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Great romance with lots of humorous moments
This is a 2017 South Korean fantasy romance drama with 16, 60 minute episodes.So-ahs’ (Shin Se-kyung) life isn't quite going to her plan. She is a struggling psychiatrist with a mountain of debt. Just when it seems things cannot get much worse her path crosses with the narcissistic water god Ha-baek (Nam Joo-hyuk). Ha-baek is visiting the mortal world to claim stones from other Gods that will secure his royal throne. So-ah is the descendant of a person who promised to serve the Gods in perpetuity and since Ha-baek has lost his power he intends to cash in on her ancestor’s promise. So-ah is a psychiatrist and has seen more than one patient with delusional beliefs and thinks Ha-baek is the same that is until events unfold that temporarily restore Ha-baek’s power and she is unable to deny the truth of who he is. Her destiny is to be Ha-baek’s bride and this sets her in the path of other gods who have come to Earth. The wind god Bi-ryeom (Gong Myung), the water goddess Mu-ra (Krystal), and the semi-god Hu-ye (Lim Ju-hwan) have no intention of simply giving the stones to Ha-baek and do not hesitate to put So-ah in the middle of their games.
Spoiler 🚨 I really liked how narcissistic and arrogant the water god was and how So-ah is not all that impressed and, in fact, thinks he might have some mental health issues (delusions of grandeur and all that). Seeing this God turned human struggle through the many issues humans must overcome (such as food and shelter) is very amusing. There is a loneliness to So-ah and, as her relationship develops with Have-Baek you can see how each compliments the other. He simply cares about her and while she has some other people that care about her he goes that extra step and takes care of her not in a monetary sense but in a feeling protected sort of way. I liked the Demi god too and actually felt really angry at the Gods at times for the way they treated him. The side romance between the other Gods was really cute too. This kept my interest the whole way through as I wanted to see all of the characters have good outcomes. There were a few scenes where the special effects were actually a bit horrible. In this one So-ah is thrown off a building and winds up passing a window but rather than flailing and twisting and turning she is sort of going straight down like an arrow. It makes it almost comical. In another scene, So-ah and Ha-baek are swimming underwater in what is supposed to be an emotional scene but it is so obvious the they are pretending to swim against a green screen because their clothing and hair is not swishing and swaying like it would be in water and the water is not throwing streams and bubbles like it is when you see people actually swimming. It turned what could have been a touching scene into a bit of a silly moment. I was a bit disappointed that So-ah got this wish and it seemed she could have wished for anything but her wish was really very minimal. I would have wished for something like being a Goddess so I could enter the God realm and be with him indefinitely. Or wish that you could be with him until he ceased to exist. To only wish to be together as long as you, the human, lived was a bit disappointing. And it made me feel sad for Ha-baek who would have to see her age and die and then live forever without her. But, they do end up together and I would have been really disappointed if they had not. Overall this is a good supernatural type romance with a lot of compelling elements.
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A little shy of all wrapped up
This is a 2O19 South Korean tv drama with 16, 60 minute; episodes.Go Mi-ran (Won Jin-ah) Is a fearless “stunt“ woman working for a variety show. The very talented director of the show, Ma Dong-chan (Ji Chang-wook), is always coming up with fresh ideas that have won him acclaim and kept his projects at the top of the ratings. His next big venture is “the Frozen man” and, since it is risky, he plans to be one of the subjects but they need a 2nd and , specifically a female, to round the show out. While the Director does not. Know her at all, his assistant is aware of Mi-ran’s willingness to do almost anything to earn money to help support her family while attending college. However, this is even a bit too far for Mi-ran and she originally says no. She changes her mind when her long term boyfriend cheats on her and she finds out that if the experiment is successful it may help people with health conditions - people like her beloved younger brother. It is, after all, only for 24 hours and it is a good cause that pays well. Things go wrong during the experiment and those that were only to be frozen for 24 hours wind up frozen for 20 years. The world and everything in it has changed in 20 years and they both experience a side effect where they must keep their body temperature at 31.5 °C (max. 33 °C/88-91 °F) in order to survive. With so many bonding these two together will circumstances drive them apart?
*spoiler 🚨 I liked the beginning a lot as it was fun to watch Mi-ran doing various experiments and what the Director would come up with. About 3/4 of the way through it felt slow and I was having a hard time continuing to watch. The concept of being frozen and response of all around them was intriguing but there were not enough plot elements to keep it interesting throughout. I also was disappointed that they were not married or at least a strong commitment by the end. With talk throughout of bad marriages I do not know if one of the writers was jaded that way or if some are embracing the idea that marriage does not need to happen for Happily ever after and I do not agree. I was glad they found a way to stay together but more formalized would have been good. Enjoyable but not one of my tops.
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Not very interesting
This is a 2019 South Korean romance movie about a young couple who first meet when the young man takes a temporary job in the young woman’s bakery. Cha Hyun-woo (Jung Hae-in) shows up one day at Kim Mi-soo’s (Kim Go-eun) bakery which she has ran with her family friend turned family since her parent’s death. Just when Mi-soo and Hyun-woo grow close, Hyun-woo disappears. Mi-soo knows there is something mysterious about his past and is relieved when, several years later their paths cross again. Fate has them crossing paths and separating multiple times. Will Mi-soo discover the mystery from Hyun-woo’s past? Will fate eventually lead them back to each other?Spoiler 🚨 This one could’ve been so much more. I did not feel like they were together enough initially for the two to form a deep connection. So as he went and they later got back together it just did not seem like there was a whole lot of depth in their relationship. It was boring in parts and I found myself struggling a bit to get through it. It’s not horrible just not really great.
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Season 1 is unfinished without season 2
In some cases when you have a season one and a season two you could just stop at season one and never watch season two and there are times when that is advisable because season two, unless well written, can ruin or disrupt season one. With this series season one ends with so many things unfinished and so somewhat abruptly that to get the full story you really have to watch season two . Because season two completes the story, II like season two just slightly better. Season 2 provides the ending of so many of the storylines, I think I am a minority opinion in this entire series because I found the band practices to be very disruptive because they were very so long. With the band practices, though the music was good most of the time it was just too much too often and disrupted the flow of the storyline for me.I thought the cases were on balance pretty sad and energy draining even when they had good outcomes so it didn’t make it a very good experience to me. There were also so many cases going on sometimes it was hard to keep them straight with who this person was or that person was and they were gaps in time with some of the cases where they had come in much earlier and then came back later, so it could be hard to keep track of all the characters , There were unfinished plot points even at the end of season two where they had developed an idea or presented something and then you never got the follow through so you wondered why they even brought it up in the first place. I think if you’re a fan of drama and you’re OK with it being very dramatic you would likely enjoy this series. If you prefer levity and lots of comedic elements and a series that sticks to the point , then you may not like this as well. It’s worth watching it at least once because the characters are really well developed and the friend group is fun. You feel like you’re hanging out with them. . There are so many better things to watch I think watching this when you have fewer options would be how I would approach it. I would recommend it but not highly recommend it and I am unlikely to ever rewatch it.
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I had high expectations from other reviews but found it slow and drawn out
7/10 Season 1. 8/10 season 2. This is a 2020 South Korean medical drama with 12, 73-113 minute episodes.First I provide a unique synopsis then review
Synopsis
The series centers around five doctors who have been friends since medical school. Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung suk) is balancing a busy career as a general surgeon and medical professor with the demands of single fatherhood. Despite the many challenges in his life, his magnanimous personality makes him well liked by fellow doctors as well as patients. His son, Woo joo (Kim Joon) is growing up well in the extended family he is experiencing among his father’s close friends despite the absence of his mother. Ahn Jeong-won (Yoo Yeon seok) is an assistant professor of pediatrics but his real passion is Catholicism. He is considering focusing on the clergy as he has a difficult time dealing with patient suffering. Chae Song hwa (Jeon Mi do) is a brilliant neurosurgeon and her amiability and pleasant disposition often draws the group together. Kim Jun wan (Jung Kyung ho) is admired but his austere domineer also prompts fear, particularly among the interns. His career is on the move as he achieves the head position in cardiothoracic surgery. He has known and been friends with Ik jun since childhood and is also close to Ik jun’s pretty and energetic sister Ik sun (Kwan Sun young). Yang Seok hyeong (Kim Dae myung) is also among the divorced. He is perceived as cold and distant because he is quiet and shy particularly compared ti his more outgoing friends, but he is a very caring doctor and professor of obstretics and gynecology.
Review
Comtrary to a lot of other reviews, I found it slow and I forwarded every time they did the band practice. In the first season it really just goes from one tragic medical case to another. They often had good outcomes but it still was emotionally a bit of a downer. The friendships among and between the five doctors were nice and heartwarming and it was clear their mutual support is what helped them weather the emotional storms to excel in the areas of medical expertise. But their romances were less believable as the focus seemed so strongly on the friend group you did not see full development of the romances. So when they started having a romance it felt abrupt. Woth the exception of two of the couples but there were still some aspects that felt unfinished where there would have been more time to develop aspects if so much time was not spent on band practice. I am glad the second season was out when I watched it or it would have been a sudden and incomplete end. That is why liked season two better, it at least wrapped up loose ends.
Spoiler
Jeon won and Jang Gyeo-ul (Shin Hyun been) become a couple but there was no lead up of significance. She confessed and he at first rejected her feelings. Then he basically had his friends and his mother Jung Ro-sa (Kim Hae sook) say they would be a great couple which I guess made him reconsider. Then he suddenly reconsidered, and when she confessed again, kissed her and then they became a dating couple. But it was like she confessed the first time and then he goes back and hangs out with his friends and it doesn’t seem like much developed between the two of them and then later he’s like “oh wait a second you’re right I do like you” and then they are together. It just seemed weird.
Jung Kyun ho (Kim Jun-wan) and Lee Ik-sun’s (Kwak sun young) relationship also felt just out of the blue. He had a girlfriend he broke up with because she seemed to have alcohol issues. Then what felt like all of a sudden he expressed interest in Ik sun. There was no build up. Just, bam, suddenly he is really into her. I got angry with her when she selfishly broke his heart because she decided her illness and the distance thing were too hard on him. Since she told him she was in love with someone else, she lied to him about her real reasons. They seemed to be dating again in the end but they were never fully back together which made the whole relationship seem pointless. Ik jun obviously came to know one of his best friends and his sister were a couple but neither of them ever talked about it to him. It was weird and also felt like it did not reach a logical juncture where one of them would have “come clean” to Ik jun.
Song hwa was my favorite and it was easy to see how someone like her would be loved by her patients as well as her students. It was also believable that two of the men in her friend group had feelings for her beyond friendship, and why all her male friends looked to her for companionship, comfort and advice. That was why I absolutely loved her and Ik jun’s romance. They were perfect together and made so much sense. It was sad they liked each other all those years and had their early romance derailed because of their mutual friend, Seok hyeong’s confession to her. I wish they had further closed the loop by showing Woo soo’s reaction to Song hwa and Ik jun becoming a couple. Song hwa and Woo Soo already acted like mother and son so I think he would have been very happy to have Song hwa as a stepmom.
I was suprised that I very much liked the romance between Seok hyeong and his intern, Choo Min ha (Ahn Eun jin). She did not like him at first, got to know him and fell for him and then pursued him diligently. It was slow burn and very believable when they finally started dating. His mother, Jo Young hye (Moon Hee kyung) was something else so I wish they had shown Min ha either win her over or tell her off but we did not get the satisfaction of either. And the whole gold digger suspicion his mom had around his ex wife, Yoon Shin-hye (Park Ji yeon) was never resolved. They show Shin hye with this large diamond necklace that could have been from the ring Young hye thought she stole but was it? If it was the same diamond then it would have vindicated Young hye and laid the ground work for Min ha and her to have a good relationship. I did not like that aspect of Young hye’s character, her as a horrible harpy of a mother-in-law. They spent so much time early in the series portraying her as a character we should sympathize with because of her husband’s flagrant affair, that switching our feelings for her as a mean mother-in-law seemed to be an inconsistency in the character. Were we supposed to like her or not?
Overall it felt like there was a heavy focus on the friends. I liked that but did not like there was so little time spent on the romances. And too much time spent on band practice. They did some awesome songs and one or two would have been okay but it was a lot more. And hearing Song hwa sing off key was not enjoyable at all. I know it was supposed to be comedic and it was, the first time, but they had her sing off key a lot.
They spent a lot of time playing music. I found we fast forwarded a lot not because we did not like the music but because we wanted to watch the drama content.
#HospitalPlaylist #JoJungSuk #YooYeonSeok #JungKyungHo # KimDaeMyung #JeonMiDo #KwanSunYoung #MoonHeeKyung #AhnEunJin #KimHaeSook
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Interesting cases and a heart warming romance
9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Soth Korean medical drama with comedic amd romantic underpinings. There are 12, 52-72 minute episodes. It is based on a webtoon of the same name and is a reflection of true life experiences of a psychiatric nurse.Her particular brand of sunshine is just what people, some of them at the mentally lowest points in their life, need. if some real life experiences of a psychiatric nurse.
First I provide a unique synopsis then review
Synopsis
Jung Da eun’s (Park Bo young) main “fault” is she is too nice to her patients. It is why she was encourager to move from internal medicine to the mental health arena. Her counterparts felt that, in life or death situations, speed was arguably more important than treating patients with kindness. Although she struggles at first when she joins the Department of psychiatry, it is soon clear that her particular brand of sunshine is what some if the psychiatric patients need. As she encounters people at some of their lowest points, she struggles with her deep feelings if empathy and looks to her childhood friend, Song Yu chan (Jang Dong yoon) for emotional support, Yu chan has known for a while he has romantic feelings for Da eun but can never seem to find the right moment to tell her. But when his older friend, Dong Go yun (Yeon Woo jin) friend also develops feelings for the kind, thoughtful young nurse it is a race to win her heart. Their story plays out amidst the very busy case load of the hospital.
Review
This provides a weighty dive into the work life of a psychiatric nurse. The digital effects they use to portray what it is like for the person(s) experiencing the different mentql disorders is unique and compelling. It is an interesting mental health drama with a heart warming romance. It ends happy with all major plot points resolved. I might watch it again and would recommend it to ither drama fans.
Spoilers
I was in a slump with dramas where we watched several that were not that good. We really like Park Bo young so this one really drew our attention. She did not disappoint as it was an interesting role that she played very well.
South Korea and US have a slightly different way of viewing mental health. In as much as the series is accurate, there is still a lot of stigma on disorders where having a mental health issue could keep you from getting a job or renting an apartment. It seems that the expectation in this series was it was a sickness you repair where in the US it is more of a condition that can flare but you mostly just manage with therapy and medication and live with. If you mention you have depression in the US, you either get “oh you do too?” Or they just express sympathy. Like South Korea, with Borderline, schizophrenia amd bi polar there is a lot of stigma and negative views but those are issues where the harm can be to others, they are more difficult to treat, and patients often stop taking medications. I think the biggest difference was depression is not considered as big of a deal in the US as it seems to be in South Korea.
I got a little frustrated with Da Eun during her depression because I thought she did not act like a psychiatric nurse at all. There were things she did in the fog of depression I thought she would have known better as a mental health professional. The “just leave a depressed person alone” and “forcing them is agression” was surprising because you cannot allow depressed people to mire in their depressed feelings. Although it is not one size fits all, it is often the case that interacting with other people, staying on schedule with self care and interacting with other people is what helps pull someone out of depression. Severely depressed people may start thinking things would be better without them, and although people might be sad, they would quickly get over it and be better in the long run. That’s why you have to talk it out with them and help them understand that none of that is true that it would hurt the people around them forever and be a wound that would never fully heal. They also need help with thunking things will never get better. So I was a little disappointed with the way they portrayed her depressive episode.
The psychiatric nurse who decided to take some time off to work on a criuise ship represented an unnecessary derailment of what could habe been a cute second romance. That separation trope is common in South Korean dramas but I am never a fan.
#DailyDoseofSunshine #ParkBoYoung #YeonWooJin #JangDongYoon
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Revolving door of single men which is too quick for any depth to occur
7/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 Japanese Reality dating show with 10, ~42 minute episodes.First I provide a unique synopsis then review.
Synopsis
Singles join the show looking for a partner to marry or at least date with marriage in mind. The men feel some urgency to court their romantic interest as they know they may be asked to leave the show at intervals. The women can continue the relationship with a man by proposing once the man is asked to leave. The singles travel to a variety of nice locations where they can interact informally as well as through formal match ups.
Review
When a man leaves they basically send them a text and ask them to meet at a location away from the other participants. That is the last time the others see that selected participant. Any woman interested in that man must propose to him by 10 AM the following morning to be able to continue a relationship with him. Whether the man accepts or not both the man and the woman leave the show. The first male who left it seemed very abrupt as it was only like four days in. What is surprising is, as that participant is leaving, a new participant arrives. I liked a lot of elements of the show. It mixed free interactions with more formal dates quite well. I could not take it seriously as the interactions were relatively brief. All of the beautiful locations were enjoyable to see and the interactions were interesting. I would not rewatch it and would only recommend it to die hard romantic reality show fans.
Singles
WOMEN
Sora Shibata (26) Social Media Influencer. Sales.
Nona Konona Shiba (35) TV personality. Actress.
Anna Tsumara (28) Works for foreign marketing company.
Saki Kamata (27) Yoga Instructor
Shizuka Eto (32) Spa Owner. Model.
Sayu (29) Nurse. TV personality.
MEN
Keisuke Tsumara(34) Works at a fund company.
Taka Toda (29) Cosmetic surgeon.
Okapi Okane (37) Model. Actor. Event Manager.
Yuta Yanagawa (30) IT Professional
Yuki Fukuda (31) runs a marketing company
Kiichiro Sakamato (29) Pharmacist. Model.
Keijuro (32) Owns fitness gyms and clinics for acupuncture and osteopathy.
Yushi (34) Martial Artists
Spoilers
It did not feel the show allowed enough time for most to develop any deep feelings. Some of the couples seemed to be making a connection only to have the man abruptly leave. I also felt like some of the singles were not serious about finding a lasting partner. They never paused at all about stopping someone from keaving even thise they had a deeper connection with. I was surprised at the degree of plastic surgery some of the singles had and that they were the more popular singles. In the US and what I have seen of Korea, looking too plastic is not a good thing. So it was a different beauty standard.
I do appreciate that Asian dating reality shows tend to be more wholesome. There was one female single in this who came on to the men in a cringy forward fashion. I actually felt sorry for them because it was assuming they wanted the physical contact and it did not seem like they did.
I was not all in for any of the couples that formed and did not feel like there was muxpch romance.
#LoveDeadline
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I got bored half way through and had a hard time finishing the series (but did)
6/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 South Korean romantic supernatural drama with 16, 60-75 minute episodes.First I provide a unique synopsis then review.
Synopsis
At one time Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook) was a guardian mountain spirit but he fell in love with a human who was killed. In his grief he struck a bargain to live among humans in the city and hunt other supernaturals who broke the rules. In exchange for his service, his love was to be reincarnated although he did not know when or who she may be reincarnated as. In all of his Over 1000 years as a Gumiho, and during his long wait for his love to be reincarnated, Lee Yeon has seen many humans who resembled his lost love but has discovered they only look like her they are not her reincarnation. So when reporter Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah) recognizes Lee Yeon from an encounter as a child, Lee Yeon does not assume there is any special connection. But the two are connected not only through a tragedy in her past that may have taken the lives of her parents but even more so by the fact that Nam Ji-ah is the reincarnation of Ah-eum, the woman Lee yeon was waiting for. As Lee Yeon finds himself attracted to Ji ah he is confused as Ah eum had his fox beecd and her reincarnation should have had the bead as well. But Ji ah does not have the bead although so much about her is like Aheum. Others notice Ji ah’s similarity to Ah eum including Lee Rang (Kim Bum) who was jealous of his brother’s attention and the fact that he gave up his guardian role for love. And others from the past alsotake notice of Ji ah. The two fall in love allover again as Lee Yeon fulfills his current obligation as well as solving the mysterious events of the past.
Review
I waited to watch this because of mixed reviews. Recently there were some really positive reviews so I thought I would give it a try. I think whether or not someone likes it would be influenced by how much of a purist they are. If you take “Little Mermaid” as an example. The original story is not very uplifting. Most renditions of it take some broad artistic license in telling the story and deviate a lot from that original story. With “Tale of the Nine Tailed Fox” they stick close to that lore, particularly at the end of the series. I am not in love with the actual lore any more than I am a fan of the real “Little Mermaid” story. I like the concept but don’t want to watch something that follows it as it does not have the best outcomes. The romance is okay. Their chemistry is fine but there wasn’t the slow build up. I would not watch this again and would only recommend it to those that are super fans of any of the main actors or that like stories that stick to a more pure form. It has some sad moments but I wouldn’t characterize it as overall sad. I think it is very mediocre amd would have stopped watching it if I was not already half way through.
Spoilers
The love story was really 600 years before when he originally fell in love with her. We saw so little of that original story it was hard to buy him waiting 600 years for her. Because his test was the “fox bead” being present or not it made me curious if all those others that looked like her might have been her reincarnated in earlier times. It never addressed why those earlier people that looked like her were not her reincarnated when the test he was using was flawed.
I liked his brother but it made no sense to me that he was doing evil things to his brother just because he felt abandoned by him. If you love someone so much you are hurt by them not paying attention to you why would you do things that could result in their demise. I was glad he came around and the brothermance was one of the few good qualities of the show. But I did not enjoy the first part of the show where he was simply being jealous and immature.
You have this cool nine tailed fox that did some interesting things catching some of the bad supernaturals in the beginning but that was such a small part of the whole series. Mostly it is him just pining after her. Long scenes with the romantic music of them just gazing. I got bored. My daughter, who I was watching it with, was more bored than I was. My boredom started after about episode eight and was not alleviated until about ½ way through the last episode. There just wasn’t that much happening. I found the serpent to be a boring super villain. The nine tailed fox wasn’t doing anything cool and it was just them fawning all over each other and stressing about her turning into a serpent. She could have been reporting on all kinds of cool supernatural stuff and he could have been helping her. But no. Just more and more of just them living their life. It was boring.
What was up with grandma turning to stone? She turns herself to stone then he sacrifices himself and she just turns back? How? Why didn’t they talk about that more. I mean I was glad she was back. I liked her even though she could be really cold. But explain how that happened at least.
So, in the end we go through several scenes thinking he is now human. Oh woe is me I have to get a root canal. Being a human is hard. But, surprise, at the very end we see he is still a fox. What? How? I thought he died and was reincarnated. And part of all that was he was now human. But I read somewhere that the cast said if you understand the real story of the gumiho you get it. So I read it and apparently one way a fox can become human is to trick their love interest for three years into thinking there are human. So that is what he was doing. He was tricking her. But not very well because he slipped up about them having a daughter. But why would she trip on that anyway. He could have just been saying that. I get they were sticking to the lore and all that but they did not explain that lore to the viewer. So, unless you knew to go read about that, it was just confusing. Why was he faking it? And that doesn’t even make sense to me anyway. No more than bubbles with the Little Mermaid. I didn’t like it. It was silly.
Why did the brother die? I was just liking him. And what cold people. So sad when Lee died but then the brother dies, they shed just a very few tears and then are like Lee is back. No big deal brother was sacrificed. They made a big deal about him having a family but he didn’t. They didn’t seem to care beyond just those few moments. Life went on perfectly without him. In fact it smoothed over all their newlywed troubles. The little boy didn’t even seem to care his surrogate dad/brother was gone. But don’t worry he is reincarnated as about a six or seven year old child. Okay he looks like him but I thought you were convinced that all those other people that looked like main girl were not her. So how do you know that little boy is him? It was just stupid. And how do they explain some are reincarnated as a newborn but some seem to appear at various ages. Too weird. Not buying it. Not even in a mythological sense.
I guess I am of the unpopular opinion that this just wasn’t very good. Lots of potential with such cool characters (foxes and other immortals) but they just told a very boring love story. I never like love stories where they get together too soon and that is what this felt like. Okay. They are together. Let’s go home. Oh she is going to turn into the serpent? I don’t care. You had your love story. And the side love stories? Also pretty uninspired.
#TaleoftheNineTailed. #LeeDongWook #JoBoAh. #KimBum
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Good but not great but the mix of cultures carries it
8/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 Japanese Supernatural Romantic Comedy drama with 10, -45 minute episodes.First I provide a unique synopsis then review
Synopsis
Yuri Motomiya (Fumi Nikaido) does not know why an accident years ago gave her a unique telepathic ability. Being able to read the thoughts of others is both a blessing and a curse. She has learned how to use the thoughts she hears to help people. However, she finds it impossible to fall in love with anyone as she inevitably hears unkind thoughts. At 30 she is beautiful and successful as a CEO of her own company. Yoon Tae-O (Chae Jong-Hyeop) is moonlighting as a delivery man while studying to be a biologist. He has a very outgoing and bright personality and is able to break through Motomiya”s social introversion. Because Tae O speaks Japanese as a second language, all his internal thoughts are in Korean. Since Motomiya cannot speak Korean, he is the first person she is unable to read. Which is only part of the reason she is attracted to him. Things chill down when 26 year old Tae O starts an internship at Motomiya’s company. Her co-owner has a strict no mixing business with personal life rule and now Tae O is Motomiya‘s subordinate. She tries to push him to a distance but fate and love have other plans for them.
Review
It is a cute, predictable romantic drama with the cross cultural element adding some additional intrigue. I would watch it again if it was on and would recommend it if someone was looking for a relatively simple plot. It is good and ends happy.
Spoilers
There were a lot of problems with the story. Why and how exactly did she gain the ability tipo hear thoughts? Yes she almost drown but a lot of people nearly drown yet do not develop a supernatural ability. How did her father become so seeverely paralyzed? We know he saved her and was in a coma but neither of those things alone explain his paralysis.why is she a CEO but her friend and partner would be able to fire her.
Two break ups? Really? I dislike one breakup but two was really ridiculous. I seriously dislike the I cannot be with you because someone likes me and I do not want to hurt them trope. If the other person waited until someone else liked you to declare their feelings how deep and genuine are those feelings? In this case he was afraid she would reject him but new guy wasn’t. So that break up was ridiculous. Then they find out some book says if she stays with him he might die and they all buy it? Why? How? It did not even make logical sense they would all believe what it said in a picture book.
I found it interesting how each had to learn aspects of each other’s culture and thought it was heart warming she made an effort to learn Korean.
#EyeLoveYou #YuriMotomiya #ChaeJongHyeop
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I got Bored. Little chemistry and a slow moving story.
6/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean supernatural mystery romance with 12, 60 minute episodes.First I provide a Unique Synopsis then Review.
Synopsis
Taxi driver Seon Young min (Yoon Chan young) just wants to make a good living driving the taxi his mother bequeathed him. Last thing he wanted or needed was a ghost, Kang Ji hyun (Bang Min ah) attached to his taxi. Especially a ghost that drives off his paying customers. When he discovers a way the ghosts can be paying customers and he can grant thenpm some final wishes, a new business concept us born and who better to help him in his endeavors than the ghost who is attached to his taxi. Having lost her memory, Ji hyun cannot tell Young min how she came to have his deceased mother’s bracelet or why their are pictures of her on his mother’s phone. So they have mysteries to solve around Young min’s mother and Ji hyun’s deaths as well as mysteries around the last moments for their clients.
Review
I very rarely quit watching a series. I made it through episode 5 on this and just could not watch it any more. I was bored. I like the premise. But the focus was not as heavily in doing cool things for ghosts as it was on their mystery and their relationship. I did not puck up on much chemistry between the keads so I was not super interested in their interactions. I would not watch it again nor recommend it.
Spoilers
Ji hyun is way dressed down, possibly to give a more ghostly appearance, but it makes handsome Young min’s almost immediate attraction for her less believable. She is also a bit annoying and has no empathy for Young min’s plight and need to earn money to provide for himself and his grandmother. So with her being slightly annoying, devoid of understanding, and not very attractive, it is hard to understand what he would see in her from a romantic perspective. She also is mean to hm by not understanding him needing to make money and guilting him into helping herself and other ghosts instead. She also makes fun of him for never having dated, and ridicules his desire to hang a lock on the fence.
I found the case where the con artist was trying to scam the young widow out of a settlement interesting. But those interesting cases were too few to hold my interest.
#DeliveryMan #BangMinAh #YoonChanYoung
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Batsuichi ga Moteru nante Kiitemasen
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Quick cute light fluff
8/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 Japanese romance mini series with 6, 24 minute episodes.it is an adaptation from the manga series “Batsuichi ga Moteru nante Kitemasen”.First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review.
Synopsis
As a star editor for a fashion magazine, Kazuha Ono (Takanashi Rin) seems to have a perfect life. At 35 she has a great career and a happy marriage. Or at least she thought so. Things crash down when her husband announces he has been having an affair and is in love with a younger woman. She figures she might as well rip the band aid and announces her divorce at work before her colleagues hear it elsewhere. That day just happens to be the day, Ayato Mitsui (Tsuna Kieto) started with her company. Fresh oit of college and 12 years her junior, Ayoto starts to admire Kazuha. But things are awkwars because Ayoto is nit only older and a divorcée but she is qlso his superior whipo is supposed to mentor him. .But Ayoto is not the only one interested in the kind and beautiful Kazuha, turns out Rensuke Hayami (Shiono Akihisa) a popular actor, has known Kazuha for awhile and even liked her when she was married. He sees her divorce as his opportunity. In the unusual position if having two handsome eligible bachelors interested in her, who will Kazuha choose. Being a subordinate whi is younger is fraught with problems but coupling with a famois actor has its own issues. Who will Kazuha’s heart pick?
Review
If you are looking for a lighthearted, uncomplicated yet predictable romance this would be a good choice. I would recommend it to fans of either actor, Japanese drama fans, or as a filler drama or quick watch. Maybe you watched something heavy or sad and just need a reset. Well this would fit the bill to offer some quick fluff to reset your emotions. There is not enough substance for me to watch again but I would not avoid it if someone had it on.
Spoilers
I am not usually one for large age gaps but these two characters fit each other so well that it did not seem as big a deal. With short mini series I often feel they would have been better if they were longer.There were ao many possibilities the ex husband could have tried to get her back, she could have tried dating the actor who was closer to her age, and there could have been a side romance. But mostly we could have gotten to know the characters better and had more time with them dating and getting to know each other.
I seriously loved her mom sticking up for her and getting in a social media battle with the ex. That was great and made up for Kazuha effusively apologizing when he and Ayoto got in a fight. Her ex was so in the wrong and I disliked her apologizing to him like that. Her mom telling him off made up for it.
#MyHappyDivorcedLife #TakahashiRin #TsunaKieto. #ShionoAkihisa
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Unlikable female lead, boring cases, missing chemistry and plot is full of holes
7/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean Legal Romance drama with 12, 61-68 minute episodes.First I provide a unique synopsis then review.
Synopsis
Kim Sa ra (Lee Ji ah) was leading a good life as the wife of a chaebol son, Noh Yul seong (Oh Min suk) and head of a legal empire. The mother-in-law, and matriarch of the legal empire, Cha Hee won (Na Young Hee) decides Sara is not the woman she wanted for her son as she has too much of a mind of her own so they frame her for illegal emission of her son and he divorces her. She starts a law firm centered around gaining justice for women in unjust circumstances. With a talented former prosecutor, Dong Ki joon (Kang Ki young) as a partner will they be able to bring down Sara’s exes legal empire and help others along the way?
Review
This was a mediocre, at best, legal romance. I found many of the legal cases boring and was very distracted as some of the cases were very mundane. So I wouldn’t rewatch it to see compelling legal drama. I also did not see a lot of chemistry or romance between Ki joon and the Sa ra. So much of the series was spent with her in various stages of interaction with her husband then ex husband then husband that there was little time for anything to be developed between the Sa ra and Ki joon. It was disappointing as the potential for a really great romance was there but the writers took it in other directions. I would not say this is unwatchable but it is not even close to a top choice. I cannot see myself rewatching it and would likely not stay around to watch it if someone else was.
Spoilers
The Sa ra was a bad ass martial artist in the beginning and there were several opportunities for her to show her stuff. In the later episodes, she did not show that side as much and, in fact, was taken down physically several times. I would have enjoyed it more if there had been more opportunity for her to kick butt on the bad guys and if she had done it through the series. The martial arts scenes were one of the only things that kept it flowing in terms of excitement and interest.
There was a huge back story I don’t think we ever got fully told about her marrying Yul seong It seemed like she was going out with Ki joon and then somehow got pregnant with Yul song’s child and that was the reason for her breaking it off so abruptly with Ki joon. Or it could be I was so bored I missed something. But that was my impression. I was like, but wait, that is not common in that culture for someone to be essentially having two physical relationships with two men so that she was with one guy but pregnant by another. Some reviewers said she came across as a gold digger, only interested in Yul seong’s money. But I only recall the part where she had a positive pregnancy test. More back story on her relationship and how she came to marry someone like him would have helped in understanding why she put up with him early on like she did.
There was not any chemistry between Sa ra and Ki joon primarily because she spent the better part of the show giving him the cold shoulder and trampling his feelings. I felt sorry for him. Sa ra was just straight up cruel to Ki joon in her coldness and indifference. She knew he had feelings for her but she never gave any consideration to his thoughts or opinions. If she wanted to do something a certain way she did it. In fact she didn’t care who thought otherwise. I thought that was a serious character flaw. That she didn’t listen to anybody in the way she approached “solutions.” When she decided to remarry her husband to take him down from the inside, I was super disappointed in her character. It was hurtful to Ki joon to have her remarry her husband when it seemed she was finally going to accept him. But she didn’t care what anyone thought. Her solution was her solution. They could have played up the fact she wanted her child more, that might have been a better justification, but they really made it seem about revenge for her mother. It made her an unlikable character to not care about the thoughts and feelings if thise around her. To add insult to injury, her decisions rarely bore the best results. It would be different if she went her own way and that turned out to be the best way but so often things did not go well.
I wasn’t a fan of the wardrobe. She had all kinds of weird drab outfits that seemed to carry over to her son. Those big weird collars, I am not a fan. But her clothes were unappealing a lot of times.
So her husband and mother in law falsely frame her for a fraudulent application, she gets sent to prison, loses her child, he divorces her and she loses her law license but she is ok with that? In all the evidence she gathered and confessions she had them make she had no interest in clearing up that false crime? Will she ever get her license back?: That seemed like an important plot point to resolve. And just, nothing?
And what about the mother in law? She just gets to falsely imprison her, keep her son from her and then find out her iwn son was a compoete tool amd that is just it? She disappears from the story line and just nothing?
Ki joon’s efforts to befriend Sa ra’s son were just weird. If my parents new partner was over the top fakey trying to be my friend I would withdraw. I mean his dad did a lot of bad things but he still had a dad. Most children would not buddy up to someone seemingly trying to replace their oarent. Children are better approached slowly and genuinely. Someone didn’t know how to write a good step parent relationship. Those exchanges were just weird. Almost creepy.
I don’t know what this having the second couple marry but not the first one trend is but I don’t like it. It’s okay if they marry and we see it but that is only if the main couple is married. Otherwise why do I care about the 2nd couples’ wedding? Several I have watched recently have ended like that. I don’t get why they are doing that but it is a trend I am not a fan of.
The ending was “happy” I guess. The second couple get married. But that just turned out to be odd. While you could see them slowly getting more and more interested in each other and together, it did not feel like they had reached the marriage stage. Sa ra’s speech at the 2nd couples wedding was awkward and I experienced a lot of second hand embarrassment. Way to kill the mood. And then the lead couple doesn’t get married. They kind of sort of get engaged with her having some weird we will be together in five year increments requirement. Because she is a divorce lawyer? Well, she didn’t have that issue when marrying her 1st husband. And she seemed to divorce him easily enough. Her stating that meant she had no confidence in their relationship and since there wasn’t a lot to make the viewer confident in Ki joon and Sa ra’s relationship I thought that was a very odd way to have them come together. It seemed hurtful, yet again, for the Ki joon that she did not care about him enough to properly accept his proposal.
I wasn’t a fan of the wardrobe. She had all kinds of weird drab outfits that seemed to carry over to her son. Those big weird collars, I am not a fan. But her clothes were unappealing a lot of times.
Ki joon’s efforts to befriend Sa ra’s son were just weird. If my parents new partner was over the top fakey trying to be my friend I would withdraw. I mean his dad did a lot of bad things but he still had a dad. Most children would not buddy up to someone seemingly trying to replace their oarent. Children are better approached slowly and genuinely. Someone didn’t know how to write a good step parent relationship. Those exchanges were just weird. Almost creepy.
I don’t know what this having the second couple marry but not the first one trend is but I don’t like it. It’s okay if they marry and we see it but that is only if the main couple is married. Otherwise why do I care about the 2nd couples’ wedding? Several I have watched recently have ended like that. I don’t get why they are doing that but it is a trend I am not a fan of.
#QueenofDivorce #LeeJiAh #KangKiYoung #OhMinSuk #NaYoungHee #NaYoungHee
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Less sexualized than the American version, couples more serious
8/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 Japanese reality dating show. It is patterned after the American show of the same name. It ran for 11, 47-71 minuteFirst I provide a Unique synopsis then review
Synopsis
Eleven women and thirteen men live on a compound where the genders are kept separate at first, site unseen. During the first ten days members take part in speed dates where they seek to find out as much as they can about each other with marriage in mind. Following the speed dates, they can then choose to participate in longer dates with partners of their choice by going into adjacent pods where they are unable to see each other but can clearly hear each other’s voices. The intent is to fall for each other enough to propose marriage. Once the couples are engaged (and many will leave at this level never having found that level of connection) they are allowed to meet face to face where they see the other physically and the ring is presented. Affianced couples depart for a one week resort vacation Other couples that have taken part in the “experiment” are at the resort so the participants get to see others they may have “dated”. After spending their time at the resort, the affianced couples move into apartments for the remainder of the show. The couples are encouraged to spend their time introducing their fiancé to friends and family. While planning their weddings they go about their daily lives and learn how the person they chose goes about their days. All of the women go shopping for wedding dresses together and offer opinions on cut and style. Likewise the men shop for suits and offer each other opinions on the look of those suits they select. Each couple gets a day at the alter where they decide whether, after having real world time together, they want to say “I Do” or they regret their decision and say “I Don’t”.
HOSTS
Takashi Fujii Born in 1972. Would have been about 5O years old when the show aired. He is an actor, comedian, singer, presenter and music producer.
Yuka Itaya born in 1975. She would have been about 47 when the show aired. She is an actress, model and presenter.
SINGLES
Women
Priyanka Yoshikawa (Priya) (28) Mixed ethnicity with a Japanese and Indian ((India) parent. She is an interpreter, model and kick boxer. She was crowned Miss Japan world in 2016. Born in 1994. She would have been about 28 when the show aired.
Toshie (39) Aromatherapy instructor
Midori (30) Business planner
Motomi (27) Advertising salesperson
Minami (26) Architecture firm
Eri (32) Fitness trainer
Ayano (30) Corporate worker
Maki (34) Yoga instructor
Nana (31) Online marketing
Priya (27) Entrepreneur
Kaoru (31) Singer-songwriter
Nanako (35) Ex-ballet instructor
Men
Takumi (23) Ex-Maritime Self-Defense Force officer
Jinya (26) Hair and makeup stylist
Yudai (23) Men’s hairstylist
Mori (37) Cosmetic dermatologist
Shuntaro (56) Consultant
Odacchi (31) Comedian
Atsushi (42) Business owner
Sho (28) Design firm owner
Misaki (31) Baseball coach in Kenya
Ryotaro (32) Hairstylist
Ryoga (30) Real estate
Mizuki (29) Restaurateur
Wataru (38) Executive
Review
This is such a popular reality dating show that it started in the US and several other countries have done their versions. As expected the Japanese series was less sexualized than the US and if the couples were intimate it did not show it. The singles also seemed to consider marriage a lot more seriously than the US version. Is Love Blind? I think in watching the US version, this Japanese version and now starting the Swedish version I would say it depends. It goes back to how much importance the individual and the culture places in physical appearance. With a major in psychology it is fascinating to me they can do what they even call an experiment. It most likely would not pass an ethics panel if it were an actual psychological experiment.
Spoilers
What is clear to me is women, cross culturally can be very harsh with men. Some of the critical comments were hard to take. If you have seen the show you would know who I am referencing but I will leave names out of it.
One male was a little heavier than the woman preferred so she decided to put him on an intense training schedule. Wanting someone you care about to be physically healthier is understandable but all of her comments pointed to her being worried about appearance, she said a lot of things indicating that she thought she was more attractive than him. Her mom was funny as she took a liking to the future son-in-law and told her daughter to quit being arrogant. Basically he is a catch and you should realize that.
Then there was the beauty queen who saw herself as a leading expert on how to do business. The guy she selected told her he was a partner in a business he owned. She found out that the partner had put the money up so she said he was the owner and you are just an employ. Even though both men said they were partners, and it was a case where one is “the talent” and the other was the investor, she still insisted he was not an owner. That is a common business arrangement so I thought it was both rude and short sighted of her to characterize his business according to her standards alone. She also pressed him so hard on what he thought a good income would be that he said a high figure. Then she belittled him for saying so high saying that he didn’t have goals that were realistic. He said that he had inflated it because he was nervous and basically thought that that was what she would expect so she was responsible for making him feel that nervous to disappoint her. But rather than self reflecting, and realizing that she had made him feel that way, she harshly criticized for not stating a realistic amount. I thought he was way better off without her but could tell her opinion impacted him deeply and he was hurt their relationship ended.
Then there was Kenya guy. He had an innocent sweetness about him. The woman he selected made continual comments about him being an air head (which, from anime, can be considered cute) but not in a complimentary way. She was snippy and sarcastic when they met with her friends about various aspects of Kenya guy. I understood she did not feel they were a good match but a lot of her comments were personal attacks. And to bring him to her friends and make mean comments was not a good look for her.
To have two couples remain together is surprising because these type of shows rarely form couples with any longevity. Ryotaro and Motomi were refreshing. They liked each other from the beginning and never wavered. I think it was proof of concept because he was not someone, based on appearance alone, she would have interacted with. It was clear how much they enjoyed being together and their mutually supportive and caring relationship was so infectious it quickly won their families over. They are a lovely couple and I hope they have a future full of the love and happiness they conveyed so well. All signs on the internet pointed to them still being a couple.
Wataru and Midori also had a very nice relationship. I do not think she fully realized how happy he made her. Her mom could see how well suited they were and was an advocate for their relationship. They remained together based on social media posts.
#LoveIsBlindJapan
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If you can accept an episode that was useless to the series it is likable
7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy series with 12, ~70 minute episodes. It is based on a popular Webtoon of the same name.First I provide a unique synopsis then review.
Synopsis
Na A jeong (Jeon Jong seo) and Lee Do han (Kim Do wan)were best friends since high school. When Do han asks A jeong to help him avoid an arranged marriage by entering into a contract marriage, A jeong agrees because, as an aspiring actress, pretending to be romantically in love with her best friend is just another role to play. She is used to playing parts for people (such as rent a friend) to make money to continue to pursue her dream of becoming a lead actress. Do han has hidden his homosexuality from his family to this point and the contractual relationship with his friend will allow him to continue to keep his secret. Lee Ji han (Moon Sang min) Do han’s younger brother, is not aware of his brother’s feelings on romance, and wants to thwart the relationship between Do han and A jeong. He wants Do han to folllow through with the arranged marriage with Yoon chae won (Bae Yoon kyung) to secure their grandfather’s approval and inherit control of the conglomerate.
Review
This is a slightly predictable but overall good romantic drama. It has a small comedic element but I wouldn’t characterize it too deeply as comedy. It deals with some deep issues like sexual identity and social stigmas. The slice of life is in the chaebol/conglomerate world and a lot of the social tension is viewed from that, upper echelon, lens. The first half was very good, the premise was not unique but not completely overdone and the story had great flow. But, the last episodes there was a lot of unnecessary drifting and I think some even stopped watching because of that. If you can get through an episode or so and just stick with it, it all wraps up well. The ending is generally happy and mostly tied up. I would not rewatch it any time soon as there are so many better options available. I would recommend it to those that like this genre, are interested in contract marriage tropes or social stigma around falling in love with the “wrong” person. It is not a hard watch and mostly enjoyable except for an episode or so where they seemed t have lost the way.
Spoilers
There was a lot of conflict around the grandfather choosing his “illegitimate” grandson as his main choice of heir even with all the problems Do han had. Nothing was ever explicitly explained but I understood he wanted him out of a sense of guilt toward his daughter and because he felt that powerful position would protect Do han from the social stigma around being an “illegitimate” child as well as his sexual orientation. But, it made no logical sense that a business man would choose his Grandson for those reasons alone. If they had made Do han some brilliant business person, a managerial or economic genius then him choosing him for the other reasons would have made more sense. They also did not clearly indicate why he was so opposed to his other grandchildren taking that seat. It does come out later that their father effectively caused their mother’s death and that might be why he was opposed to them inheriting the business, the whole sins of the father angle, but that is also not super clear. I wanted a huge take down and for those evil relatives to get some of their due. I guess their punishment was the fact that their father had done something so horrible. But that wasn’t completely satisfying given how cruel they had been to their half brothers. I thought it would have been a great twist if they had turned out “illegitimate” since there was so much snobbery around that.
The chemistry between the two main leads was just weird. Sometimes they had great chemistry and other times it just wasn’t there. When they did the beaten past recognition trope of “I’m going to leave you for the good” they acted like being apart did not bother them much. It was hard enough to believe they had some deep connection prior to that and I was just getting it when that separation happened. Then it was like, just kidding, we didn’t love each other that deeply after all. They were trying for the angle that they were just acting like they didn’t care but you can’t achieve that level of detachment with someone you love deeply. And why? At the point they took the year apart Do han had come out and confessed everything and the public had already moved on from labeling her with the scarlet letter. So, there was no compelling reason for them to separate and it just seemed very dramatic at that point. Immature. Ji han’s press conference where he emphasized that he was the one to pursue her and seduce her was pointless. First, there were pictures of them having a passionate kiss and she was obviously just as involved with him as he was with her. And second, Do han confessing resolved the entire situation. All he had to do was have a real conversation with his brother and her and that press conference would have been completely unnecessary.
I am still trying to reconcile how a child could be held responsible, at all, for the death of their parent simply because they were the first one saved, and the car exploded in fire. The mother specifically requested he be saved first. The grandfather basically said he treated him the way he did not because he blamed him but because seeing him made the grandfather feel guilty and remorseful. Selfish much? And they never explained why the mom was in the car, why was he in the car, and who was the man driving that car. Did she really have a scandalous affair that produced the two boys. Was she just a trash person or was her husband always a violent maniac? That was such a key aspect but we really got nothing in the way of explaining the situation around the mother.
The ending was not fully satisfying because she was in a wedding dress but it turns out that was for a role she was playing and not that they were getting married. I don’t always need to see the leads get married. Often just the confession and them indicating they stay together is enough to feel fully wrapped up. In this case though the leads were so wishy washy with their relationship I would have liked to see them actually marry. It shows them running away together in the end but you aren’t tricking me a bit he grabbed her and they ran away when she was in a wedding dress before and they still split up.
There is the weird stalker level ex Jung Dae Hyun (ShinYongBum) who apologizes and is “redeemed” at least in Do han’s eyes. I could nit figure out why they made Do han’s ex such a creepy character. They could have gave him a happy ending with a great life partner. It could have been a sweet bonus romance. But that character was so creepy I did nit want to see Do han even forgive him.
I really debated what level of liking I had for this because it had so much potential. If it weren’t for that episode or so of them breaking up and pretending like they had moved on I would have liked it far more. So like 75% of it was really good, would have rated as one of my top favorites, but that 25% really did have an impact on how much I enjoyed the series. I wonder if the surprising cameos of some of the top talent was due to poor viewer response to the episodes that they broke up and the script drifted. I really liked Yon Chae Won (Bae Yoon Kyoung) character where she played the Chaebol of an adjacent conglomerate who was originally affianced to Do han but wound up in love with Ji han. She remained nice even when she was jealous and did not let others speak badly of or mistreat others without cause.
So it was nice that they had Kim Bum step in as a romantic potential for Chae Won. Lee Soo Hyuk also appeared at the end of the series playing the role of an onscreen bridegroom. And they had Ryu Kyung Soo in for a cameo appearance as well playing the onscreen lover of Ajeong’s drama character. In addition there was Lee Chung Hyun who played the role of a director for Ajeong’s current drama and he was/is her real life boyfriend. So it was a lot of cameos thrown in at the end and thought the characters played key roles in reigniting the leads relationship, it was very noticeable because it was so many in a short span.
#JeonJongSeo #WeddingImpossible #KimDoWan #MoonSangMin #BaeYoonKyung
#KimBum #LeeChungHyun #LeeSooHyuk #ShinYongBum
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If you are looking for a longer, family oriented, love story this would fit the bill
8/10 is my rating. This is a 2012/2013 Taiwanese romantic drama with 72, 47 minute episodes.First I provide a Unique Synopsis then review.
Synopsis
Yang Yi Ru’s (Annie Chen) family convinces her she has terminal cancer to get her to take a break from work. Their plan to notify her that she is not really dying fails when she doesn’t check in to her pre assigned hotel room. As fate would have it, she runs across a former college class mate who fell in love, almost at first sight, with her. Lan Shi di (George Hu) lost track of the girl of his dreams before he could pursue his interest. On the island, Yi Ru accepts Shidi’s proposal and they get married but do not register so the marriage is not official. He is happy to have the chance with the girl he could not forget and she thinks she is fulfilling her dream of being married before she dies. When Yi Ru’s family is finally able to get in touch with her to tell her the truth, her and Shidi have already spent a night together. Yiru rushes back home to Taiwan without a word thinking they will never see each other again so she will never have to tell Shidi about the deception, Their fates are even more twisted when the company Yiru co-found lands a contract with Shidi’s company. At first Shidi is happy to see the wife that ran off without a word but happiness quickly turns to anger when Shidi believes Yiru tricked him to get him to drop a lawsuit against her company. Will they be able to sort out their misunderstandings and realize a lasting love with each other?
Review
If you take this for exactly what it is, a romance with all the social norms that are a decade and counting aged, you would like it. It’s very predictable but that can be a good thing if you want something that proceeds as expected. It ends happy with most major plot points resolved. I would recommend it to anyone who is fans of either of these actors. As a straight forward love story, slice of family life, love triangle romance it is a solid addition to all those types of series. It is on the longer side and there are some slow parts and even parts where the characters are shown from many angles just thinking about something. So watch it when you are in the mood for something you want to be engaged with for some time. Sort of like you might watch a daily soap opera. It was good for one watch to me. With so many option s out there, I do not think I will rewatch it. I would recommend it for those looking for a longer, family centered, romantic drama.
Spoilers
I thought the beginning, where they both thought she was terminally ill and he married her as a last wish, would carry and they would be in a contract type relationship. But that really only lasted through a few episodes then she found out she had been lied to about her illness and he was angry with her for deceiving him. I found his anger at her over all that really annoying. She was his dream girl, the one he wanted to find so bad he kept her picture around and then he is just going to act like that over what was obviously a misunderstanding? I was annoyed enough by that I almost quit watching. He was really being unkind to her and I thought it was a bit excessive.
Shi de’s grandmother (Shen Hai jung) was almost creepy in her desire to have him get married and start making babies. It seemed like she just saw him and his partners strictly as a baby conduit. I felt irritated by her over the top attitude on him getting married and having children. I know that was probably something that older women did back in the day but I have never seen anything where it was that extreme. And Shi de’s mother, Fang Xiu qing (Yang Chieh mei) spent her time only pleasing her mother in law. I know it wasn’t the way back in the older days but I wanted to see her assert herself at least a little. Part of the grandmother’s behavior was fed, unintentionally by Xiu qing. I loved her character she was so sweet and positive and just such a great support for her family. But I thought she had her hands to full with a mother in law that behaved like a grown child. The grandmother did change a little after Yi Ru moved in and she got close to her, but I still felt like she was overbearing. I thought one of the most abuse of power things the grandmother did was have the young couple get married in the jail just so she could have the date and time that made her comfortable. If it was really important to marry on an auspicious day, they could have delayed it for another time. It was her stubbornness that had them getting married in such a rush in such a horrible location.
I really liked the bromance between Shi de and Qi ming and wish they would have shown that more. They were very good for each other and their interactions made for a lot of humorous scenes. They could have filled some of those dragged out scenes of this one or that one just remembering or gazing around sadly, and filled that with more of the friendship between the two men
Yi Ru’s father, Yang Hao (Shen Meng sheng) was one of my favorite characters in the way he took Sun Qi Ming (Bobby Dou) in as a son even though he and his daughter were exes. It was very heart warming that he saw that need in a young man and was willing to take on that role of father. I was disappointed in him later on though when he continued the ice wall against Shi de’s aunt, Lan Yi ping (Yen Chia le) because she was so sweet to him all the time and they would have made a good couple. I felt they let that story line drop without good reason.
Yang Hao played a character that was like everyone’s favorite aunt. She was bubbly and always there for her family and friends.
I thought Shi de’s sister, Lan Shi yun (Vivi Lee) was a bit full of herself in the beginning for only having a semi successful self help author type career. As a person that wrote about relationships, she did not seem uniquely qualified to offer such advice. There was never an explanation of how she came to pick that topic. Had she been a successful psychologist or therapist who did that on the side it would have made more sense. Her wardrobe choice with the really long skirts was confusing and I wish they would have explained why she wore a fashion more fitting for a much older person.
He Tsai jung (Mandy wei) was a favorite character early on when she was a play no games hottie on the scene. She was even sweet when she decided she liked Qi ming. But she went through this period where she wanted to punish him and I thought she was just being mean spirited. Qi ming was still recovering from some major heart break with Yu ri and had all the emotional damage, which she was well aware, from his mom. Stringing him along and playing cat and mouse with him I thought was unjust as I thought she was a more understanding person.
I thought the cancer trope and the accident that leads to coma tropes were both unnecessary. It felt like that was added to appease those that don’t think you can have a slice of life, or family centered drama, without sad moments. I watch dramas to escape the sadness of modern life so I am never a fan of the sad story lines. It was tricky too because I look up how things end because I will skip a drama if it has a sad ending but this was buried in the middle and toward the end. I thought the family was very unfair to Yu ri expecting her to abort her baby to get treatment. Even Shi de was being harsh to her. Many women would understand how it would feel to end your babies’ life just to give yourself a better chance. Most mother’s would put themselves in front of a bullet for their child. Just because the child is not yet born doesn’t mean a woman does not feel responsible for the precious fragile life she has developing in her womb. I was glad Shi de finally came around. If the show had followed the trajectory of either her aborting or being seriously ill or dying for her choice to protect her baby, I would have been likely to have quit watching. The “live comments” were super surprising to me. A lot of the commenters were saying how selfish she was not to get the abortion because it delayed her treatment. They said how selfish of her to make her family worry. I guess, having had children myself, I understand how she felt about that little life she was carrying. To me her decision to delay was the opposite of selfish. I have read where a baby has actually cured a mother or improved conditions because of the presence of all the T cells in fetal development. And, even in the show they indicated the cancer had not spread. She actually learned of the cancer at such an early stage because she was pregnant. As that child grows I would think everyone would feel a little guilt for trying to pressure Yu ri to give up the baby.
The music became really annoying. It just wasn’t my favorite song and had a very repetitive beat.
#LoveNow #AnnieChen #GeorgeHu #BobbieDou #Harry Chang #ViviLee #EstherYang #ShenMengSheng #YenChiaLe #ShenHaiJung #YangChiehMei #MandyWei #KaoChengPeng #LiuHsiangChun #TieKe #HankWu #HuangChienHao #AlbeeLiu #WuRuiZhen #ShaunChen#HongChenYing #KellyKo
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