Reviews

To be honest the main friend group in the seriesis friendship goals. Even if you usually stick to kdramas and tend to stay away from cdramas, give this drama a try. I have to say, this is probably one of the 5 best dramas that I have seen in the last 12 months. The villains are the perfect amount of petty and there are twists and turns till the very end.

Even so, the best part of the drama was the characters. The friendship between Ruo Nan, Chu Xia, and Wei Wei is what initially drew me in to the drama and kept me tuned for the long yet enjoyable 36 episode journey.

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This is a perfect show to watch when you're in the mood to get away from the long and draggy dramas.

I'd have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how good this ended up being! You honestly feel like you just finished a 16 episode drama in only 4 hours. It was fast paced, yet everything unravelled perfectly. There's romance, action, friendship, and family wrapped in a short 4 hours.

The acting was definitely on par--the main actors along with the supporting ones. I really liked the chemistry between Chul Soo and Jin Ah; one of the main reasons why I like this drama so much! Plus, Chul Soo is so yummy, why wouldn't you want to see him nude? ;)

The OST was okay, but the drama being only 4 hours, there isn't much time to really appreciate the music.

I finished this wishing it was longer. :(
I definitely recommend this to you if you are a rom-com and a crime drama person. I will miss Naked Fireman and will definitely rewatch in the future!

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Every once in a while, there are movies like this that make me really giddy! I love movies that create a certain style of their own. It creates its' own atmosphere and stand out from the crowd. And I mean stand out in a "black sheep" kind of way.

STORY: I loved the concept of this story! I'm a huge advocate that you should never judge a book by its' cover, and this movie really conveyed the message that love transcends above all else. I enjoyed the realistic aspects it showed when it came to having this kind of ability of transformation. It treated the issue of transformation with fun and serious moments. The only problem I had with the story was, although it did a good job highlighting the issues and problems these two would come upon when they first started dating, it failed to highlight the simplest idea too. The dating. Yes, the movie did show the two of them spending time with one another. I definitely get that it might have been hard to really show that, when there were so many other elements the movie wanted to get to, but the foundation of Woo-Jin and Yi-Soo's relationship was built on a very typical romantic relationship setup. Two people meet, go on dates, and fall in love. There wasn't a whole lot of depth shown between Woo-Jin and Yi-Soo to really get a deeper feel of how special their relationship was to one another. But, I guess you can only put so much material into a movie, what with their budget, time-limit and all. Overall, I still really loved the story line and definitely appreciated the fact that they included different races, age, and even women and a kid (that was super cute!) as Yi-Soo's counterpart.

ACTING/CAST: I don't even have to note how much I loved the cast of this movie. It was amazing and was super cool to see so many talents rolled into one movie. The acting was great and could see how challenging it would be for all the Woo-Jin actors. I would just critique on the fact that Woo-Jin's personality and displayed character was a little wobbly throughout the movie. In most cases, actors/actresses have one character role and get to make it their own. Sometimes, there are cases where an actor takes on two character roles (reason being the two characters are twins) and do a great job acting out two different people, but it's hard for a cast of 25 talents (varying from gender, age and experience) to adhere to a single character role and work together to show a fluid and smooth performance that gives the audience the feel that they are seeing one person instead of many. I'm not sure how the director or screenwriter was involved in trying to get all the Woo-Jin actors to cooperate in how to show a singular Woo-Jin character, but there were times throughout the movie where I felt like I was seeing a different Woo-Jin then the one previously introduced.

MUSIC: Again, I'm not the type to really pick on the music selection. All I'll really say is that they picked the music beautifully because it really set the tone and created the style of the movie in the most perfect way. The only real reason a "MUSIC" section would be long, is if I felt the music didn't fit the style and the tone of the story of the production, at all. There's only one instance where I felt that in a Korean drama.

OVERALL: Overall, great movie! Loved it, and it left a warm cozy feeling in me when it ended! The actors/actresses, directors and staff members did an AWESOME job creating a very down-to-earth, laid back and almost "indie feeling" movie.

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A Drama That is Worth a Thousand Smile

Before I start let me just clear out one thing, I have never been a fan of Reply Series and never thought that one day I would be. The first series (Reply 1997), I watched it while it was still airing back in 2012 and stopped right after ep.4. The reason I still remember the number of the episode perfectly is to keep reminding myself that I did start it like everyone else and before all the hype but still didn’t work for me. While Reply 1994 did intrigue my interest, it’s the rumors I’ve heard about Reply1988 being a family drama is what really pushed my button especially that I am sucker for family themed and nostalgia stimulating dramas.

In life, I have had to say goodbye to many things--friends, family members, my teen life, and as I venture into my last year of my 20s, I say goodbye to my youth as well. Bidding farewell to Reply 1988 continues this list, as I venture onward in dramaland and away from Ssammungdong. I say goodbye to that warm, neighborly feeling, that old nostalgia, that stirup-pant wearing era, and to the best youth drama I have ever seen. This drama really penetrated my soul.

Story:
The story primarily takes place in a singular setting, and yet the narrative does not stagnate; it does not become boring or trite; it does not make you sleepy when watching daily interactions of the families. Instead, the story of R1988 pushes at the heart and makes you yearn for friends who love each other this closely, for parents who love each other this much, for a life as simple and yet as hard as these characters' lives were. It takes you out of 2015/2016/2017 and supplants you into 1988 where you take that same journey with the characters. The first 2 episodes were pretty much an introduction episodes where all the crucial characters are being shown. My position as a viewer was a thin line between proceeding or stopping I needed to feel attached to the character because that is what it takes to feel R1988 but to me they were random people who knew each other BUT I knew nothing about them. The length of each ep (hour and half) scared me, I wondered if I could handle a 20 more eps especially that I wasn’t expecting much from the drama. However once I got deeper and deeper into their lives and got to know each and every one of them, I just couldn’t stop anymore. I felt they are part of me and I’m part of them.

Possibly, the star of the narrative of R1988 is its ability to exert both laughter and tears at the passing of a few minutes, yet it never feels stilted. It brings to us the viewers richness and variety of character within just the five friends, let alone the parents and siblings surrounding them. With that, we see intricate details of each person's character--like Bora's unspoken love for her parents, or Dong Ryong's inner philosopher, or Jung Hwan's hidden sweetness, or Taek's competitive strength. There are so many elements of character that we see, often unspoken, rise to the surface with the passing of a quick moment or a prolonged incident.

I loved the fact that the story focused more on friendship and family relationships so romance (the husband game) took a severe backseat in this drama. Furthermore, the show gave many couples a chance at love, both new and renewed, lost and found. It was never unrealistic or unfair to anyone in the cast instead, it offered options and chose the best one.

Acting:
I would love to talk about each and everyone one of the cast because they were the heartthrob of the show altogether, but no words would be enough so I’ll keep it short and list my favorites:

Sung Duk Seon (Lee Hyeri): My biggest surprise of them all! The bubbly and outgoing, if not a little bit kooky Duk Seon. At first, I doubted that she will be good because I’ve seen her before in one drama and wasn’t impressed. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised! Hyeri portrayed Duk Seon so perfectly that I can believe she actually acts like that in real life. Not to mention I could totally relate to Duk Seon issues being the 2nd child in the family which makes her my favorite.

Yoo Dong Ryong (Lee Donghwi): Dong Ryong is somewhat the male version of Duk Seon. I don't understand how the casting crew can be so good. The Lee Dong Hwi who is in his 30s can act out a whiny 18-year-old very well. I have nothing but praises for him and the way he portrays his character in the drama. I really loved Dong Ryong moments in consoling his friends and how he understood each and everyone of them more than they understood each other.

Kim Jung Hwan (Ryu Junyeol): Simply said, Jung Hwan is a kind of tsundere. I already knew Ryu Junyeol's fame skyrocketed after he took up the role of Kim Jung Hwan. I must say it is easy to understand that. He IS a good actor. The feeling awkward expression, the secretly happy face and many other are properly conveyed by Ryu Junyeol.

I could talk all day about the parents' roles as well. Ra Mi Ran, Kim Seon Young, and Lee Il Hwa trumped most drama mothers for being the most awesome trio of moms in a drama. They were not only funny, but they all showed signs of vulnerability and strength, and true to form, they were an unstoppable force on screen and in front of their husbands. But Ra Mi Ran takes the cake. She pulls off the ajumma routine like a master, this role was made for her. She’s intense. And every scene she was in, I thoroughly enjoyed. She’s a tough mom but an always kind mom; she’s aloof but wants to be warm; she’s smart but uneducated–and she’s a joy to watch.
As for the husbands/dads, all the dads were awesome as well, but Kim Sung Kyun takes the trophy. His President Kim routine will forever been ingrained in my memory, but also his relationship with Ra Mi Ran showed a great example of how love grows with age.
Fun fact, all adults used their own names. How funny and creative is that?

Music:
The music of Reply 1988 also played a special role, not only in the background OST, but in the characters' lives. The power of music pervaded the narrative of Reply. It gives warmth.

Overall
R1988 carries that genuineness into the world it’s set in. This isn’t the 1980s through the lens of nostalgia and political correctness, but a balance between the popular culture and political correctness. It’s not an attempt to shy from history. I cannot recommend this drama enough. The first 2-3 episodes are required to really get you into the show, but once you watch those, you will be hooked. It’s not about glamour, R1988 is merely about people, family, life and YOUTH. The only reason it did not get a full 10 from me is because of the slightly unsatisfying ending. I am NOT talking about the husband's identity (I’ve figured it out during the earlier episodes and the writing was fair to both male leads imo) but how the ending was handled did leave me feeling really empty. I needed to see everyone in the cast; I needed to see their 2015/16 selves. A narration/update of their 2015/16 lives would've been good enough so I could say goodbye because that is the point of R1988, feeling like you’re a part of the whole thing but instead felt kind of left out by the end.

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A bit long, but very attention grabbing. This reflective movie is full of excellent dialog and symbolism you can't miss. The movie has two themes being explored hand-in-hand, the meaning of life, and criticism of bureaucracy and bureaucrats.

It's starts with the description of the protagonist's life - He's killing time, he's never actually lived - and a joke - Someone never taking a day off from work so no one realizes how unimportant his job really it - where themes get beautifully tied at the end of the movie. Then we have the journey of those women through all those bureaucrats trying to find a solution to their complaint, only to be sent to go in circles. I thought it was great but came to appreciate it even more by the end of the movie.

The first half of the movie follows the journey of a typical bureaucrat discovers he doesn't have long to live, only to realize he hasn't been alive much these past 20 years. He hasn't formed any warm relationship to go back to and get support, he hasn't done anything enjoyable and fun, and finally he hasn't done anything that'll make him appreciated and remembered. He was in daze trying to figure out the meaning of life and how to live properly.

The second half is a study of bureaucrats, and of humanity. It's about how human become desensitized to life when they can't see the bigger picture. Work in the government is like a war zone, and each wants to protect their turf, without caring about the functions and duties of the government as a whole. This causes a lot of senseless paperwork and no work actually being done. What was interesting here is how all bureaucrats reacted to our protagonist as he becomes this anomaly in the organization.

The story moves smoothly, the themes intact, and no scene was there to kill time. Also this type of movie one should pay attention to everything going on, on the screen. Like the reaction of the protagonist of losing his old had, or the people in the background preparing for a birthday, only to sing happy birthday once our hero found a meaning to his life. Definitely one can be reborn at any time, and it deserves a celebration.

The cast and director are of the most popular so there's no need to just repeat how awesome they are, but I just want to say I include myself now with those amazed with them.

2h23 minutes well spent. I will leave with my favourite quotes:

"You were a slave of your own life. Now you will become its master"

"It's our duty to enjoy life. Wasting it is desecrating God's gift"

"We have to be greedy for life"

"Greed is a virtue, especially the greed for enjoying life"

"People strangle themselves in their daily life"

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Where do I even start? This drama captured my heart from the first episode. Everything about is so amazing. The story, although decently simple, managed to take you through the ups and downs that so many young adults face. With one sided crushes to and young love, this drama did it all. I love the fact that Kim Bok Joo was not the average pretty girl. Her character development went much further. How she dealt with weight issues and feeling insecure really gave off a relatable vibe and I loved it. Joonhyung was also a very interesting character. I loved seeing how we learned more and more about his insecurities as the show went on at a slow pace. The struggle from him was very hidden and bottled up and seeing it exposed was an interesting insight to how he truly felt inside. The sports concept also played a role in this drama and it caused a lot of stress for many characters. I loved seeing how weightlifting affected Bok Joo and the struggles she had to juggle in order to get where she was.

As for the acting, it was absolutely phenomenal. Some of the best I've seen. I think I read somewhere that it was the first time for both of the main roles involved to be the main characters of a show, which makes me sad given its low ratings, but with that said, they did great jobs at capturing the raw emotions needed fore the roles. Not only were they amazing, but I also positively adored the the side characters as well. And as excepted, they also acted very nicely.

As for the music, I never really noticed anything worth remembering, but it certainly wasn't unenjoyable by any means. It just didn't stand out which is why I scored it a bit lower on my rating.

The rewatch value of this drama is out of the rooftops. Right after I finished it I debated for a good ten minutes on whether I should rematch it or not. Of course I decided against back then, given the time, but with that said, I'd love to watch it sometime in the near future. Even though there aren't as many jumps and curves, it still manages to keep me interested.

Overall, I give this drama a 10/10. I did this mainly because of the reasons above. Anyway, please give this drama a chance and don't give up on it. I promise it won't go to waste

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W can’t be accused of setting the bar low. It attempts to tell a compelling, tightly crafted story while simultaneously deconstructing the narrative tropes that drive such plots. At first, it pulls it off, pairing sly meta-commentary with unpredictable twists as characters defiantly refuse to follow their creator’s whims. However, as the story within the story goes off the rails, it becomes increasingly difficult for the “real” story to stay on track as well. By depriving itself of the traditional payoffs provided by standard dramatic structure, the show ironically defaults to the same hackneyed conventions it’s mocking (Deaths that aren’t actually deaths! Amnesia! It’s all a dream!).

What starts as an engaging meditation on how artistic works can take on a life of their own devolves into a jumble of incomprehensible rules and mangled timelines. The bigger thematic ideas get lost as you sense the actual writer struggling every bit as much as her cartoonist antihero to give her work an ending. And unfortunately, just like him, she can’t seal the deal. In a world where everyone can magically draw (or write) themselves out of difficulty, the act of creation gets reduced to expediency, not art. The fans within the show know something’s gone awry, but, alas, the fans in the “real”, real world are left hanging too. As a metaphor for how stories slip away from their authors, this one turns out to be a bit too apt.

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This is the first Kdrama I watched and it got me into kdramas althought it is clearly lacking alot. The acting was ok and the story doesn't really have a lot of substance. Theres alot of randomness in this show that doens't really fit. The main problem I had was with the main characters. Oh Ha Ni was just too desperate and thirsty. She seriously was a stalker and had no self-respect. She did everything based on Baek Seung Jo. Then Baek Seung Jo was just really mean. I didn't really buy their love story. He showed hardly any interest in her almost all the way to the end. Still, it is enjoyable in it's own way. If you just want to sit and watch something without thinking too much this is for you. Plus some of the side characters are pretty funny and there are some funny moments in the drama.

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