Good cast ba writing
A billionaire girl having life problems leads to getting married with a grand prince. 12 episodes of nonsense and love triangle with a prime minister? What the hell? Political drama at the best. Great casting but that’s it, personally the queen was the goat. Boring. Ok if you have nothing to watch or like the castWas this review helpful to you?
A Big Catch
I concede. I let this one sit with me for a bit after finishing. Only by doing that, have I gotten over my fascination with the many strengths of this drama and can outline the blatant flaws. I was completely prepared to tear most comments and reviews here limb from limb. But I’ve come around to a conclusion as to how a drama as mildly popular as this one at the time got so much flack.The Midnight Romance in Hagwon is misunderstood for the most part. The problems this drama has doesn’t fall into quality, but quantity.
Romance
The director doesn’t shy away from their infamous odd-one-out style with character dynamics. You can tell when viewers aren’t familiar with this style of direction, this drama is flooded with romance, but what defines that exactly?
We have countless instances. It started with mere moments of an old tutor frantically power walking around, looking to confirm the rumors of her favorite student years back returning, wanting to become a teacher at their academy. From the very beginning, romance was in the air. But ofc, that’s just the beginning.
Romance in Hagwon is exactly that, and it doesn’t ever shy away from it in the slightest. If the scale were to tip on one of these aspects more, it would certainly be romance. Idk what others are used to with romance, but I’m all for the silent, warm moments in the office after hours. The late nights at home where check in texts turn to hours of flirtatious rambling, blushing away to wee hours in the morning.
I mean, how can we sit through a man running up n down a neighborhood , multiple times, just to get back to her apartment, and not acknowledge the effort? How can we watch a woman slowly open herself up to the possibility of a relationship at her friend’s place, buzzed up, and not sense the sincerity? How can we see this man rush to her aid, immediately after her closest friend’s relaying the big confession, take her home, and fight every temptation to even stay in the same room as her while she’s under the influence, and not commend his respect for their relationship?
The drama is riddled with endless moments like these, but for whatever reason, the vocal minority here would swear it lacks romance. That if that’s what you’re looking for out of watching, to not bother wasting your time. The romance here can be as subtle as it is most of the time blatant. If you failed to see that, respectfully, you don’t have a clue of what romance consists of.
The problems I had with the drama in this aspect were minimal. Yeah, the ending wasn’t as grand as it could have been, and there were several moments where I found myself figuratively sitting next to the ML’s cubicle going “Are you like, on the clock or? You have some lessons to plan for tomorrow, no?” as he’s one shut eye away from a wet dream. They could have shown us more work processes from his side, especially with how passionate he was about how he wanted to teach students, but this leads to..
Hagwon
Ah, academics. I’m one of the last people you’d want exploring this topic , I shower in ignorance after a long day. Let’s simplify and make it brief.
2/4: Ethics is the main conflict of the drama, in case you’re unaware. What does teaching students mean to private academies where the numbers in the results are dire for success? My favorite moments of the drama was when the our two lovebirds at the office suddenly came to one another’s intention with their curriculums.
One wants to teach students the very essence of the subject that’ll help them generally improve with the basics to better understand anything advanced they’ll take on in the future. The other has been putting the effort in all for the results in what the parents and presumably the students have came for , aiming ultimately for more financial success in the business and continuously moving up in position and recognition. This is where their personal relations were put to the side, and the tension rose.
1/2. This is basically where every conflict with the notable characters in the drama stems from, minus the uh, sexual tension at times. I’ve decided this drama would have been way better off in this aspect, had it been a cdrama. There simply wasn’t enough time to explore every relation, conflict, systems, and outside influence the show introduced. Just about every aspect they took on was wrapped up in an unsatisfying manner. While these sub genres were in well hands , they were suddenly dropped. I think the main antagonist, was dropped on her head as well. The most potential resided with her character’s standards, professionalism, and pride. You would expect a big bang from a character set up with as much tension and pent up frustration as hers, but it never gets there. Instead, we get last minute gaslighting and cat fights.
That basically sums up everything else the drama had going for it. Superbly built up, subpar payoffs. The cinematography is as decent as decent gets, and the music throughout puts OSN and SiTR to shame. At least with those tired tracks, they were catchy. The ones here are embarrassing, to say the least.
The Midnight Romance in Hagwon is a severely underrated drama challenging morals and ethics in the world of academics, that doesn’t shy away from a very heartwarming, raw and mature portrayal of office romance . One of the better slow burns out there for sure. After calming down from reading some other reviews and comments, and giving the drama some time to sit, I got over my surprise with the highs of a drama rated this comparatively low, as the lows became a bit more clear. While yes, this drama has no business being where it’s at in rating in comparison to the average slop at the top, I do see where the criticism comes from, and why a drama paced and directed like this wouldn’t fit for many in drama land. Regardless, if slow burns are your thing, you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice in not trying this one out. A drama like this is one I’ll toss out there in the feed river flow sometime and reel in those with taste catered to mine. Whoever doesn’t get hooked are meant to stay in the current.
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Go into this drama absolutely blind and expecting NOTHING.
As the headline says, DO NOT READ OR WATCH ANY SPOILERS BECAUSE YOU WILL END UP NOT ENJOYING IT AS MUCH AS I DID.I thoroughly enjoyed it, i hated the misunderstandings, i hated how they couldn’t even communicate their feelings but the chase was just as much fun. the comedic timing of the characters were so amazing, its rare to see kdramas nowadays that are 16 episodes with such fun characters( netflix is at fault!) and a fun story. Their love story was so beautiful to see, in every timeline they chose each other.
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Elite Face Cards, Same Aki, but Where’s the Spark?
The Boyfriend Express serves the exact same vibe and formula we always expect from Oxin Films, plus the entire cast is full of serving face. Aki Torres proves once again that he is the ultimate face of the studio, bringing his usual acting style and distinct screen presence that fans know so well. However, even if everyone looks so good, the chemistry between the main leads feels a bit soso and safe this time around. It really misses that super intense, natural spark that Aki had with his previous partner in My Day. At the end of the day, it is a very polished and visually pleasing watch that relies heavily on pure star power.Was this review helpful to you?
Versatile Acting.
At first, the story may seem simple, but that’s actually part of what makes this drama so enjoyable. It never tries too hard, yet it keeps you interested and emotionally invested from one episode to the next. The pacing was good, the characters were easy to connect with, and the overall storytelling felt natural and engaging instead of overly complicated. The acting was also very convincing, and each character had their own charm and depth that made the show enjoyable to watch.Cha Eun Woo especially surprised me in this drama. He showed a much more versatile and mature acting performance compared to his previous roles. This drama proved that he is not limited to just romantic comedy roles anymore. He handled emotional and serious scenes really well, showing more depth, control, and growth as an actor. You can really see that he is ready to take on more challenging and serious projects in the future.
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I won't go into all the details—suffice it to mention just one character: Seung-jo.
He is a completely ordinary murderer, yet the main characters simply turn a blind eye to this and treat him like a child. Though, admittedly, this "child" is already over 70.
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Supernatural with the mix of other genres at its best.
The narrative of the plot doesn't attend only to the supernatural; it draws on other genres to create a mix of something clearly binge-worthy.When family relationships, friendship, teammates, and comedy blend with something supernatural in a natural and likeable way.
Each of their relationship was impactful and touching.
Eunie and her grandma's relationship was a gem.
Mr Seo and his daughter's relationship was gold.
Mr Seo and his wife's relationship was silver.
The villains were an interesting one, they had bonds, sorta of familiar relationships, and love for each other, and I just gave that to the secondary villains, to the primary villains, they made my blood boil, their calm and all-assuring performance was well done, I give them for that.
A drama where the sources tell you mostly supernatural, but the in-depth tackles something more than supernatural snd villain arcs, it tells there is even a quiet family bond, that can create a villain
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Not bad!!
I have no idea why this is listed as a comedy drama but it definitely isn’t one so don’t expect comedy!!!!looking at the comments and reviews they were all saying that it’s gets so much worse after ep 6 and so my expectations were very low,, I mean it did get more convoluted and ridiculous, I mean everyone was connected to everyone and everything (six degree of separation really working overtime), but it wasn’t that bad imo
Chu Won Hee is just… excellent, as always. The other actors do a wonderful job as well, especially the jemok kids!!!! I liked how those characters specifically were so complicated and realistic, outside the jemok kids the characters were pretty average.
The main reveal was executed pretty well, even though I could highkey see it coming. Other plot twists were alright as well but nothing that truly shocked me.
If this is your kind of vibe I’d say give it a try, it’s not bad.
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Bl remake
So far so good, i was hooked since the trailer came out,of the 6 episodes so far,the pilot is the best one,better than the original,acting is good,Lu Feng,super hot....can't wait to see where still will take us,on the rollercoaster of love,anger,life,strenght,hope,jealousy,pain,anxiety,not only is the series really good so far,it also represent a ray of hope,for us love sick puppies out here,not to give up,there maybe just maybe is a thing called true love,that happiness can be found,and that love really can overcome anything 💜🦄Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Subjective opinion.
Subjective opinion. The series is depressing. What is the message of the series? What did the creators want to tell their viewers? Is fate merciless? Even if you try your best, you can't escape fate?Why did the writers deprive Yohan of literally everything: his parents (they died), his profession (he quit boxing), his country (he had to leave Korea), his health (an incurable disease), his life (the chance to live to old age), and even the joys of physical intimacy (why doesn't the series' hero have a need for physical intimacy at age 30 or so)? Thank goodness they didn't add any physical deformities to the hero (such as facial scars and the like) (sarcasm).
Yes, of course, I understand that not all series have to have a happy ending. But surely there must be bright, happy moments in the life of a hero with such a difficult fate?
I understand, of course, that happiness can be "quiet" (not always noticeable). But why the hell? Why are misfortunes so "loud and noticeable" in this series? I understand that by burdening Yohan with all the world's troubles and misfortunes, the writers used the most common technique to reveal the depth of his character. Yohan overcomes difficulties, demonstrating fortitude, resilience, and the ability to transform. In order to what? To die? Authors, are you serious? Where (in what way) do you think the viewer should get something positive?
What was I supposed to conclude after watching this series? Life sucks? I love it when movies with unhappy endings leave a bittersweet aftertaste, like love experienced. But unfortunately for me this did not happen.
P.S. I would characterize the relationship between the main characters as friendship. If it were otherwise, physical intimacy between them would be inevitable. The characters in the series are around 30 years old (the peak of sexual activity). If not at 30 with a loved one, then with whom should one have intimacy, and at what age?
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Missed that target
I guess they were aiming for a serious investigation romance drama. They missed the mark. I didn't feel any emotion whilst watching it. Things were just happening. People were crying or arguing or going to place to place but NOTHING was happening. There didn't seem to be any stakes. I didn't care about the characters at all. And it's a bit supernatural - okay. I love supernatural and fantasy elements when they're done right. But guess what? It's made to seem absurd and just feels disconnected to the actual story.I can't believe I endured for 4 whole episodes and a little of episode 5.
What makes the drama worse is that it repeatedly shows sexual assault and pretends to care about it but it just makes it seem like a premise to a romantic moment. It makes me sick. It belittles the horrific act. It almost glosses over it as if it's nothing!
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5 Episodes In and We’re Still Here?
I’m currently watching this series and the story is cute, but it’s honestly moving sooo slowly. 😭 From episode 1, it was already obvious that Duang likes Qin, yet the plot keeps dragging that same point over and over. I didn’t even realize I’m already on episode 5 because it feels like the story barely moved.There are genuinely funny moments — some scenes really made me laugh — but there are also a lot of unnecessary scenes that could’ve been trimmed down. Personally, I think the whole story could’ve worked better as a movie instead of a full series.
Still, I’m going to continue watching until the end for review purposes. Hoping the pacing gets better in the later episodes.
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1This review may contain spoilers
A masterpiece everyone should watch.
I decided to watch thiss drama about 4 or 5month ago. I started watching the drama last month and I never imagined it would be this beautiful. Every single scene has captivated me.The story of Ae sin and Eugene Choi is so wonderful that I can't even explain it.. When they meet she's was so arrogant but he was super cool a mature guy they hangout together there care for each other special Eugene cared for her ver much. Whe the was in Japan when he give her a ring and also when she wanted him to wear a ring . When the go to studio to take a photo of them. Their look at each other everything ever single details make my heart flutter . When the go to the river and walk together when everytime he came to her..................
You cant beleive this is a masterpiece drama and it became one of my favorite drama and it also hurted me because i want more scenes of Eugene Choi and Ae Sin. I didn't knew this drama would be that wonderful. It just surprised me the acting of lead roles and the story everything leaved a mark on my heart.
I have heard it has a sad ending and even though I know what might happen I really hoped for a happy ending for Ae sin and Eugene Choi. Especially since Hina Kudo, Gu Dong-mae, and Ae-sin’s grandfather have already passed away.
It’s heartbreaking that he didn't get to live a long life with her saving Ae sin was the last choice he made in his life. He didn't just die he became the Sunshine that allowed her to keep fighting for Joseon. But stil i wanted him to survive alongside with her.!!!!
Their story fascinated me from the very beginning such a beautiful love story. The other characters were wonderful too Hina Kudo, Dong Mae, Hee sung and many other .characters. Everyone protected Ae sin so much. She also survived because of her parents' sacrifice when she was a child and in the end just because of his life she managed to keep going she managed to survive. It breaks my heart into pieces. I just wished him to survive.
I was so terrified that something might happen to Ae sin or Eugene Choi,, I almost didn't want to watch it for that reason. But in the end that’s exactly what happened. Eugene sacrificed himself to save his love. I cried so much i can’t even describe it. I couldn't stop the tears at all. I cried for nearly half an hour.
What would have happened if Eugene had lived? He could have fought alongside Ae sin. I kept thinking about how his mother sacrificed her life how he survived in America himself alone all thanks to Joseph who helped him. Yet he ended his precious life in exchange for the life of the woman he loved. Is love really like this?
The tragedy of Eugene Choi is that his entire life was defined by sovereignty. He started as a man without a country but through Ae sin he found something worth dying for.
Sometimes the most beautiful stories are the ones that leave a scar on our hearts. Eugene Choi lived his life as a man between two country but he died as a hero who found his home in a single person. As a slave child in Joseon he had no power over his own..
Genuinely I don't repeat any dramas if it is heart touching than I repeat the drama after coupe of weeks or year but I rewatched every scenes again and again. I don't know why this drama has become so special to me. I give 100000000 rating to this drama I also want another drama of them where they could live a happy longer life.
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Case closed
Really good storyline, acting 👏 , characters 🙌. I usually loose intrest after the romance scenes, but well done for keeping a grip on my intrest. I love the second leads , and i love how i still hope for our second ML happy ending...Second FL I love how she lovable but also draws out so much dislike
Overall really well done 👏
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FANTASTIC
I honestly don’t get the 7.9 rating but I’m glad when I saw reviews other are giving at least, did it the justice it deserves. I’ve seen less worthy drama with more rating, the ML killed it here, I was like where has this dude been literally never seen any drama of his until this one, so yea I was really stunned! The FL killed her role aside from the not so good BIRD used for me😅, they could do better than that and yea, the sect attire is really weird! Do really have to put such an ugly outfit? lol I mean. Yea I will recommend this 💯 and the rewatch value for me is 💯 tooWas this review helpful to you?
