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I had no expectations, but was still disappointed
The best thing about this series is that it shows how AI is ruining creativity and taking jobs.All the actors did a great job, but good acting can only carry a show so far when the plot and the script aren't pulling their weight. To me, Dew and Gun just didn't have any chemistry, and it felt less like love and more like Pheem imprinted on Jira.
The plot was hollow at best and felt full of loose ends, especially regarding Jira's "job". The script spent more time on the artistic side of things when it should have worked more on the "plot" and developing the characters and their relationships.
I couldn't connect with or care about any of the characters because we really didn't get to know them. I honestly couldn't remember their names until around episode 7, when the show actually started to get a little interesting. Which is sad.
The friendship between Koh and Pheem just fell apart with neither of them actually caring, and I didn't care either because it had no history behind it, even though we are told they've known each other for 20 years. I believe Pheem had Stockholm Syndrome, but they didn't really do enough with it. It's like Jira just existing took him half out of it, and Koh breaking them up cured him. More time needed to be spent on his healing, and not being used like an emotional yo-yo.
Watching this honestly felt like a waste of time; I gained nothing from it, not even enjoyment.
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Great actors that had to follow a sh*t script
I loved the first season with a burning passion and maybe my mistake was to have expectations for season 2. Biggest flop of the year. Never wrote a review on any of the 300+ dramas i watched, but this one was worthy of one.Dislikes:
1. No cinema, looks like it was filmed with an Iphone from a very weird angle and awkward single character focus.
2. Random lines about the power of friendship every 10 minutes, weird explanations of concepts like "dark web" and other overexplained stuff that had no relevance. Yeah, we get it, you got the police involved, but this season was sure as hell not advertised as an " 'Criminal minds' type profiling college course on how the police fails at stuff".
3. What's with the frustrating deaths?
4. Why was Woo-Jin nerfed ? Last time I checked he was also a good boxer, maybe not on the same level as Geon-Woo, but a boxer nonetheless. How come he gets his sh*t rocked in a random 1v1 fight with a dude (ep. 2, min 37) then Geon-Woo shows up and fights 10+ dudes with pipes all by himself in 5 minutes?
5. Ah, yes, dude with anger issues likes to show he's the best and pulls fingers left and right, then best fighter Geon-Woo waits till everybody dies, his mother gets kidnapped and cries every damn episode until he powers up on good feelings and loyalty to show he is actually capable of fighting said dude with anger issues.
Likes:
1. The actors. Because I know they are good and the only thing that failed them this time was the script.
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Beautiful and irritating simultaneously
PROS: Unique idea, good acting, on point soundtrack, beautiful cinematography. Good recommendation for people who enjoy crying and suffering while watching. Kim Hae-sook and Oh Jung-se are a quality guarantee in the cast.CONS: There are some parts of the story that irritated me. Why did Hae-jo automatically assume he inherited the disease from his father, and not his mother? Why was Jae-mi in the clinic to begin with? Menopause symptoms? She was acting as if she was pregnant already and even asked the doctor if there was any possibility for her to get pregnant in three days, although obvious she never intended to sleep with Heung to begin with. What happened to the bag filled with money that Jae-mi had? What's up with Jae-mi's life in general - does she have no friends? No job? No apartment? There is a time space between her break up with Hae-jo and her meeting Heung, what was she even doing during that time? How did Hae-jo find her biological mother?
Jae-mi and Hae-jo's relationship being a middle point between healthy and unhealthy is obvious and I don't think their bond is meant to be romanticized, but Ko Mun-young was also abusive towards Moon Gang-tae at IOTNBO so I guess the screenwriter has a type. Heung has the best character arc and, although I am not in favor of age-gap relationships and Jae-mi never truly loved him and would be unhappy at his house, he was the most sympathetic character and the one that grew more as a person.
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Not very inventive
The premise is interesting, no one can deny that. The problem is that you know from the start exactly what’s going to happen and how. Zero creativity, and everything is delivered in the tone of a very conventional, formulaic romantic comedy. You’d expect Pai to be less nice to Tim; and North’s immaturity eventually becomes hard to stomach. The acting is fairly decent overall, except for Ohm, who doesn’t seem to believe in what he’s doing at all.Once again, the goal is to highlight two actor pairings that will probably deliver great fan service afterward. But as for the series itself, it’s too soft, too flat, not deep enough. You end up yawning while watching their little stories that are bound to end well. I honestly wonder how I made it through 10 episodes.
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Mame's BL => Good starting plot, but loses its way
PLOT: Namnuea is a wedding planner. He meets Sailom and his fiancée Yiwa as clients. However, the two fiancés don't seem very interested in the wedding, and Sailom takes every opportunity to see and flirt with Namnuea. The truth about this marriage (a cover for Yiwa, a lesbian with a girlfriend since 13 years, and Sailom, who's gay) gradually becomes clearer. How will the two girls and the two men (all lovers) manage the situation?+++ Some of the psychological analyses of the characters seem relevant, but their behavior is deeply irritating.
+++ The actors give their all to bring this story to life, but it just doesn't hold up :(
### The tone, the caricatured characters... Yiwa, super selfish, takes every advantage of the situation without thinking about the harm she does to others. Nothing seems right !
=> Sorry, I couldn't get into this series, which I watched in FF.
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Mame's BL => Bon plot de départ, mais se perd en route
PLOT: Namnuea est 1 wedding planer. Il rencontre Sailom et sa fiancée Yiwa comme clients. Cpdt, les 2 fiancés ne semblent pas très concernés par ce mariage, et Sailom profite de ttes les occasions pr voir et draguer Namnuea. La vérité sur ce mariage (couverture pr Yiwa, lesbienne dotée d'1 girlfriend depuis 13 ans, et Sailom, gay) devient peu à peu plus claire. Comment les 2 filles et les 2 hommes (ts lovers) vont-ils réussir à gérer la situat° ?
+++ Certaines analyses psychologiques des personnages semblent pertinentes, mais leur comportement est profondément agaçant.
+++ Les acteurs donnent tout pr faire vivre cette histoire, mais elle ne tient pas la route :(
### Le ton, les personnages caricaturaux, ... Yiwa, super égoïste, qui tire ts les avantages de la situat° sans penser au mal qu'elle fait aux autres.
=> Dsl, je n'ai pas réussi à accrocher à cette série que j'ai regardée en FF.
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Recommend to those who enjoy the mystical and supernatural genres
I haven’t read the manga or watched the anime, but the theme of yokai really interests me. And this drama is exactly my kind of thing. I liked absolutely everything about it: the plot, the meaning, the cinematography, the costumes, beautiful scenery, special effects, well-executed stunts, music, acting, and of course the actors themselves.A 14-year-old delinquent dies while saving a child, and he is met by a grim reaper who offers him a job as a ghost detective. That’s where it all begins. The eternal struggle between good and evil… And it’s shown well here that even evil can feel compassion and not be purely evil, but only partly so in form. The drama does a great job revealing the story of each character and showing their relationships. Overall, the film is very easy to watch. There are no meaningless dialogues; everything is to the point, and there’s even humor in some of them. I liked that people and yokai unite to achieve a common goal. Thanks to films like this or “Youkai Sharehouse,” you can get acquainted with yokai culture and learn more about Japanese mythology. The on-screen portrayal of some yokai is truly impressive and astonishing. Just think of the little fox with poisonous flowers or the boy with a dragon arm. There’s also an interesting character in the heavenly office — a guy with a pacifier.
I definitely recommend it not only to fans of anime and manga, but also to those who enjoy the mystical and supernatural genres.
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overhyped and underwhelming
I don't know if it's just me, but I was not impressed with this drama. After all the hype and everyone praising it, I went in with high expectations. The beginning was promising, but the more I watched, the more my interest faded. In my opinion, this drama is seriously overrated.To be honest, I never felt any attachment to the characters. I simply didn't care what happened to them. The storyline had potential, but the execution fell flat for me. Also, I couldn't vibe with Jong Hyeop at all – something about his performance just didn't click.
I made it to episode 7, then gave up and skipped straight to the finale. And honestly? I didn't miss much. The last episode basically summarized the entire story.
Verdict: An overrated, average drama that fails to live up to the hype.
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An anti-hero between demons and gods
Ko ChenTung plays Han Chieh,an enormously attractive reformed bad-boy with a heart of gold, whose sad eyes stay with you long after the 8 eps of this Taiwanese supernatural drama are done (at 42minsea. = 5.5 + hrs runtime) He was hired out of hell to atone for his sins by straightening out the problems with ghosts whose attachments hold them back. The gods live close to the hearts of the people in this story, and the Third Prince, who employs our hero, communicates via talismanic messages and a small bird whose cage door is always open.I am not generally a fan of the scenographic of grimy hallways combined with neon colored spiritual phenomena. But the cinematographer somehow gives the shots depth and movement, and the nighttime of Taipei in moments achieved a tranquil beauty in moments that melted my heart. The plot is relatively simple, a demon long-held in check has a plan to break free. A group which includes Han Chieh, his detective friend, a stray waif girlfriend and the inhabitants of a decrepit building, (both ghosts and humans) must detect the plan and defeat the demon king. It is funny, sweet, thrilling and desperate and I loved it.
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Not a bad representation of the novel "Bringing Home the Nation's Husband"
Read the book. Then watch the show. Then question every decision you've made.Listen, adapting a web novel is basically performing surgery on something people love with their whole unhinged hearts, and this one mostly survives the operation. They smoothed out some of the novel's rougher edges, made him significantly less of a disaster, and reigned in the villain women to a more digestible level of terrible. Purists will have FEELINGS about the cuts. I had feelings about the cuts. We move.
What they kept? Perfection.
Wang Hao Zhen as the ML is not a performance, it's a war crime. The man KILLED this role with his bare hands and felt no remorse. Every scene, every look, every moment of restrained chaos — flawless. As usual. Annoyingly, consistently flawless.
Guo Yu Xin as Qiao An Hao is exactly who I pictured reading the novel, which almost never happens in adaptations and frankly deserves a trophy. She didn't just play the character, she WAS her. Together these two are so combustible the screen should have come with a fire warning.
The steamy scenes delivered. We don't need to elaborate. We all know why we're here.
The highlight of the entire show is them filming a drama WITHIN the drama — actors pretending to be actors acting in a show, inside another show. Filmception. Absolutely unhinged creative decision. Completely brilliant execution. Someone on the writing team deserves a raise and a nap.
The novel gives you everything. The show gives you the highlight reel. This highlight reel is worth watching.
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"Beach Boys" is very cozy and heartfelt drama.
"Beach Boys" is a good old Japanese retro from before modern technological wonders and all those smartphones—very cozy and heartfelt drama.It’s like a life-affirming ode to youth: summer, sun, ocean, beach, the sound of the surf, as well as complete freedom and open roads—a real healing cocktail for melancholy, light and pleasant in taste, warming but with a slight bitterness, garnished for the mood with an umbrella of humor. Recommended for any time of year!
Are we happy? Are we satisfied with life, and how do we find our path, our place, our “own ocean” in this world?
The question of self-determination can be pressing not only at 17–18. At any age, people can rethink and change their lives, if only they have enough strength and courage—and the support of understanding, close people is very important.
But even if you yourself can only timidly dream of turning off the comfortable, well-trodden path, just watching it on screen is incredibly inspiring.
Young, wonderful Sorimachi Takashi and Takenouchi Yutaka form a magnificent male duo in this drama. The characters have completely different personalities and life experiences, but between them we see a true bromance, chemistry without any hint of ambiguity. By a twist of fate, finding themselves neighbors in a cramped little room, they gradually get used to each other—irritation gives way to patience, then comes understanding and genuine, sincere friendship.
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Surprisingly heartwarming
Usually I don't enjoy military or medical dramas. So why I have enjoyed this one? For sure, the cast was amazing. Also, the cinematography, music and landscapes. I was disappointed about the romances, because of lack of intimacy, which was unrealistic, but overall, it was heartwarming. I binge watch at night, time was flying and I went to bed at 5 AM.Was this review helpful to you?
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Half Baked Script
It started off well, like most of the kdramas these days, but then lost its way from 5th episode onwards.Positives : Good acting from everyone including Park Min Young, since she could only move her lips, eyes and eyebrows, it maintained the suspense till the last episode.
Negatives: Half baked screenplay, or misleading dialogues.A cool investigating officer suddenly falls in love with suspect, yes, she is a seiren but don't make him say such cheesy dialogues. One person takes the photograph of the killer, another person has seen that person doing the act, and they all have closely interacted with the suspect, but couldn't recognize? And there are many questions which I can add - about the wine bottle and the letter from one of the victims and many other - these don't add up with the confession from the killer or his motive.
Another point which I wanted to add - when someone dies from a building after a party, why the police investigation or alibi is asked only for the FL. This same issue was there for another kdrama -Idol I, except for the killer everyone else will be asked to prove their alibi.
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A late-blooming joy is still a joy
This story is about unrequited high school mutual crush which is getting an unique opportunity to explore a bond that was previously untapped. It requires balancing the nostalgia of the past with the reality of the present. It is but natural and sensible to gradually reacquaint with each other with active boundary setting. They gauge each other safely and are slowly rebuild their relationship through shared experiences and head towards having more stability in their relationship through honest and open communication. The crux of the story is when the FL comes to know that it had always been a two way crush.The focus of the story is not about quick love, confession and dealing with other things like career, friendships, family dynamics. They happen along the way.
Their shared journey IS the focus of the story.
As written in synopsis " The feelings that had accumulated over the years fermented under the memories and became stronger in the test of reality"
Pros:
Acting- All round good- I love Miles Wei acting. He always delivers. This is no exception. We get to see great comedy between him and lawyer Liu which I thoroughly enjoyed and many signature Miles expressions, geatures and moves which were a thorough entertainer
Dialogues
Cinematography
Comedy
Cons:
The second male lead plot dragged
Editing pace could have been faster
In my opinion this show could have been completed in 24-26 episodes.
Final review: The ending is beautiful and gives a perfect closure to the series and all characters.
It's even more satisfying to see that every women in this drama is empowered in her own way.
1) Ruan Yu, progresses from a successful author to a screenwriter. Of course her secret crush and love story is a success.
2)The female editor-in-chief, Chen, gets promoted to headquarters and even recommends 👇
3) Shen Mingying - who always challenged her - to take over as the new editor-in-chief. Shen Mingying gets her true love too.
4) The girl who's crushing on Li Shican realizes her mistakes and decides to move forward.
5) Lyu Shenglan, who waited for years for Xu Huaisong, who was even prepared for a marriage of convenience, steps back at the right moment as if realizing they were not meant to be and focused on her career and achieved greater heights.
6) Even the younger sister, Xu Huaishi, who was still playful, into celebrity fan culture back in high school, gets into a top university. Hopefully she will get her true love too.
7) Tao Rong, Xu Huaisong’s mom, also reunites with her husband and makes peace with herself and the past.
8) Sun Miaohan, who didn't compromise on her self-respect and dignity, successfully auditioned for the role of female lead in Ruan Yu’s book adaptation
RIP Yao Xin
Perfect closure to the series.
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