Reviews

Yikes

In the first episode of “Police University”, much of the screentime is shared by Choi Woo Sung and Oh Man Seok who are essentially the de facto family of the main character Kang Sun Ho played by Jung Jin Young. Choi Woo Sung’s part generates a few chuckles and Oh Man Seok gives the episode a certain amount of gravity as he guides Sun Ho through a difficult ordeal and towards the titular school. Compared to the average drama, they’re not particularly noteworthy parts or characters but specific to the qualities of this production, they serve as the apex of entertainment value.

The remaining characters, storylines and acting performances have painfully few bright spots. Krystal is an accomplished actor but the character of Oh Kang Hee has not much to do except to serve as the love interest of Sun Ho. Seo Ye Hwa is one of the finest character actors in the industry and puts a noble effort in playing an administrator of the school but there’s just so little to work with.

As for the rest, it’s generally difficult to identify whether the flaws are because of the actor portraying the character, the dullness of the storyline, the ineptitude of the direction and editing or the banality of the dialogue. Most scenes are a train derailment of repetitive dialogue, exaggerated facial expressions and oddly timed cuts between shots. The most obvious examples are Lee Dal and Yoo Young Jae who play Sun Ho’s pals Beom Tae and Joon Wook. They are written as comic sidekicks, but the attempts at comedy are juvenile and painfully unfunny. While Lee Dal and Yoo Young Jae might garner laughs with better material is doubtful, there is at least faint hope that they have some modicum of talent that could be revealed in future works.

Despite the towering whirlwind of blame to be shared throughout the cast and crew, one particular individual stands out as so blatantly incompetent that even with better talent alongside him and behind the camera, he would have still have no chance at performing at a professional level. In episodes 2-3, the only possible compelling drama was the boot camp ordeal lifted straight out of “An Officer and a Gentleman” - Instructor bent on drumming out a cadet is met with the youngster’s desperate perseverance to stay. It’s a duel of wills between two men passionately bent on proving the other wrong. It’s hamstrung by the nonstop recital of cop cliche’ dialogue from Cha Tae Hyun’s Dong Man who wants Sun Ho to out of the university. But the dialogue is a mere distraction to the flat delivery, clownish expression and awkward movement from Jung Jin Young.
Instead of admiration for indomitable spirit, we are left with a string of painful cringes and a desperate hope that it will be over soon. There are other actors that are equally unskilled tasked with lead roles, but there are some small redeeming qualities that those individuals usually have:

Pretty
Pretty and tall
Pretty tall?
Jung Jin Young has none of these traits. If there is any moment where Jung Jin Young appears to have some idea of what he should be doing it is when he is running. However, it seems to be effective only when he is running away from the camera and we are fading to the next scene break.

Some of the OST is not terrible, but that is scant solace.

Not recommended. Not even a little.

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Utterly Disappointing

I was looking for a light, quick, easy binge. I found series this b/c of YouTube video this weekend with cute boys as the backdrop (that's my weakness), so I wanted to watch, plus the 10 min per ep run time was not too bad.

However, this show went from breezily fun and interesting to just plain stupid in a matter of 8 episodes. The last 2 episode could have been left out completely. Actually, quite annoyed b/c I really enjoyed the first 8-10 episodes for the most part but the ML, Meo Ru became too stupid to live. He's the first guy I've ever had to say that about. and everything else went downhill fast. Nothing but nonsensical dialogue and behavior from the entire cast.

No real character development.

No real story development.

I am utterly disappointed.

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Has Nothing to Do with College

"A Female Student Arrives at College" is ridiculous. She actually arrives in and arrives out. We expect her (as the first female student) to shine among the male students... but ...no.. The drama has nothing to do with a college. The FL, Zhao Lu Si, runs around like a chicken with the head cut off “busy” with whatever nonsense pops up in her mind. It's not that she lacks acting skills but script writers keep her in the same funny, humorous, comic pattern from one drama to another. The dramas she is in are almost identical. In this drama her kinda comical image doesn’t fit into a role of a college student. Her behavior is more like of an uneducated, ignorant, scandalous girl who sells radishes at the market. So this costume drama doesn’t coincides with her acting like a modern girl from a modern society, this image that doesn’t belong to this drama; so to say, the drama and her run separate ways. Not mentioning lack of connection and charisma between her and ML

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How unsettling

This show has become a phenomenon. But I need to be real with myself — this kind of show (with all its gore, stress, and bad decisions) was not for me. It's like acclaimed movies like the Joker or Us: the kind with an impactful social message conveyed in an unsettling way. I could've lived without watching this show, and I would've been happier for it. They say ignorance is bliss, and I'm honestly starting to believe it.

Squid Game was inspired by the highly acclaimed Liar Game. I LOVED the original Japanese version of Liar Game. But what I've come to realize is that I enjoy the STRATEGY more than the desperation. Liar Game focuses on the games. Squid Game has good moments of that, like the dalgona and tug-of-war. But for the most part, Squid Game is a brutal display of human desperation. It is more "Lord of the Flies" than Liar Game; it offers social commentary on the forgotten people who struggle and the dire circumstances by which they live. But I don't feel particularly sympathetic to the plight of most of the characters regardless (except our North Korean gal and Ali; but the rest are unlikeable to a fault).

There were also some completely bizarre choices: the VIPs for one (it's rushed to squeeze them in as if this is The Hunger Games on top of everything else... you're trying to do too much), and our MC's hair colour for another (haha, kidding). A lot of the circumstances of the game were left annoyingly open-ended, which is such a bad habit from Netflix. I love kdramas for being self-contained, single-series stories. I DON'T want to anticipate another season in a year or two after I've forgotten everything and stopped caring about everyone. I don't want to have to deal with stupid casting changes and stretched storylines just to fulfill the production contracts offered to successful blockbusters, guaranteed to keep people watching. It's so greedy. Perhaps that's fitting for a show surrounding greed, desperation, and wealth?

But beyond my gripes with Netflix-and-the-western-serial format as a whole, if I were to judge the show as a standalone, then it was unfulfilling BECAUSE of the loose threads left open about the meta of the game. I said what I said.

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The Dramatization of Cheongsam History

The overall story is interesting, talking about famous traditional Chinese dress called Cheongsam or in other term Qipao (long dress).
It’s taking the event of the fall of Qing Dynasty and the start of China revolution to become the republic. This also describes the rise of Chinese fashion during that era where women fight for a more equal right to men and has the right to “show” their body more (in a positive way) to express independency and a new era generation.

The production is good where you can see lots of beautiful dresses made. Kudos to the wardrobe team. The cinematography also good – they uses kind of sepia color in some part to emphasis on the condition of that particular era. Not using full white bright light.

The set also well-chosen the old Beijing part of town. The imperial palace. The old Shanghai area. In Beijing during late Qing dynasty era, the use of horse cart, rickshaw, and car blend in showing the transformation era from old to modern world. The depiction of Shanghai as fashion city in that era.

The plot was two family of tailors, The Su family of Triple Cutting House, Su Jing An and The Bai family of Sihe House, Bai He Nian. Both are well known tailor during late Qing Dynasty due to their workmanship and beautiful design embroidery. Both competing each other to become official imperial tailor.

Initially, Su Jing An and Bai He Nian came from the same grand master of tailor. The Bai should have been inherited the legendary Seamless Stitching technique for his grand master. Bai He Nian was sent by his master to out of town for business trip, unexpectedly before Bai return, the master passed away, with no chance of passing the technique to Bai. There is a manual book of Seamless Stitching technique and when the master passed away, it was given to Su Jing An without actually teaching it, just handing over the book. This event creates severe rivalry between the two for many years.

The Su family has 2 main disciples Lu Yuan Zhi and Jiang Mo Sheng. These two grew up together and create strong brotherly bond. Su also has a daughter, Yao Yao and the three of them grew up together, taking care each other and cares for each other. In the coming age of adulthood, the relationship become complex and starts the triangular relationship.

The Bai family is kind of unfortunate in terms of family linage and only has a god son as sole disciple of Bai He Nian.

Lu Yuan Zhi is a more carefree character but with strong principles to hold justice and an upright person. Jiang Mo Sheng is more reserved and calculating person with high ambition to become the best tailor. Both actually compliment each other and Su Jing An put more hope in Jiang Mo Sheng because he is seemed more talented while Lu Yuan Zhi character which is more playful is never been taught how to make dress. Yuan Zhi secretly learn from Mo Sheng. But with his natural talent, open minded, carefree, intelligence, full of ideas, he is actually a better tailor.

The rivalry between two person, Su Jing An and Bai He Nian spreads through out the family as well between Lu Yuan Zhi/Jiang Mo Sheng and The Bai’s god son. In one instance these disciples involved in street brawl where Bai’s god son unexpectedly died. With rage, Bai He Nian want to use this event to take down Su Jing An and his Triple Cutting House by putting Yuan Zhi in jail and demand a life for a life payback.

To save Yuan Zhi, Mo Sheng agreed to become Bai’s god son to replace his late god son.

Since this event the rivalry now not only between Su Jing An and Bai He Nian but also between Yuan Zhi and Mo Sheng, the so called brothers, forcedly become opponent and rivals.

And the story developed and revolve around this brotherhood rivalry.

The first part of this drama talks about the late Qing dynasty and how the two tailor houses fight each other to gain favor from the imperial court, i.e., the Empress Dowager. In this part the story is very interesting on how both families strive their best to create ultimate wardrobe to pleases the Empress Dowager within the limitation of palace rules and taboos. This is when Yuan Zhi meets with love of his life, princess Kang Ning. They create bond and start helping each other and then falls in love. But along the way, they face lots of hurdles and challenges.

Second part is when Yuan Zhi was running away to Shanghai due to failed attempt in helping Kang Ning run away from her forced marriage. Here Yuan Zhi struggles to gain footing in the tailoring industry in Shanghai to become a renown Cheongsam tailor.

Third part is when Yuan Zhi back to Beijing to reopen Triple Cutting House and to find Kang Ning and save her from Opium addiction.

Last part is when Japan trade commission trying to rub on brotherly rivalry as their way too dominate the tailor and clothing business in China. In this part, conflicts between Yuan Zhi and Mo Sheng is inevitable, where Yuan Zhi is anti-Japan while Mo Sheng works together with Japan.

First part is very good and interesting. Second part starts to become long winded. Third part is even worse and bit boring because the pace is slowing down. Last part starts peaking up again.

Personally, I don’t really like Yuan Zhi character – though he is smart and lots of ideas, having principals, upright and hold justice, he rarely think of the consequences of his action that always causing him or his family trouble that needs to be resolved by sacrificing others. All the conflict in this drama started with Yuan Zhi challenging Bai’s god son and have street brawl which ends up being used by Bai He Nian to crush Su family. If that didn’t happen, we don’t have this drama. That single event creates this 40-episode drama.

To my surprise, I personally admire Bai He Nian character. Despite of being a villain between Su and Bai rivalry, Bai He Nian is actually man of principle and fight for his right. His hatred toward Su Jing An is understandable, his emotion to crush and destroy Su’s Triple Cutting House is justifiable. He took Mo Shen as god son and stick to his decision, love him, nurture him, give him confidence to compete with Yuan Zhi, inherit him the Sihe House and strive to make Sihe House flourish. He burry his hatches once he has fulfill his wish in crushing Su Jing An and not dragging the hatred towards Jing An wife and daughter. He rejects Japan clothing and loyal to his Chinese heritage. Really awesome character.

The chemistry between Yuan Zhi and Kang Ning also not developed well. In the first part of the drama where they interact quite often – it is just a transactional relationship. He helped her, she helped him. Even when the romance between them developed, it is not clear when it is developed and progressing. Seems like after several interaction then Yuan Zhi madly in love with her.

So overall it starts good but then become a bit dull and boring. You just want to skip and find out what next and what will be the ending. If you patient enough, you press fast forward. If not then it’s okay to skip some episodes just to find out about the ending.

The side stories, although related to the main story – they are just adding some complication and make the drama longer.

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Perfect

I came upon this drama by accident, and I'm really glad that I did. I mean, what's better than a gay-for-you, dad-falls-for-the-nanny boys love story? Nothing! This drama was just long enough not to leave you feeling cheated and so so sweet. And it didn't cave to cliched misunderstandings, thank goodness. I'll admit there was one part where I was afraid it would, but I was pleasantly surprised. And it manages the teacher/student older/younger thing without seeming creepy. I love the way Shi Yi Jie is steadfast in his determination and doesn't let anything get in the way of how he feels for Fei Sheng Zhe. You You is adorable, and the ending is HEA. What could be more perfect?

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Nostalgic. Complex characters. A little convoluted but still beautifully done.

One of Philippines finest TeleNovela.

Story wise, it has its ups and downs. Its so long, some of the episodes feels like a filler episode. Then some of them can arguably called master piece.

Characters wise, beautifully casted. Mixture of veteran actors and new breed casts. The development of each key characters are done right. Interesting backstory. Characters from this show become iconic. So iconic it has already a remake.

Love story was epic, though a bit convoluted with its own twist and turn. So glad everyone has their own version of happy ending.

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Something different

I thoroughly enjoyed move to heaven. It had an eerie yet homely feel to it, if that makes sense. The main characters all have temperaments that would typically clash yet they became very close and eventually, unable to be without each other. The acting was amazing and the storylines each episode simply got more and more riveting. The one thing I liked the most about the drama was how every scene was meaningful as I can say that I never ever felt the urge to skip. I also liked how a love interest was brought about for the older brother yet it wasn't pushed in our faces, it all felt just right.

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Dark, hopeful, cynical and fun!

It seems wrong to use 'fresh' for describing something dark, but it might be fitting for this series. After finishing it, I feel like drinking a summer cocktail on a graveyard. It's a compliment. Go watch this underrated series and then tell your friends to tell their neighbors to watch it too!

I'll try to rank the episodes from my most to least liked:

- Go Hoax! (Episode 5) - I give this one the highest ranking because it's mad fun from start to finish. Watch it if you want to see Oab and Foei writing fake news and getting hunted by the deep state big pharma for accidentally predicting the COVID-19 pandemic! Btw, this series is from 2018, just saying :D

- Life Of Alice (Episode 7) - An episode equally depressing and wholesome, and a bit crazy. Fantastic chemistry between Ployphach and Ben.

- Honesty Day (Episode 6) - Romantically tragic, would watch again. Lee and Smile not only look good together, but they also have the power to tag team you into sadness.

- Jump Scare (Episode 4) - A fun episode! And not as scary as the title implies. It does deal with darker themes but keeps a relatively comedic tone. Interactions between Best and Belle are quite entertaining.

- The Lucky One (Episode 1) - An interesting episode about the relationship between a fan and an idol, image building, media, manipulation and consumer culture. Watch it if you wanna see Mild as an idol and Bank as her loyal stan. Also, I rate the episode this low because Bank's insolent cuteness distracted me from following the plot.

- #SASITHORN (Episode 2) - A story of cancel culture and fickleness of one's reputation on social media. Janis was great in her role, and Petch was unexpectedly scary at times.

- Hamsters (Episode 3) - Emotional, and probably most realistic and down to earth episode. Ranked low only because it's not as fun and dynamic as the episodes I ranked higher. The quality is there though. Um and Nana portrayed a very convincing troubled relationship between a mom and a daughter.

- Bob (Episode 8) - Another emotional episode with a great premise, yet the most logic-breaking one. I only rank it last because it left me with lots of questions. But maybe that was the point, and I was supposed to feel like a loading screen. Great performance by Joey, and kudos for the freaky special effects!

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Excellent secondary romance, leads too perfect

This is the first drama I've watched where I found the b romance way, way more compelling than the main one. I liked their parts so much it overcame my apprehension with the rest. I felt really strongly about this show and particularly Huang Yi Lin's character, which I know some people may not care for.

I'll start with some criticism so I can work up to what I liked: with the main two, it's a lot of staring contest and creepy disregard for personal space, boundaries, and time- even if it's an idealistic fantasy, they come off as border-line if not outright codependent. In my view, they also have basically no legitimate relationship conflict or tension for most of the series besides the workaholism of their jobs, as well as the resultant obligatory jealousy (which to me is just fake, forced conflict). The jealousy always stems from some nobody fringe character who doesn't have a chance- this plotting is exactly the same as so many other dramas. Next, the childhood best friend card is such a cheap characterization tool in dramas. Memory isn't as vivid as such tropes make it out to be. For instance, it's hard for me to believe that a person would still be tied emotionally to someone they met 20 years before as a kid and haven't had contact within that time. And that such a weird attachment would be reciprocated is 1 in 100 million.

Now, then, I absolutely love the FL's best friend. She's ardent, funny, cute, determined, lonely, and wears her heart on her sleeve. I felt really attached to her emotional ups and downs and the headfirst, honest way she contended with her inadequacies (failed business, ignorance about a lot of things, etc). I'm sure some watching found her annoying but I thought Huang Yi Lin's performance was excellent and became the real heart of the show.

The relationship she has with her bookstore neighbor - a hard-shelled guy who somberly underestimates his value and lovability - is so compelling I don't know why this show isn't centered on them. The main two are flat characters in comparison. In my mind, best friend and bookstore guy's (b) romance is much more grounded in organic, real life emotions like being hung up on the past and thus not being able to takes steps forward into the future. They're such different people that the collision between their personalities (mixed with a shared rootedness in kindness) works very well dramatically. The show goes to too many lengths, by contrast, to make the leads seem basically perfect. Walking through the dynamics of complementary flaws is what make shows like this touching, compelling, and intimate, not seeing some successful, impossibly perfect and fated lovebirds who PDA like maniacs and creepily flirt with each other all the time.

Stylistically, this show has way too much slow motion and just a bit too many sound effects (though it's mild compared to other series). There are some really nice, beautiful shots like in the city and with interior spaces like the bbq shop. The cast has good chemistry overall, though like I said I have my hang ups on the main couple which I don't think good acting could possibly fix.

In most dramas, the viewer would want to be like the main couple given their romantic successes, but this show focuses the intimacy and flirting with them so much that it doesn't seem real. The imperfections and conflict of the b romance, though, does what the show should've done with the leads in making characters that strive to overcome their own deficiencies - along with external problems - to grow closer slowly and incrementally. In doing so, they also work through the setbacks and false starts endemic to this style of relationship-building, thus making the outcome earned rather than gifted by the goddesses of fate.

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