Reviews

Started out strong, downhill ep 12 on

The moment she left the train, all logic lost.

The story started out fun & interesting, so I thought it was going to be as strong as the drama "Extraordinary you."
ML Byeon Woo Seok did an amazing job and surprised me with that singing voice.
FL Kim Hye Yoon always does a great job with these kinds of roles. The pairing is super cute.

Pacing started to slow down midway, and the constant crying scenes got repetitive. Nowadays the most annoying trend is for dramas to replay scenes that JUST happened 10 seconds ago as if viewers need a reminder. Ep 12 on the script went south as the FL made illogical decisions. And if you just go with those decisions she comes back to current time, shouldn't she try to find the SAME suspect? Girl has a cop friend/3wk ex/15 yrs 2nd lead she can ask.....

Downfall of many fluffy romances with strong beginning is the sloppy writing at the end.

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The Most Awaited Release of 2024

Adapted from the manhua “Hu Yao Xiao Hong Niang” (狐妖小红娘) by Tuo Xiao Xin (庹小新), “Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red-Moon Pact” is one of the most anticipated releases in 2024. The first part of the trilogy, starring Yang Mi & Gong Jun in titular leads premiered to high expectations. Whether the expectations were fulfilled or not? That remains to be seen, the show seemed quite intriguing from the trailers that IQIYI had been stockpiling for a month or so. The promotions were in full spring and the show hit high reservations even before its premiere. The show was kind of slow paced in the initial episodes so there were many comments about the lack of intrigue. Frankly, I felt the same but it seemed to pick up recently. There isn’t much mystery involved when it comes to guessing the main antagonist. But the characters themselves are quite riveting and each have their own backstory. Let’s sit down and rewind through the initial episodes that are streaming on IQIYI!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/05/28/fox-spirit-matchmaker-red-moon-pact-first-impressions/

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best k-drama of 2024

Lovely Runner is honestly the best K-drama of 2024, at least in my opinion. I loved each and every single episode and the chemistry between Kim Hye Yoon )KHY) and Byeon Woo Seok (BWS) was ON FIRE. Other than the main leads and their superb acting, the supporting characters acted well and the OSTs were fantastic. Here's a breakdown of the ratings for each part of the drama:

Story:

Im Sol is a fangirl who is disabled and during her toughest times, her Idol Ryu Sun Jae gives her the motivation to live. However, one day her idol dies and she has 3 chances to save her idol by traveling to the past. During this time, she finds herself falling in love with him. However, twists and turns cause obstacles between them. The story was amazing! The writer combined mystery, comedy, and romance very well. I LOVE time travel dramas when they are done well, and this one was one of those!

Cast/Acting:

The main leads' acting was everything! I've only watched 2-3 dramas of Kim Hye Yoon but I can't imagine any actress playing Im Sol other than Hye Yoon. I loved her character in Extraordinary You which was another fantasy drama, and her character here reminds me of Dan Oh too, but she portrayed Im Sol's character amazingly and brought her character to life.

Byeon Woo Seok did a great job in playing Ryu Sun Jae, who's a loser boy in love in all the timelines LOL. Additionally, his versatile acting from 20th Century Girl to Strong Girl Nam Soon, in this drama, he played different characters and portrayed all of them well.

Kim Tae Sung, played by Song Geon Hee, is one of my favorite second leads. he's one of those characters where I wished he didn't get the main girl but he gets his happy ending. Initially, I didn't like his character but he grew on me later and in the college timeline and the present timeline, he became one of my favorite characters ever. he's one of my favorite second leads because he respected Im Sol's boundaries and never made her uncomfortable, which is a HUGE GREEN FLAG. I loved that!

Music:

The OSTs were a 10 out of 10! The OSTs make the drama more memorable but one fact I loved was that Byeon Woo Seok himself sang some of the songs and one of my favorites was Sudden Shower! Here is a list of some of my favorite songs in the drama:

"Sudden Shower" - Eclipse (Byeon Woo Seok)
"Like A Dream" - MINNIE
"Star" - N.Flying
- Another one of my favorite supporting characters was Baek In Hyuk played by Lee Seung Hyub - the leader of N.Flying
"A Day" - Jong Ho
"Spring Snow "- 10CM

Rewatch value:

I've rewatched episode 8 a LOT, especially that scene (iykyk hahah) because of their incredible chemistry!!! I've also rewatched up to episode 13 while waiting for the other episodes and I'll definitely rewatch this drama if I need something to watch. I'd definitely rewatch it as I feel like I'd find many details that I had missed out on before. overall, I'd PAY to watch Lovely Runner for the first time again ?

Overall:

This was one of the best dramas of 2024 if not the BEST. It deserves the high ratings it's receiving and even higher ratings, especially on MDL. Lovely Runner was everything to me, and I wanted to share my review because I completely enjoyed every episode, and the acting and OSTs to the story were OUTSTANDING!

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sonagi is playing quietly in my head

overall this drama is so good that there's no boring episode it will make you binge watch this the whole day. This is one of the best romcom drama I've ever seen there's no corny jokes at all. This will give you all the feels heartbreak, nostalgia, frustrations, excitement, euphoric happiness and etc. The romantic scenes are not cringy at all it's so natural chemistry is chef's kiss they're like a match made in heaven. Even the OSTs are perfect you can listen to them nonstop. Their choice for the member of Eclipse band is perfect too. Their visuals and talent as a band is really giving. Byeon Woo Seok as Ryu Sun Jae is the probably the best choice the producers made. The production for this drama was delayed for three years due to actors declining the male lead role but I can say that it's for the best. They found the perfect embodiment of Ryun Sun Jae in Byeon Woo Seok. It's been a really long since the last time I got emotionally invested in a Kdrama. Lovely Runner will always have a soft spot in my heart.

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I loved this series, despite the many imperfections. There are some violent and homophobic moments, but this is what school is like for some people. We always claim we want realism, and the bullying was pretty real. I owe it to the children subjected to this on a daily basis to watch to gain an understanding as to how they live.

The series should have been longer so they could resolve some of the plot holes, and explained why Jazz of all genres was the forbidden fruit. It also would have been nice if they had paid homage to some African American jazz legends such as Coltrane, Bird, Armstrong, Davis, Nat King Cole, etc. Jazz, Blues, Ragtime are all genres started by African-Americans in the early 20th century so why would Korean kids in the 21st century feel so connected? There must be a reason, but they didn't explore it. I'm not even that into music, and I think this should have been a 12 episode series to be more expository. Too many loose ends and we didn't even get to see the conversation between big bro Yoon and Taeyi.

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not a typical time-travel drama

lovely runner has a lot to give. romance, comedy, slice of life, mystery, drama, action you name it. i haven't been this entertained for a very long time. this drama became my cure for Monday blues. made me realised that Mondays isn't bad after all. i dropped a lot of kdramas previously but never this one. every minute of each episodes is worth it you wouldn't want to miss a single thing. the OST is damn good i added most it to my playlist so i can listen to them all day. lovely runner is not perfect at all it has its own flaws and loopholes but overall for me its the masterpiece that i've been craving for a long time. it awakened my love for kdrama. this was even delayed for three years almost got cancelled so i am grateful for everyone who made this drama possible.

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surprisingly disappointing

I was really looking forward to this drama given the cast, however i have to say that i was fairly disappointed. This was barely a romance it was rather a story of how a mother controlled her family with verbal abuse and blackmail. If they didn't fall in with her wishes she would become hysterical and scream abuse at all around until everyone would bend to her will. Any romance that there could have been disappeared into the background it was barely noticeable.
When i think about the overall impression now i see the wonderful character of Grandmother who was a wise and beautiful lady who cared deeply about the people around her, and a screaming manipulative mother. I cannot for even a moment understand how this was being presented as a loving family. the Romance faded into nothingness. The ML and FL did their best with what they were given by the writers however they were not given much to work with, I do wonder if this was the outline and script that they signed up for in the beginning.
I do not really know why i watched it until the end of the series.

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Just make a separate drama with the mother in the lead, for God's sake!!

I have seen ridiculous importance given to mothers in Asian dramas - and you let it pass convincing yourself that it's a part of the culture.
But using a mother as a pivotal tool in determining the story is just a lazy or untalented screenplay.

However this drama transcends all boundaries of atrocity.
The mother in this drama is the lead and every other actor is playing a support role.

She is crude, tacky, greedy, atrocious......and this is not just the character written for the drama -it's her own overacting and portrayal that makes you want to cry "enough already!".

Of the 22 episodes I watched, I tried forwarding her scenes, but when you do that, the episode ends!!@#. That's how much screen time she's given!

The story itself had some possibility of being intriguing. There was absolutely no romance between the leads till ep.22 and honestly you don't care anymore!
Its all about maama.....

Wow.....glory be to motherhood in this country where she gets a lead role with two of the hottest stars.
Miserable waste of time ??

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A Stale One For Me

I feel I'm in the minority here, but I could not get into this drama. It took me way too long to complete and I had to really hype myself up to do so.

The story was, as my title says, stale. They sped through things, tried to develop characters that had no real relevancy, and becausw they spent so much time with the fluff of it all rushed through what could've been an amazing story as a whole vs the last few episodes.

The acting was ok. I could not get into the relationship of the two leads. While both good actors, their chemistry felt forced, fake and not convincing at all.

The music wasn't very memorable to me. I didn't really pay much attention to it.

Re-watch value is a no for me. It took so long for the story to really get good for me, I would watch the last three episodes at the most and call it a day.

Overall, the story had a lot of potential but it felt short with a lack of main lead chemistry and all the fluff they tried to throw in to make it last 20 episodes.

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Dream vs Reality

Fascinating Dream in the Grassland was shot so realistically that it was difficult to tell whether it was a short film or documentary. At only 13 minutes long, the film told the story of Gele/Garus and her love of dance and her love for her family.

Gele lives on the Tibetan grasslands with her family. They are the last generation of grazers and herders. There are sheep, yaks, horses, and cattle grazing on the vast grasses. When her father takes a herd to graze further away, Gele must help her mom with the animals left behind. As she works in the fields, Gele dances and dreams of going to the big city to learn more and perform. Gracefully and joyfully, she lifts her arms and moves her feet to the songs in her head. Her dream is compared to the familial needs as her grandfather and brother state her responsibilities to their family in their remote life with their herds.

Gele’s father will make the final decision whether she can leave and if they have the money for her to go. And Gele will have to decide what she truly wants. Whether performing in front of people is her dream or dancing on the grasses with the mountains in the background.

The cinematography was stunning with the grasslands and mountains as the backdrop for the story. The acting came across very naturally as if it was a documentary. For a short film, Fascinating Dream gave an intriguing glimpse into a young woman’s heart and a fading way of life.

27 May 2024

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THE DRAMA WHICH WILL MAKE YOU FEEL JOY AND YOU WILL SOB TOO....

This drama depicts if one want to do Justics Can be prevailed
Lee Je Hoon is one of the actor who can do this type of roles fantastically, I am always amazed by his acting
The other actors also did spectacular Job portraying their characters
This is such a wholesome series although it should had more episodes but still it is spectacular
If you are person who cries Easily you'll cry for sure.
The last 10 Minutes of the Drama will make you sob so hard cause the ending is just so wholesome ?
I wish I could watch the actual series "Chief Inspector" the original which is no where wo be found

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56 minutes (not a BL)

Overall: I generally give indie productions some leeway but the very ending of this was...a choice... not really sure what message they were trying to convey. Watched on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNtNapJNVeQ

Content Warnings (it's complicated but I'm keeping this spoiler free): intimate partner abuse, held against will, non con touching/sexual assault and something else

What I Liked
- easy to follow plot
- tried to talk about mental health issues
- they uploaded to YouTube and added English subtitles

Room For Improvement
- randomly couldn't swim
- I did not agree with all of the messages around mental health issues, society/the environment is not 100% to blame, biology plays a factor as well
- that ending was not what I was hoping for, it wasn't a funny joke, were they trying to say that pushing/ignoring boundaries/sexual harassment of a coworker was fine???

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Very adorable dynamic

The plot was so interesting. I love agro dramas, it's always so different from what we usually get. Their personalities were both interesting and they had the cutest chemestry.
The romance was so adorable and refreshing. They are both really handsome, and i think Dojin's acting was very good for his first time. After watching this i became a bit obsessed with Do won because he has such a pretty smile, and his teeth are so cute T-T I watched every drama he was listed as main, and all i can say is that he is a great kisser, has good chemestry with all of his costars, and is a very good actor. I wish there was more of his work as main for me to watch, and i wish Dojin will get more opportunities to be main as well.
I watched them on 'With My Dear Bro', they're are so funny together, like a huge puppy and a cat. Dojin is so easygoing and nice

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Best Drama I’ve Ever Watched

I’ve watched or attempted to watch a LOT of dramas over the year but never wanted to write a review until now. My first ever.

When you take two talented lead actors (Li Xian and Zhou Yutong), add excellent secondary characters that do not take the screen time away from the leads, a really good storyline, sprinkle in some breathtakingly beautiful cinematography, mix in some wonderful music, with electrifying chemistry between the leads that feels too natural and makes you smile from ear to ear, add a dash of warmth and a lot of heart you get this pure gem of a drama call Will Love in Spring!

I can honestly go on and on about how incredible this drama is. I’m now a big fan of Li Xian and Zhou Yutong. They made me cry, laugh and swoon. Their chemistry is so pure and everything I could ask for and more. This is how it’s done my friend. Their hugs and kisses made me melt. After watching episode 21, I just kept staring at my screen and wishing there were 100 more episodes to watch.

Zhuang Jie said the town and Chen Maidong are like a heartwarming soup. This drama was like that to me. Not only was it heartwarming, it made me think and made me feel so much. Thank you to the cast and everyone involved. All I can say is Well Done!! I could shout from a rooftop for everyone to watch this!!

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