Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Won't feel bored but plot holes will keep you wondering
A really fun series to watch with it's own weaknesses.The Bad(s) :
Character storylines go missing for characters who developed good enough.
Not a good ending for everyone, especially the BL/LGBTQ part and will keep making you ask "why?" (Korean series are well known for this but still could have been worse though)
Some storylines can feel like being clichéd.
The rap is really misplaced and ruins the really good bg music.
The negative roles didn't always get the same level of punishment that the good ones feared they will earn if they went rouge (this comes under the clichéd section I guess).
Once you finish, you may not want to re-watch it.
And yes, you will feel like a few cliff hangers too if you watch all characters as closely.
The Good(s) :
Amazing direction by the director.
Even though the episodes are so long, you will enjoy every second of it and never feel it is over-stretched.
The mix of emotions are phenomenal, you will be laughing out so hard and be touched really deep too, not to mention hit really hard by the sadness at times. The transitions will make you go crazy.
A never ending movie watching experience that you won't regret and you will never know when you passed almost 2 hours for every episode.
Great cast.
Conclusion :
Overall it was fun to watch with it's own frustrations and cliff hangers which probably will never be cleared and hence you won't feel like watching it again.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Fell in Love with Loony
I've been watching this show for the past several days. I wouldn't say this is a show that is great for binge watch since each episode is long and has a gamut of feelings in it. I was often either crying my eyes out and also laughing at their little antics. However, I decided to see what others commented on the show because I wanted to steel myself in case the main lead has a tragic ending. What I found was the typical decision to give the gay character a tragic ending where they can't overcome their tribulations. Also, when watching the show I noticed how they did not show the ml romance kiss even on the cheek and just focused on their feet? I know that they may been constrained from being able to showcase their romance but I found it irritating, so along with the fact that Looney does not get his happy ending his love life is shrouded in secrecy. This left a distaste in my mouth and while I loved the main character and want to see him get his happy ending and overcome everything I can't move on with the drama knowing that the gay character doesn't get to see his own victory.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
The story is very different and runs away from the cliché of dramas. It may seem boring at first but believe me, it's very interesting and each episode will get you more addicted to the drama.
Even focusing on the main lead, the drama tells different stories of the prisoners of the prison, so the drama never gets boring. The story is touching and very fun to watch.
Acting/Cast (9.5/10):
The actors acted very well. Each character had a very different personality and they all knew how to interpret each one well. It's very difficult to choose one favorite character because this drama have a lot of great characters.
Both the prisoners and the cops were interesting to watch and was really cool to see their friendship growing during the drama.
Music (8.5/10):
Music isn't the strong point of the drama and doesn't have so much presence ( at least for me ). The OST was comppose by rappers so anyone who likes hip hop will probably like it. They had one song that i really like it :)
Rewatch Value (9.0/10):
The drama is very interesting. They had a lof of funny scenes and the friendship of the prisoners is very cool to watch, so I think it's worth watching this drama more than once, it's probably going to continue interesting and fun.
Overall: (9.0/10):
This drama was one of my favorites of 2017. Didn't impact me so much in the first episodes but after episode 3 I started to loved it. I loved the story and especially the characters. Give a try and watch, I think all of you will like it :)
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Unsatisfying/Incomplete Ending(Beware Main Couple)
This is a wonderful and heartwarming drama.The male lead is one of the kindest and most principled male lead and characters that I have ever seen on tv. He cares so much for others, especially those who have ever shown him a slither of kindness. He’s meant to be “stupid”, but I feel he’s actually an incredibly intelligent person-he resolves every problem that comes his way without ever compromising his values/principles.
The other characters are just as great-everybody brings their own brand of special to the story.
My issues with the show are as follows:
Loony- I don’t have as big an attachment to looney as most people seem to but I still have issues with the way his story ended. It was poor writing with really crappy logic. For starters, who gets into their dealer’s car the moment after they exit prison from serving time for drugs? It’s also highly unlikely that someone who spend months in agony to get sober for a reason tied to their sobriety, chooses to shoot up or use literally a minute after they get out and when they’re like 30 mins away from getting the love of their life back. That’s stupid and I know the show was basically a “anti-drug” ad and they were trying to show how bad addiction is but that was just ridiculous. Sober people don’t necessarily crave drugs the way those using do-he went through withdrawal, and he no longer had any in his system which means his rational faculties should’ve been intact enough for him to say fuck off and keep walking-if he had fallen off the wagon a month later or something-I’d get it-but this was a minute after he got out. You’re telling me that a sober person decided that all the pain he went through to get clean for his boyfriend was worth throwing away 30 minutes before he’s reunited with his boyfriend because someone gave him a syringe? Also, this whole thing was illogical as hell-there’s entrapment and there’s ENTRAPMENT and this was ENTRAPMENT. The entire sting was pointless because it would never hold up in a court of law, they intentionally caused a citizen they are meant to protect harm, and they essentially admitted that the justice and prison system are useless by entrapping looney. It also made no sense that the cops were so worried about a junkie being back on the streets that they wasted valuable hours and resources to find his release date, locate his dealer from Japan and carry out a sting operation to coerce him to use again so they could arrest him-no one would do this unless he was freaking El Chapo or something. Why did they do it? What are they going to say when they try to indict him-we waited until this completed his sentence for his crime and then we coerced him into re-using so that we could arrest him for using because…? This would make sense if like a month later he was dealing drugs, they knew and sent an undercover agent to try to buy some from him and then arrested him-but he wasn’t committing any crime(s). They created a crime and then forced him to be the main player. The only way this ends out is looney is released and suits are filed against the department, but all his efforts would have been wasted as he would have to start all over to get clean.
The male lead’s relationship-why? Why did they show us the flashback of who she is? It was a really cute relationship until then. I loved their story when I thought they were best friends from grade who ended up falling in love, but they ruined it by showing us that she was actually they child of their coach whose house they used to stay at. I can’t reconcile with that. Some people have argued that there’s nothing wrong with their relationship because they aren’t blood related and big age differences in adults dating is a non-issue but no, just no. They aren’t blood related, but they knew each from when she was like 8 and he was like 18-he lived in her house, and she called him and his best friend uncle and then it changed to brother as time went by. He looked after her and she looked up to him as an older figure in her life. It’s one thing if he knew her when she was 8 and he was 18 and then he left and never saw her again until she was an adult and while getting reacquainted, he fell in love with her, but this is not the case. He was in her life the entire time-that’s low-key grooming. Like how can we be certain that the emotional attachment she feels towards him rn is romantic and not admiration mistaken for romantic feelings?
The ending-I understand that the show is about Je hyeok but it was also sort of an ensemble cast yet we never got to see how everybody else was doing after the time jump and that bothered me. Min-Chul who’s been in prison for like 22 years finally gets out and also gains 2 children in the process-I want to see how they are, how is he acclimating to the new world and so much more. We never get to see Captain Yoo walk out of prison, I also wanted to see if his brother’s life got back on track after pausing it to help captain yoo. Even Crony-we don’t get an estimate on how much time he has left, if he got out-has he remembered how to “be a human/person” on the outside or did he regress? What is he doing? -i thought he had a real knack for catching and could’ve potentially become a catcher.
I don’t know, if felt incomplete without knowing how everybody fared-it would have also been cool if they ended it with them in the stands at his first game back, but this really is a great show and despite this issues that I personally had with it, you should give a try. You won’t regret it.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
"Prison Playbook: Where Laughter Echoes Through Cell Blocks and Friendship Breaks Free"
This drama manages to be both hilarious and heartwarming at the same time? I mean, who knew a prison could be such a goldmine for comedy? The way the characters play off each other is pure magic – their chemistry is off the charts!Speaking of characters, Park Hae-soo as Kim Je-hyuk? Perfection. It's like the role was tailor-made for him. He nails the fish-out-of-water vibe of a star baseball player suddenly thrust into prison life. His deadpan expressions and subtle comedic timing had me in stitches!
But it's not just Park Hae-soo who shines. The entire ensemble cast is chef's kiss. The way they bounce off each other, building inside jokes and creating this little found family behind bars – it's both hilarious and touching. I found myself cackling one minute and tearing up the next.
And can we talk about the bromances? Because oh boy, are they strong in this one! The friendships that develop between the inmates are so genuine and touching. It's like watching a bunch of overgrown boys at summer camp – if summer camp had cell blocks and prison guards.
But "Prison Playbook" isn't just laughs – it's got heart too. The show tackles some pretty heavy themes, but it does so with a deft touch that never feels preachy or overwhelming. It's this perfect balance of humor and depth that kept me glued to my screen episode after episode.
So, if you're looking for a K-drama that'll make you laugh, cry, and feel all warm and fuzzy inside, "Prison Playbook" is your ticket
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
If you like the American drama Orange Is The New Black, you'd like this drama too!
I have one episode left, and I am shocked. I guess this drama was so good, that I didn't realize that I had made it to episode 15. If you like the American TV show, Orange Is The New Black on Netflix, you'd like this drama too! It's 90% similar, the main difference is Orange Is The New Black, setting is in a female prison, and Prison Playbook setting is in a male prison. Even the characters are very similar (e.g. the female lead in OISTNB vs male lead in PP - they are both ditsy, and Crazy Eye in OISTNB vs Looney in PP). Essentially the same show, but different actors/actresses, and a different country.This drama is not your typical Korean drama, the whole vibe is different (it rings American lol). I really liked the male lead character, besides his wonderful physique, his character was so likeable, I actually really found the actor attractive. BTW, I am not into BL, and that's the reason why I rated this drama a 9.5, instead of a 10.
Oh yeah, the soundtrack is dope (meaning good). There's this one song that is sung by a woman Korean singer on this drama, it plays every time the female and male lead characters are together, and I freaking love that song. It gives me 90's R&B vibes!
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
The ost are great. Each actor/cast did a wonderfull job
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
The story was inspiring & the characters were really funny and developing. Be patient if you watch episode 1 because the story will definitely get interesting. I couldn’t say more but I just want to say. you Must Watch This Drama??
Storyline: from sad, funny, suspense, romance... all are blended well in da drama.
Characters: every actors played important role not just the main role. I still love the additional Ji Ho, I think she played really important role as well. The rest of the actors were amazing & really funny ????
You won’t regret it.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Não existem pessoas ruins, apenas pessoas que fizeram escolhas ruins.
A trama conta a história de Je-Hyuk, um famoso jogador de beisebol que está prestes a assinar com um time americano, até que um acidente ocorre e ele descobre que irá perder sua liberdade indo para a prisão. Ele defende sua irmã de uma tentativa de estupro, e o estuprador acaba falecendo.Comecei achando que seria uma série pesada por se passar em uma prisão e por já começar desse jeito, mas a verdade é que todos os episódios contam com uma BOA dose de humor. Com personagens carismáticos (saudades, Pancada), a autora nos mostra que não existem pessoas ruins, mas sim pessoas que tomam decisões erradas na vida.
A série fala sobre resiliência, amizade e amor. Mesmo em um ambiente que parece nada ter a ver com isso.
Os episódios têm em torno de 1h30 (juro que por mim teria até mais) e a trama se aprofunda em cada um dos personagens para conhecermos suas histórias a fundo. Total o estilo da autora Lee Woo-jeong, que também foi responsável por Reply 1988 e Hospital Playlist. Inclusive, se você viu esses dois, vai se surpreender com vááários atores atuando nessa série também.
Minha única decepção foi o último episódio não ter mostrado MUITA coisa dos personagens que passaram pela vida do Je-Hyuk. Mas fica na imaginação, já que segunda temporada que é bom, nada. Coreia, por que faz isso comigo?
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
