Reviews

Storyline – I thought that this was a good storyline. While it may seem on the surface to be just a typical makeover rom-com, it goes a bit deeper than that. Kang Joo Eun’s transformation is not even really about physical beauty, but about being healthy – which is a better thing to focus on than outward looks. She realizes that she is the same on the inside as she has always been, even if her looks have changed. This story is also about healing, particularly from those scars we have on the inside. Everyone carries something with them that others can’t see. The romance is a mature one where the leads actually communicate with each other.
The secondary romance, while it is a slower tone from the rest of the drama, still tells a story that is relevant and a contrast to the main leads. I initially thought the secondary romance was a little draggy, but upon further reflection I see deeper meaning in it and see why it was done the way it was. I'll still fast forward through them for re-watches. (They are the reason I docked it half a point)
And there is a third, much smaller romance that is very cute.

Acting/Cast – The chemistry between the main leads was off the charts. I became a So Ji Sub fan watching this drama. This was also my first time watching Shin Min Ah, and she also did a great job. I loved the bromance with the characters that were played by Henry and Sung Hoon – they added comedy and heart to the drama. The actor that plays Secretary Min is also adorable (the secretaries are always awesome aren’t they??)

Music – I loved the songs Beautiful Lady and Darling U – very fun. There were also some nice softer songs that I couldn’t name, but went well with what was happening on screen.
My biggest criticisms are that Kim Young Ho/ John Kim’s family relations were not explained very well, and it took a while to sort them out and understand some of their interactions and motivations and the slowness of the secondary romance.
Other than that, this is one of my favorite dramas and it has a good re-watch value. Each viewing is just as good as the first.

Read More

I watched this drama coming off of watching Oh My Venus, which was where I first watched So Ji Sub and decided that he is probably my new Kdrama crush. I wanted to see more! Enter Master's Sun, which I had heard was amazing, but hadn't previously appealed to me.

While it sounds like it may be a horror type, it is actually very funny. They did the ghost scenes very well! Each episode involves a ghost that Tae Gong Sil has to help finish their business so they can cross over. The ghosts start out as very scary to Tae Gong Sil, but as she takes the time to find out what they need to be at peace, they take on their normal human look. I will say that one of the episodes was very hard to watch and I wept quite a bit over it. There were lots of laughs and lots of tears. There's also a bit of a mystery with Joo Joong Won's past and the ghost of a girl that haunts him.

While I watched this because I wanted to see more of So Ji Sub, I also discovered Gong Hyo Jin and am now her fan also. These 2 actors had amazing chemistry together, and one of the biggest drawbacks for me on this drama is that I would have loved to see more of their romance than we got. (The other was a plot/character addition toward the end that I thought was unnecessary and interrupted the flow, but not enough to ruin the drama.) Seo In Guk was just a bonus for me as Kang Woo because he's another favorite actor of mine. The secondary romance that he is involved in makes a cute story here also.

I enjoyed the music very much, and Touch Love is a song I listened to over and over.

This story was solid and very re-watchable. In fact, as I watched this the first time around, I binged on it and could not quit hitting the "next episode" button when I should have been sleeping! It really was THAT good! My dh has re-watched it several times as well, and now I hooked my mom in with this show. This is easily one of my favorite dramas to date.

Read More

Reply 1988 was a little different from the first 2 in the series. While the other two were more focused on a romance, 1988 was focused more on the families that lived on this one street. This drama had LONG episodes, but there was so much story to tell. This is a slice of life type of drama, so there aren't any big exciting twists. But the way that these families loved one another and interacted with one another made me feel nostalgic and sad when it was over.

There WAS another debate over who the husband was (and I will only say that I was not on the winning side of this one) but both male leads were equally charming. Even though the main romance centered around Duk Sun, her sister Bo Ra also gets a very sweet romance of her own. I loved each of the main group and the parents the secondary characters were all well used.

Although it may take me awhile to get back around to it due to length, I would love to watch this again. I also loved the music in this. There is one song that is really lovely - Don't Worry Dear is the English title.

Read More

After watching these 12 episodes, It was disappointing. Honestly, I watched this drama just because of Kim So Hyun but end up there isn't enough acting from hers in this drama. So if you want to watch a drama which is from Kim so hyun, then I recommend (Who Are You, 2015) .

Things I liked from this drama:
-The idea on how the setting and storyline was set
-It gives you a mysterious feeling (kind of thriller somehow)
-If you like thriller types of drama than this is a good choice.

Things that I disliked:
-It would start to be a bit boring in the middle of the drama, cause it's kind of repeating the same action but just with different characters.
-The drama doesn't make any sense for me
-There isn't enough acting time for Kim so hyun and Lee min hyuk (BTOB)

From my opinion, if you like either or both of the main role characters than give this drama a try!

Read More

This was such a good drama. I loved the main actors. Eun Ji as Shi Won and Seo In Guk as Yoon Jae were amazing. This was the first drama I've ever watched either of these actors in, but they have made me fans. This was the first in the Reply series, but arguably the best one just because the story was fresh the first time they did the "Who's the husband" bit. The side characters and storylines are good and keep the plot going with the husband mystery. I thought that part dragged on too long, and I would have liked to have gotten to see more love story. But the angsty-ness of it all kept the tension going. I would 100% watch this drama again. Shi Won was immature and quite the hooligan, but she was lovable all the same. The parents had great chemistry together also, and that may be part of the reason they used them as the parents in the other 2 Reply dramas. They may have been a little loud and obnoxious at times, but I felt that they acted out a long-married couple that's still in love perfectly.

Read More

I watched this drama while waiting for Reply 1988 to load new episodes. I had previously attempted to watch it fresh of finishing Reply 1997, and couldn't get into it. I'm so glad now that I went back and gave it another shot at a later time. I adored Jung Woo as Trash Oppa. I'm sure he doesn't rank on most people's lists as super attractive, and I hear there were great fan wars over him and Chilbongie. But Trash was a character that I loved. Na Jung was just a so-so character for me sometimes, but I loved the ensemble of it. This drama's episodes are LONG, so be prepared. Some of them came in at around an hour and a half long. But there is a lot of story to tell. The side character's stories are interesting, and the "husband question" will drive you just as nuts as in Reply 1997, but I think it should be obvious. While I probably won't be going back and watching the entire drama again anytime soon, I do like to go back and re-watch some of my favorite scenes occasionally.

Read More

As with a lot of Kdramas, the first episode is the set up to the story, so please at least watch through the 2nd episode before deciding whether to follow through. I like how they handled the plastic surgery part of the story. I think the story was good, but could have been tighter. It dragged in some places and the storyline could have used a little tweaking, but was still an enjoyable watch. Joo Sang Wook as Han Tae Hee was super cute in this as was Han Ye Seul as Sara. The actor that portrayed her husband was hard to watch, but it was partly due to the character he was playing. My dh loved this drama more than I did and thought it was very re-watchable. I watched it with him after watching it by myself, and that was plenty for me.

Read More

I watched this drama mainly to see Joo Sang Wook after coming off watching Cunning Single Lady. This is an older drama and his acting isn't nearly as good as CSL, although it could be partly due to the character he is portraying. He almost looked like a different actor and was more wooden in his delivery. This was the first drama I've seen Park Shin Hye in and she was very cute. This is a family drama, so there are a LOT of episodes. While it does get laggy in places due to length, I did watch every episode and enjoyed all the side characters stories as well as the main storyline. The actors did a good job for the most part and I think that is what made this drama watchable.
The big secret is what drives the plot along, but there are some secondary plots and romance that help round it all out. I probably would not watch again, but mainly for the length and age of the drama.

Read More

I watched this drama because the story appealed to me - a fake marriage. I like stories where the marriage is first and the love comes after. The main reason I knocked points off this drama is due to the production values. The camera work kept switching back and forth between styles which was a little distracting. The leads were great and the chemistry was good. There was a period toward the end - the inevitable separation period before getting back together that just was pointless to me, so that was another reason that I lowered the rating. Overall, though, I did enjoy it. Most of the story was fun and cute.
I probably won't rewatch this one, but I am glad I watched it.

Read More

This was my very first ever Kdrama that I watched (spring of 2015) and will always hold a special place in my heart! It is immensely re-watchable. My dh has watched it several times. Kim Mi-Young is a sweet meek character who gives and gives, while taking everything that is thrown at her. Lee Gun seems kind of weird at first with his obnoxious laugh and that hair, but he really has a good heart underneath that cold chaebol exterior. He sees Mi-Young's suffering, and it starts to melt his heart toward her. I cried buckets watching this, but still go back occasionally and rewatch some of my favorite scenes. There are lots of laughs as well, and you will feel like you are on a roller coaster of emotion. I know that this is a remake of the Taiwanese version, but I took a peek at the other one and think this one is better all around.

Read More

This isnt my usual cup of tea. its lengthy and of melodrama material. i had to forward and skip parts of nearly every episode. Considering my preference, i have to say im still invested enough in the 2 leads to persevere and finish watching to the end to find out what happen (i didnt read the novel)

Big kudos to Wallace Chung who really brought his character to par and pull me in as a keen observer to the romance between him and mo sheng. I dont dislike Tiffany but they are some scenes she seem flat or come off as one dimensional.

the major fault is too long too draggy. A better editor would have seen that it needs serious editing and removing redundant scenes and too much flashbaks. i also find alot of time wasted on characters i dont care about or worse, characters we all love to hate.

Im still happy i finished but seeing as its too draggy and im too impatient for this type of drama, rewatch value is really low for me

Read More

This was one of the first dramas I watched when I started watching Kdrama last year. I was quickly smitten with the leads and it'll probably always hold a special place in my heart.

The story makes out like Ae-Ra is a gold-digger at first coming after her ex-husband because he is successful now. But as you get into the story, you see that is not it at ALL (Plot summary writers for kdramas are really bad sometimes!). Ae Ra and Jung Woo loved each other then, and they still do now. The lack of communication was their downfall during their marriage. Watch them as they work out what went wrong in their relationship and make their way back to each other.

Joo Sang Wook as the ex-husband Cha Jung-Woo is so adorkable - he quickly won me over with his nerdy cuteness. Ae Ra and Jung Woo could be petty with each other, but they also looked out for one another and wanted to take care of each other. The 2nd leads are a little frustrating, but not overly so. The brother/ sister duo are battling their own issues and Ae Ra and Jung Woo get caught up in the middle as the 2nd leads vie for their affections.
The first episode is mostly setup, so at least watch through episode 2 before making up your mind on it.

The main theme song is pretty and is something I ended up humming during the day.

This is a drama that I enjoy coming back to occasionally for the feels it gives me.

Read More

I just finished this drama and although this was such a roller coaster of happiness, in the end, I still left with a pang in my heart. I wish I could keep the characters in this drama eighteen forever, but the finale kinda reminds me that the beauty of youth lies in the fact that it’s fleeting.

Reply 1988 is actually the only drama in which I don't really care who she'll end up with. Because damn Deok Sun-she seems like she has chemistry with each of the characters. For me, Reply 1988 outshines the previous series. It exceeds way beyond my expectations. And I'm personally not the type of person who likes to watch family oriented dramas, but Reply 1988 is such a heartwarming drama in terms of family relationship and bonding.

If you're expecting a cliche love story line then nah. You won't get that. It doesn't have the typical female lead being the only one having a crush nor a male lead who said and did nothing but ended up with the girl. This drama is beautiful in its own way since it gave the person who is brave enough to cross the line-and took a risk-the chance to get what he wants. The show gave many chances for each character to take and it was their decision that leads them to what they have. Because after all, life is full of deciding over things.

The cast did a really great job. Hyeri's acting as Deok Sun is superb. I actually not expecting her to act so natural and fun to watch. Deok Sun is a character that radiates happiness vibes, she's funny and yet good in understanding others. Sun Woo is basically the teacher's example of a role model and yet he also has a sensitive and romantic side within him. What can I say about Dong Ryong, he's basically one of the characters that I'm always waiting to be on screen. Because he's just this careless guy with a really great humor that makes everything got more fun whenever they're together-let's just say he's the ace of the group. And there's Taek with his strong competitive trait and yet he radiates dongsaeng vibes which just makes people want to take care of him. Also Taek's killer smile is like ayeee part of me melts every time he laughs. And not to forget the quirky yet naive Jung Hwan. He is just your definition of hotness. He's actually the first character that I got attached to. On the outside he seems like he is such a careless person, but in fact he's just a guy who doesn't know how to express himself and always misses timing. Yet, he's the most adorable one.

The parents are also the main focus in this show. And they're charming in their own way. Kim's family is my ultimate fav!

Don't even ask about the music. The OSTs are gold [with those oldies vibes] and they suit the scenes really well.

Reply 1988 is one of those dramas in which you just don't feel like watching the finale because then you knew that it's gonna end. Seeing such friendship where you'll be there for each other anytime and anywhere gives me a pang of jealousy. I wish I could stay in one neighborhood throughout my youth.

“I could not return to my youth or that street either. Time always flows. Everything passes by and ages. That might be why youth is beautiful. Because it shines, blindingly bright at a brilliant short moment. But you can never go back (to it). A time when many tears was shed – like my youth.” -Deok Sun-

Read More

Those who love wuxia/romance drama should watch this! This was my first Chinese drama as it was popular in China and Taiwan, so I decided to give it a try. I ended up watching all of the episodes in 3 days. The opening and ending of this drama are perfect including the lyrics! They are a few times/scenes that made me emotional/cried. It's really worth watching as I haven't watch as much episodes as other drama before! The acting in this drama are superb even though the CG effect are not good enough! Became a fan of Zanilia Zhao and Wallace Huo after watching this!

P.S: Please correct me if I have made a grammatical error, thanks!

Read More

It was AWESOME to see Song Joong Ki in a drama again and Song Hye Gyo is one of my favorite actresses. They are clearly an attractive couple, but DOTS on the whole is very average to me. IMO, it isn't nearly as good as its ratings and popularity suggest. It's not a bad drama by any means. I just don't think it's anything special.

For those of you who have not yet seen DOTS, but plan to watch, the most helpful comment I can provide is go into it with an open mind, tempered expectations, and judge for yourself. You may love DOTS as so many do, but don't assume that or you might be disappointed. I doubt most of us went into episode 1 of our all-time favorite dramas EXPECTING them to become our all-time favorites.

Read More