. An amazing family there was.
The romance is like similar to other love dramas but the........"theme" that's the word is different. Well at least between all the dramas I've watched. I haven't watched one between the boss and assistant so it was quite interesting. The theme also includes 'rich boy poor girl' so yea......pretttttttty gooooooood.
Music was.....fantastico!!!! ????????????????????????
(Don't really rewatch dramas but if.....IF......I run out of dramas to watch( which is never gonna happen) will I watch it again???????????????????? my answer is.....MAYBE. I think.....you'd get bored???? If u watch it the second time??? Well that's I think. So yea.)
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This movie doesn't need a serious and heavy review.
It doesn't have black holes, the plot isn't sloppy and the characters are played BRILLIANTLY by their actors.
Kamiki Ryunosuke doesn't know how to disappoint people. Nagase Tomoya knows exactly how to make us laugh.
This movie can't be summarized like this : Cool kids go to hell and become rock stars after dying, nice kids go to Heaven and sleep in creepy white rooms after dying.
Definitely, a must watch.
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Fairly fun and promising, but I expected more...
This drama is a fairly fun watch and the story started on a very promising note, there are so many things that could have been explored in this drama from what is being told in the story and you do get answers to some of your questions along the way but I felt like many things went unanswered and/or passed on throughout the advancement of the episodes, there were things that were blatantly left hanging.There is a point where there were one too many flashbacks, in fact so much so that I started skipping said flashbacks because I grew tired of them. It's like where they didn't have something meaningful to go with they stuck a flashback to fill it out, so basically half-way through the story it becomes more 'filler' than story with the whole flashback from the past thing specially on the last 2 episodes.
I don't really have any complaint about the actors but the characters/roles they were given to play goodness, it felt like some had a backstory missing or something. Then there were the moments where things were just a little too much, I am all for romance and kissing but particularly on the last episode there was a kissing scene that became a little too much for what I am used to from k-dramas and not only that it felt a bit too forced in a manner...the scene wasn't planned well enough to make it feel more natural and less cringey. Yes, I did indeed actually cringed.
Overall this is a good drama to watch on the side, specially if you are looking for something short in between other dramas or while you find something new to watch then this is great. I don't regret watching it, but I didn't enjoy the ending very much because it left too much unsaid and it felt like more could have been said if they hadn't thrown in so many dang flashbacks into the story/episodes, I truly believe that many flashbacks was unnecessary.
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I'll admit I was iffy about the story - I figured this would be like Splash Splash Love, which was cute and all but 20 episodes of that would have bored me sooner or later. At first, it actually does have the same feel about it but it doesn't stay that way for very long! Oh god, I wish I would have enjoyed those moments too because this drama really takes a turn! And it's for that very reason that I fell in love with it!
I think this was a smart drama in how they let the storyline progress from "Oh, I'm a 21st century woman stuck in Goryeo era, what will I do?!" to her adapting to her surroundings and truly fighting for survival in this era.
If you like heartbreak, watch this drama. If you're like me and enjoy characters who have a dark and good side to them, where they continuously seem to fight their worst parts, watch this drama. If you like cute, bickering male leads and bromance, watch this drama.
One of my favorite things about this drama is seeing each character develop and change with the course of events that occur in their life, and it's one of the most heart breaking as well.
I really hope there's a season 2 because I am definitely not ready to let this story go! And I don't think the characters are either! So, here's hoping!!!
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