Eric
here
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
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Extraordinary, in every sense of the word
As time moves forward, the quality of Korean dramas seems to only increase, and this series is culmination of all that progress. From writing to acting, cinematography to the original score, it's hard to find a single flaw in this show. Add all these achievements to an engaging premise with an unusually inclusive message and you have something truly special. Extraordinary Attorney Woo has accomplished something even greatest minds in Hollywood tend to struggle with: respectful and engaging coverage of a character with autism, acknowledging their differences while highlighting their humanity. Even better, this detail (while important) does not occupy the entire breadth of conflict in the show, encouraging a type of inclusivity based not solely on the story potential of characters, but on their regular existence in our world. In general, being inclusive of those with disabilities can be a risky endeavor, inviting harsh criticism with every mistake, which makes it all the more commendable what has been done here.Of course, a show must be judged in quality not by its efforts to be inclusive, but by the actual entertainment value the show provides. In this area, too, Extraordinary Attorney Woo excels. Like most good television, the show at its core is people and their journey- learning and changing- wrapping into an engaging plot to move us forward. The brilliant legal cases are used as a backdrop to support the moving arcs and emotions that the characters experience, bring the audience right along for the ride. Honestly, the sheer number of character arcs that exists in the show is incredible, not to mention the quality of their execution. And all this impeccable writing is beautifully portrayed by a simply stunning performance by every actor, all captured within gorgeous cinematography and played over a delightful score. The show expertly weaves between tones of lighthearted fun, nail-biting tension, and emotional confrontation, until the end, where every plot line is masterfully resolved in an exciting and fulfilling final episode. Everything is simply outstanding.
This is one of those shows that changes your perspective on media as a whole, a show so good you have to take a bit of time to mourn its ending afterwards. And likely, the kind of show which will induce heavy feelings of nostalgia with just a few notes of the open theme. This is what TV should strive to be. This is extraordinary. I emphatically recommend this show.
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Fun and Disfunctional
This movie is hilarious, but unfortunately it is lacking when it comes to story and pacing. Comedy is great, but a movie is still a movie. And, although I enjoyed many parts of it, I often found myself confused, whiplashed, or struggling to keep up with what was going on.From the beginning, you're thrown into a scene which is completely bewildering, covering a showdown of inscrutable stakes and between unknown characters. In fact, despite the relatively high pace of the movie, it is quite some time before the second main character and main setting are introduced. In a movie with non-stop action, conflict, or comedy gags, it can be hard to follow along, and many things which the audience should have been told about are not revealed until much later on.
To me, this is like the embodiment of internet humor in film. Random humor, visual gags, and subverting expectation are used ad nauseum, which does provide a frankly hilarious show, but unfortunately comes at the detriment of the story.
Now, this review sounds quite negative, but I must say that I did enjoy the show. To enjoy it, you just have to accept it for its flaws and be aware going in that they tried to cram a whole season of a show into a single movie. As a result, it moves a lightspeed, but it's still pretty darn funny. So, provided you're here for comedy and not story, I recommend this show. And, if it's not funny enough or you do want story, just watch Gintama or something, I don't know.
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Good for a Miniseries, Poor for a Drama
As a miniseries, this show stacks up pretty well against its contemporaries (excluding some notable exceptions, i.e. Splash Splash Love), but in comparison to "real shows" it's mediocre at best. I'm not trying to hate on miniseries, but they typically have lower budgets, and therefor lower production values and untested talent. They also have to develop an engaging story which fits into a comparatively tiny runtime. Luckily, this show has good chemistry between the leads, a solid premise, and steady romantic progression to hold itself together.Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends, because first and foremost what I thought coming out of this drama was... that's it? Barely anything happened. And not for lack of time; the show was even slow paced! Don't get me wrong, it's better than the series which move so quickly you feel like you put your head in a blender, but I wish there was just a single plotline outside of romance to build conflict and push the story forward. Instead, it felt like they were just dinking around with no apparent stakes or goals. There's a reason many romcoms have pressure from the parents or any number of other external forces to generate momentum in the plot, and that sort of clear progression was what was missing from this drama. Also, the fantasy element had no apparent influence on the plot or the worldbuilding, it was mostly just a detail that the characters noted from time to time. But, other than that, I had no problems with it. It was just meh. Unless you're really bored, I don't recommend this drama.
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Fun Premise, Forgettable Show
I, like many who'll watch this, came only for the main actress Yonekura Ryoko, who will always be our beloved Dr. Daimon Michiko. And, while I was satisfied by a similar competence and eccentric personality which endeared me to her character in Doctor X, the story itself falls into many traps which Jdramas often succumb to (and where we must admit Doctor X is also often found culpable). These traps being the repetition, the predictability, and the ever-present catchphrase structure.A flaw in writing which I've seen a shocking number of times in Jdramas is the repetition of plot structure between episodes. It's one thing to write episodically, where each episode could be viewed on its own without the rest of the story. That's nothing new, great shows have been doing that forever. The trouble comes when every episodic is basically a copy-paste of the last one. This is something that happened outrageously often in Doctor X, and got worse and worse as time continued. This show had an opposite trend, getting slightly better as the show moved forward, but even by the end every episode was unbearably predictable. And it was made even worse by the catchphrases.
Now, don't get me wrong. I love a good catchphrase. It's something fun for the main character to say which fills the viewer with emotion and excitement, and often a feeling of hope. Used correctly (and infrequently), it can elevate exciting moments even higher. But when you use the same three catchphrases in the same place in every episode, and the same things always follow every catchphrase, it doesn't take long for us to find the pattern. Now, when the catchphrase is spoken, instead of being excited, we feel like we already know what's going to happen for the next five minutes and start to loose interest. Losing interest is bad, that's the opposite of a show's goal. The unshakeable structure of the show and lack of evolution as the series progresses is to its detriment, as everything new and interesting is discovered in the first few episodes, and then it quickly becomes old and stagnant.
Even though we have a cast of characters with interesting premises, there is a lack of execution when it comes to unique character traits. Every character is distinguished by their past, not by their personality, leaving many conversations feeling somewhat lifeless, with people just filling the roles of things that need to be said to move the plot forward. If the characters had more defined personalities, especially ones connected with their well-defined pasts, there may be more vibrance in the dialogue and delivery, as well as more potential for character arcs. That's another thing: there are no character arcs. Unfortunately, that wasn't much of a surprise.
The drama wraps with a main story, one which finally is of some emotional importance to the main character. This makes it stand apart, which is good, but it also could have been set up much better. The premise of the story means the protagonist was aware of it the entire time, and yet it wasn't mentioned or even hinted at in any of the earlier episodes. This means, even if the main character cares about this topic, I, as the viewer, really don't. Regardless, the main issue is still the repetition, a point I'm hoping to repeat enough to show you how annoying it can get. It's like watching a kdrama romcom and hoping to the heavens for a male lead who isn't a perfect cyborg love robot, and inevitably being disappointed. With that rather depressing image in mind, I do not recommend this show.
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Modest yet Entertaining Wholesomeness (+ a Really Long Review)
I don't think this show will probably blow anyone's socks off, but I also think that not every show has to. And either way, what we have here is something happy, funny, and sometimes even moving. And, while some of the acting perhaps could be better, solid writing and interesting characters manage to make up for it. Our earnest protagonist is loveable (if a bit dull), and her ridiculous antics manage to be funny without causing any harm.The production was all very solid. Nothing too fancy, and you couldn't really call the cinematography artistic, but this is mainly a comedy show and we don't need to expect too much in that area. And in the area of comedy, it delivers. I found myself laughing out loud at every episode. So, even if some could consider this show mediocre in some regards, I still thought it was fun, and it made my day a little brighter. I recommend this drama.
WARNING: From here on out I'm rambling. For a while.
In recognition of the fact that all my positive reviews are very short, I will now take some liberties to list the things I liked about this show. Feel free to tune out if you were just looking to see whether or not you wanted to watch this.
From the get go, I appreciated the framing of the main character. When you have a character which is very charismatic, admired by other characters, or (in this case) somewhat unrelatable for the average viewer, it can be difficult to empathize with the character enough to become invested in them. There are a few ways around this which are commonly employed in modern media. The most common is to use a "save the cat" moment, which is where the protagonist does something good, which endears them to the viewer. However, this technique (especially when used early on, when it's most effective) sets a very clear first impression for the viewer, which is that the main character is someone who is prone to saving or helping others. If your character is generally empathetic but not necessarily defined by that trait, you may not want to leave that impression from the get go. That's where the second technique comes in, the one which was used by this show. Succinctly: "The straight man." Known for being the rational wall to bounce humor off of, straight men can get a bad wrap as shortcuts to cheap comedy, but when used right they can elevate humor or even be used in other situations, like forming a connection with your bizarre characters through the medium of a normal person who inhabits the world of the show. This technique is used very well in this show, with our straight man narrating several scenes, both for comedy and to introduce the antics of our protagonist. Also, having the straight man try his best in the conventional ways helps to highlight the benefits of the protagonist's unorthodox methods, benefits which may otherwise be unclear and lead to the viewer disliking them for simply being stupid.
A common trope in Jdramas and Japanese media in general is the weird but wise old man, who offers wisdom to our characters while engaging in strange, often humorous behaviors. The News Station Director in this show perfectly fits this archetype, but in this case there is some unique revelations which emerge from that. The problem with having a wise character is that it implies that you must have writers who are also wise, which may sometimes be an issue. Luckily, in this case, the writers were able to give the wisdom character several interesting and even surprising pieces of advice and information which changes the way certain parts of the show could be seen. A few words about the necessity of stupid people transforms our view of the protagonist from bumbling idiot to earnest learner who affords new opportunities. This idea then became a theme throughout the series, and in my opinion was pretty well demonstrated by the show. Perhaps you could even extract some societal implication from this message about how everyone has their own worth, but this comedy tv show doesn't choose to dive too deep into that so neither shall I.
The nature of an ensemble cast means balancing several characters, their motivations, their personalities, and (in a good show) their arcs of learning and evolution. While the cast is quite large for under four hours of screen time, the show manages to keep them all straight by dividing them into distinct groups with distinct roles and personalities. Within the television stations, there are the new members and the old, who are also divided by their respective specialties. Then you have the new members, who can also be considered the main cast of the show. While the main character and the straight man are certainly the focus, each of the five new members (and also the weather guy) are given some focus across the series, giving greater catharsis when they all come together at the end. The characters outside of the news stations are so few and specialized that is isn't difficult to keep track of them all. Importantly, while all the characters are in the show all the time, we are given more in-depth instructions of them gradually, and there are no heavy exposition dumps to make us loose interest or start forgetting things. This is also helped by each character having relatively simple yet still dynamic personalities.
To clarify a bit about my note with the acting: Acting is something which can be difficult to judge, and how good it is can be subjective across viewers. It is even more difficult if you're watching something from another culture, where certain actions and behaviors may be more or less common. However, certain things can be seen which cross boundaries as a marker of less-than-stellar acting. Namely: lack of expression. Unless a monolithic appearance is a marker of their personality or a subject of comedy, a character's face will generally need to display a variety of emotions depending on the situation. In this show, some of the actors (especially the lead actress) could be seen to be heavily favoring certain expressions, which is certainly something you'd notice. However, there is a difference between noticing something and having it detract from the viewing experience. In a serious drama, where every scene is carried with a level of weight and importance, having bad acting can pull you out of the scene and ruin immersion. In a comedy show, however, where you are perhaps more removed from the fictional situations, it's far less distracting. In the best of cases, it can even become so bad that it's funny again, in which case the show benefits from it. This is, as for as I'm aware, the main draw of extreme exaggeration of facial expression in many Jdramas. The level of reaction is so absurd that it becomes funny, at the cost of the realism of the character (which may or may not matter, depending on the tone).
In the world of television, shows can generally be described as being entirely narrative, entirely episodic, and then the ones which are a mix of both. Generally, things like sitcoms and weekly cartoons fall into the later category, and this show too, happens to land there. That's where things start getting interesting. A show can change a lot depending on the balance of these two elements. Too much episodic, and the show feels like it's never progressing. Too much narrative, and the viewer might miss something or be bogged down by too many plot lines. This show manages to strike a compelling balance. This is accomplished because the main character is generally static across the show, and other minor characters fit their arcs into a single episode. The only exception in this case is the straight man, who's evolution is natural and predictable enough to probably not be too surprising or confusing for any viewers dropping in or returning after a while. Like other great shows of this type, the show manages to be appealing for binge watching by leveraging the sort of slow burn evolution which gives you just enough plot to draw you in and keep you watching. In the worst of cases this can lead to bitter disappointment as you realize the show will never reach the point that you're hoping for, but in the best of cases it can reward you for your wait while letting you build a connection with the characters along the way.
There's a few spoilers in this part:
I liked the logo of the TV Station. Also, I liked how all the editors wore nearly the same type of classes. Also also, I liked how after the weather man's confidence arc he started wearing different funny costumes for every report. Also also also, I appreciated how they always had so many extras in the studio to give the appearance of a busy workplace, it made the show a lot more convincing. Also also also also, I really liked the camera guys in the violin episode; I think they were pretty cool. Also also also also also, I think a romance between the main character and the straight man would have been way too cliché, and I'm glad that didn't happen. Also also also also also also, I really liked the climax, it was very tense and satisfying to see all the hints and foreshadowing that had been laid out throughout the show come to fruition. Also also also also also also also I liked the scene at the very end with the sheep, it was pretty cute.
Okay, I guess I'm done rambling. That was certainly my longest review ever, although probably not by as much as you'd think. I'm pretty impressed that you managed to read this far, unless you just skipped to the conclusion to see what I'd say. News flash: (haha, get it?) The conclusion already happened, before my rambling. I don't need to do another one. What is this, English class? I don't care. And I can write in fragments too. While I'm at it, a dangling participle was written. And. I. Didn't. Use. Punctuation. Properly. What are you gonna do about it? Huh? I'm probably delusional, based on this review anyway. Regardless, the review is done. Probably.
P.S.
It wasn't, but now it is.
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Three Hundred Years Old 20 Students
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A Directionless Stumble
I care about this drama so little I can barely manage to write a review. It was a slog just to finish it, even though it's pretty much just the length of a movie. Regardless of my initial appreciation of the chemistry between the three friends, I felt absolutely no connection with the female lead and saw no clear character motivations brought up among them. There is frighteningly little real conflict or stakes, which wouldn't be too bad if it weren't for the complete lack of effective comedy throughout. Simply put: I didn't care. I didn't care about the characters, or their connections, or the unconvincing goal to return to the past (none of them seemed quite attached to it anyway). Whatever romance there was felt forced and undeveloped, and the female lead basically had no compelling character traits or motivations or flaws or... well, basically anything. I don't have too much against the acting or production, but I really just couldn't care less about any of it. I do not recommend this drama.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
An Annoyingly Predictable but Otherwise Inoffensive MiniDrama
This drama is (unfortunately) completely ruined for me by its predictability. Nothing shocking or unexpected happens, and I can basically guess everything that's going to happen over the entire length. The only reason I managed to complete it was because it was short, and even then I struggled. I suppose it's a testament to other writers skill that they can avoid this one flaw that manages to destroy the entire show.Now, I'm not going to discredit the show entirely. I came here for a revenge plot, and I got one. And maybe it's my own overconsumption of this trope that's at fault, so let's take a look at the positives. The premise is solid, and there's little fluff or filler in the series. The story gets down to business quickly and manages to introduce the characters pretty well and efficiently. The protagonist also manages to succeed in situations due to her own skill, which is nice. The music is actually really good in my opinion, and acting is good enough to surpass suspension of disbelief. Unfortunately, the positives end here.
Obviously, the predictability of the show is the biggest problem by far. Every new idea and premise and character that's introduced has a clear and predictable conflict and ending which is followed to a tee. Tropes and clichés are basically all that exists in the drama, with not an ounce of subversion to be found. Also, some of the actions of main character are a tad questionable, and sometimes she doesn't seem to learn from her mistakes. The premise is that she is returned to the past so she can redo life with more experience, but oftentimes her success still relies on luck and those around her. The romance felt pretty rushed as well, and it was sometimes difficult to discern the protagonist's own feelings on either of the leads. She often felt like more of a passive character than a proactive one.
And really, there's not much more than that, but the massive, gaping flaw at the heart of the story is what really ruined it for me. Perhaps if you're not all that familiar with common tropes or you're willing to look past an abundance of them you might enjoy this drama, but otherwise I will firmly recommend against watching this.
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A Wickedly Clever Story with Mild Failings in Character
The main thing to note about this drama is the plot. It's the best aspect of the show, and the greatest reason, in my opinion, you'd want to watch it. It's so incredibly clever and convoluted I found myself gasping out loud multiple times. This great story is supported by a strong cast of actors and an iconic score that's instantly recognizable. However, while I was certainly gripped by the endless twists and turns, the show occasionally stumbled on things important to audience retention like tone balance and proper set-ups.First, let me praise (in greater detail) the plot. The style of plot is somewhat like that of a mystery drama, but reframed in the interesting light of the legal world. Crimes and morals are all viewed through the eyes of law students, teachers, or practitioners, which- while occasionally making certain discussions seem unnecessarily obtuse- certainly lends credence to the unfortunate necessity of bureaucracy in a fair legal system. Moreover, the legal element introduces new challenges for our protagonists that we wouldn't otherwise see in a typical law enforcement mystery drama. However, the real draw of the plot is the intricacy of it. Just as you think you've discovered all there is to know, a new piece of evidence comes to light. Just as you think the mystery's been solved, a new witness arrives that changes the entire story. And-in the end- all the relevant evidence comes together to produce a reasonable yet astonishing to conclusion to the number of interconnected mysteries and conflicts present throughout the story. It's quite entertaining, exciting, and gripping, even for those who might not always like this type of plot.
To quickly mention other well-done production details, all the camerawork is good, audio is above average in quality, and the OST is very memorable. The acting, while occasionally a little flat, for the most part conveys incredibly nuanced emotion in complicated situations, and serves the character development well. Said character development is present in those characters with nontrivial flaws, and for the most part reaches a satisfying conclusion by the end.
Unfortunately, while this drama excels from a plot perspective, there are certain aspects essential to story telling that don't quite hit the mark. First of all, the tone is mostly very dark. While there are some much welcome moments of comedic relief, we often get long stretches of incredibly serious (and potentially tedious) dialogue and exposition. I watched this drama weekly as it was coming out, so I was not exhausted by this, but for those looking to binge the series I would be cautious and mindful of your own tonal preferences. I do not view the dark tone as a blanket negative to the show (in fact it may be a draw for some viewers) but I personally would have appreciated more balance in this area.
Secondly, and most crucially, is a lack of setup for many characters. While the plot is given an exciting kick off right from the start, this leaves almost no time to introduce the somewhat large cast of characters, the setting they're in, and their personal morals and goals. This becomes troublesome when the character becomes involved in something critical to the plot, because by then it's difficult to even remember their name. It's especially sad since certain characters would likely have had quite interesting introductions had they been given one. Notice how I said certain characters; this brings me to my last point.
I have found a certain degree of inconsistency among characters. Some characters are portrayed realistically, with interesting and human flaws that influence their decisions and interactions. Other characters are portrayed as gods amongst men, doing no wrong and containing vast intellect and encyclopedic knowledge, no flaw in sight. If it were one or the other, I would have no problem, but since the two are mixed together it seems to invalidate the struggles of the more flawed and unfortunate characters. It also leads to the discrepancy in character development we get between characters, as some characters are already so perfect as to be immune to further development. It offers an interesting insight into why flawed characters are more compelling, as it is difficult to connect with those characters who are perpetually right and therefor difficult to root for them. It also leads to a certain dissatisfaction with any character development of the flawed characters, as no matter what they accomplish they will never be as perfect as the others. Characters who are both flawed and extremely smart in the series prove that we don't need the perfect characters, and yet they must exist.
In conclusion, we have a vividly fascinating show which is at the same time intricately constructed and poorly established, just in two very different areas. We can say it is an incredible plot marred only by inconsistencies and missing introductions of characters, a wickedly witty work worsened only by tone too tumultuously tense. With that I will conclude that I do recommend this drama to those with even the slightest of interest in mystery and intrigue, with the caveat of a warning to those averse to overly serious tones.
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A Fun yet Emotional Romance with Decent Execution
This drama is fun while still managing to be emotional, with mostly great characters and an interesting premise too. While the plot is a little shaky in a few areas, and the pacing of certain aspects could be better, I was still entertained and I'm willing to forgive the occasional misstep.First of all, I love the main character. An incredibly realistic portrayal of someone who is by nature uncouth but can still manage to be responsible and considerate. She's not perfect, but we can always root for her at the end of the day. Moreover she's capable, and actually contributes valuable skills to her friends and colleagues. Also she's not completely oblivious in social situations, and knows when she shouldn't speak out of turn. It's quite refreshing amongst a trope of other dramas featuring clumsy, socially inept, self-righteous, and occasionally unlikeable female leads. All her behavior is justified, either by her own personality and backstory or by the actions of others.
Something that's more difficult to notice in casual viewing but certainly makes all the difference is the impeccable balance between action, romance, and humor. Although the drama was short, I probably wouldn't have been able to watch the entire thing in one sitting if not for it's balance. It also helps that the premise of an overprotected yet capable female lead is always appealing to me.
On the topic of characters, most of the ones featured heavily in the show are solidly setup and portrayed. As is common with most dramas, you can bet that everyone has their own tragic backstory or secret to hide, and these pasts influence their behavior in the present. The dialogue each character gives isn't legendary, but is above average at conveying what each character is feeling in a realistic manner. We also have some decent character arcs, and some unexpected plot lines as well, which is always fun (there's something in particular that I so badly want to mention, but won't for the sake of spoilers).
My only criticism to give is the occasionally shaky plot. In the moment, our romantic interests have believable chemistry and portrayals for whichever phase of romance they are in, but when looking at the bigger picture certain aspects of their love can feel a bit rushed. Like we get hesitant flirting or full on devotion but nothing in between. Also, some of the bad guys seem to come and go whenever it's convenient for the plot, like they're waiting their turn to mess with the protagonists. This probably helps maintain the balance I was talking about earlier, but there's no explanations as to what they're waiting for. Also also, while the romance plot is decent in the first half (withholding those gaps I mentioned), at the end we fall a little bit into classic tropes that a just a bit annoying at this point. That's not to say all of the ending was bad, just that I enjoyed the majority before a lot more.
This is one of those things that's difficult to describe or sell in words, but I must insist that this show is just fun to watch in all aspects, from the romance to the action to the humor. I also got emotionally invested in the characters, which for me is a feat unto itself. Bottom line, I definitely recommend, not as a thought provoking masterpiece, but as a surprisingly addictive and entertaining pastime.
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An Unexpectedly Fun and Interesting Medical Drama
This is a review of all of season 1 and part of season 2, though there are no spoilers.I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this drama. Based on my prior experiences with Jdramas and some confliction over the premise, I actually expected to drop it after a few episodes. Regardless, in my endless hunt for a drama where the female's skills are not continuously overpassed by their male counterparts, I decided to try it out, and I'm delighted to say that I was pleasantly surprised.
Perhaps it's the addictive nature of watching a character constantly exceed the expectations of her peers, but I could not get enough of this show, and watched the entire first season in one sitting. Luckily that wasn't too difficult, as a single season is 8 one hour episodes long, which is typically where other dramas start to peter out. In addition, the whole constantly-impressing-others gimmick remains fresh since the main character switches hospitals every season.
The main character Daimon Michiko's personality may seem off-putting at first, but she is generally redeemed by her boundless empathy for patients, and the endless measures she takes to cure them. Also, she is a person of incredible skill (hence her catchphrase "I never fail") which in part makes up for her arrogance. And, regardless, it's always fun to see other character's great pride destroyed by her when she outclasses them in surgery.
A saving grace of the show's otherwise impersonal tone is Michiko's manager, a delightfully happy man who skips down the hall with a melon in hand whenever it's time to collect a bill. The scenes with him are always surprisingly soothing, as Michiko lowers her guard and speaks openly and familiarly with him about surgeries, politics, and hospital gossip. Although there's a hint he may be taking advantage of her for money, you can tell they genuinely have a strong relationship.
Of course, as with any show, it's not all sunshine and rainbows and perfect storytelling. There is some noticeable repetition in parts of the plot and quite a bit in the score as well, and a great deal of plot armor surrounding Michiko herself. There's also a bit of unrealism in that supposedly renowned doctors often makes mistakes that she can fix in an instant, although this is somewhat explained away by the premise of a failing hospital system. There isn't so much character arcs as relationship arcs, as different side characters' feelings about Michiko change over time, but this is still interesting to watch, and shows don't always need to contain character arcs to be entertaining.
Although it's difficult to pinpoint any more particular downfalls, I will say that this is no masterpiece, but more like a guilty pleasure. Something that's not going make you feel super emotional, or change the way you see the world, but it will be something fun to watch when you need to relax or procrastinate (I can personally attest to that last part). For that reason, I would definitely recommend this drama (it comes without saying to those who have no aversion to medical dramas).
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A great premise with a shifting tone but a good story
This series delivers what it should: drama. Perhaps not to the extreme level of other shows, but enough to provide a plot and investment on the part of the watcher. In my opinion, it's just the right amount. Not so much that the story is stressful but not so little that it's disinteresting. That may be personal preference, though.My favorite part of this show is the beginning, when the characters begin to fall in love. I guess that's a spoiler but also not really if you read the genre tags. This part of the show is more lighthearted, endearing, and romantic while still maintaining elements of the supernatural. The tone shifts later on to a bit of a darker place, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing I did enjoy the beginning fun times more.
The characters in this series are very nuanced, and have characters arcs and development up the wazoo. It'll make you hate the characters you love and love the characters you hate, never really showing a villain of pure evil. It's not Hospital Playlist level of character writing but it's certainly some of the best I've seen for this type of show. The only complaint I could make is with the female lead, who sometimes seems to have only two emotions: happy and worried. Part of this may be attributed to her origins but part may be just to give her something to attract the male leads.
There are a few tropes to be had here, although naming them would mean spoilers. Instead, let me assure you that they're not dragged on for too long, and a majority of the plot is original.
I would recommend this drama as an interesting high school supernatural romance story with great character development and a good plot.
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A Meaningful Romance Without the Nonsense
This series is all I ever wanted from Kdrama. A romance without excessive fluff or cliché that can still tell a heartfelt and emotionally resonant story. The series is short, but I think that may be for the better. Excellent writing and acting ensures we get to know the main characters enough to care about them, and manages to maintain a pacing that is not rushed and not dragged out.This is a romance at its purest. Stripped of love triangles and ex-girlfriends and endless frustrating setbacks. And, while it isn't entirely exempt from the occasional misunderstanding, you can rest assured that a drama with six 30 minute episodes isn't going to waste any time.
Many dramas involving life and death or characters who have lived longer than they should seem to freeze their character's mental development at the time they died, but the female lead here does seem to have learned from death. She frequently offers insights in the form of beautiful metaphor, which is just one of the many unique dimensions to her character. The other characters, while receiving significantly less screen time than a typical show's, are still fleshed out to the same level and provide a well thought out background for a captivating main story.
I highly recommend this series, especially to those who want a break from the tropes in pursuit of a more true and simple love story which conveys with nuance and poetry the magic of a first love.
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A Witty and Brilliant Conflict Between Fantastic Characters
This is a detective's show in its finest form. Unique and interesting characters brought together in a game of cat and mouse between a disheveled but gifted detective and an equally intelligent antagonist. The story was phenomenal, the acting was great, the music was catchy and well-made, and the production quality was perfect.Besides being a little drawn out, there isn't much I can criticize (that's why it's nine out of ten). And... well, there's not much to say about a great show except that it's great, so we'll leave it at that. I strongly recommend watching this show.
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A Simple and Interesting Series that Fumbles Here and There
This web drama is short and sweet and had an interesting premise. Things like plot and acting and production are good enough for the length (and likely budget) of the drama, and don't generally detract from enjoyment. There are a few places where things could have been done better, and the plot certainly wasn't incredible, but the time investment is low enough that it's worth the risk to just watch it regardless.The best aspects of this drama that I found were the original premise and the main female lead. The idea of telling a story from the perspective of a succubus is quite interesting, and though the setting during COVID-19 felt odd on occasion, it did provide a plot device to separate the female lead from other love interests and pursue the main romance. In addition, the general charisma of the female lead really carried quite a few scenes, her cavalier attitude to intimate situations managing to both produce conflict and endear the viewer. These two aspects were what really kept me watching to the end.
If I were to give a few complaints I'd firstly mention a poor portrayal of information in some areas. The origin of the succubus, existence of other succubi or even other unnatural creatures, and the nature of the succubus's power are all described vaguely at best (although this information isn't entirely crucial). This only becomes a problem when a certain plot point relies on information about how succubi work in this world, and I actually had to search the comments to find an explanation as to what had happened. Another thing I'd make a minor complaint about is the male lead, who seemed to give a somewhat emotionless performance (unless this was intentional, in which case it would be the fault of whoever made that decision). Finally, there were a few productions details like audio inconsistency and an almost overbearing amount of product placement which were a bit distracting, but ultimately forgivable.
This web drama has just enough good in it to be worth watching, and lacks the seriousness to be ruined by any sort of plot failings or production mishaps. It's just a short and fun exploration of a neat premise, and frankly it does a fine job of it. The fact that the entirety of the series is the length of a single episode of a typical drama certainly means it's no huge commitment to watch it, and so for this reason and because the show is good I will casually recommend this series.
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A Fascinating Premise with Something Crucial Missing
I had very high hopes for this drama as a show that could be quirky and strange in an interesting and unique way. In truth, I guess it did follow through on those fronts, but still I couldn't find myself enjoying the vast majority of it. It didn't dawn on me until the end of the story, when every mystery was revealed (or at least supposed to be revealed), that I discovered what was missing. Execution. An incredible premise with an honestly very good story was completely ruined by flat acting, unclear information, and a basic lack of chemistry between the characters. It was a confusing and in the end, very disappointing experience.The vibe of this show is not at all what I expected, or what I hoped, for it to be. A cover poster and trailer filled with outlandish colorful creatures and a school nurse wielding a light up plastic sword gave me the impression of an off-the wall, lighthearted, and occasionally funny tone, but what we got instead was an unexpectedly dark feel only made worse by bad acting. Although I don't despise a show with a darker tone, it's hard to take it seriously with all the aforementioned oddities. What's most confusing is when a plot point seems entirely meant to be played off as a joke or over emphasized in it's own absurdity, but then is portrayed as another normal development by our perpetually depressed characters.
The chemistry, in my opinion, is one of the most egregious failings off the show. There is none. And I mean NONE. It's romance without the love. Friendship without the friendliness. Banter without the jokes. Our two main leads are- as revealed by dialogue- supposedly falling in love, but you'd never guess that without them telling you. They never seem happy to be together (I think I saw the female lead smile a total of three times in the whole six hour runtime), the female lead is perpetually pushing away the male lead, and there is no sexual tension whatsoever. From a big picture plot standpoint, I can see all the elements which would lead to a romance (with maybe a few missing, but still doable), and yet the love just isn't there. And this doesn't just go for the romance, as bonds between friends is known only by who isn't outright bullying each other. Acts of kindness happen seemingly out of nowhere when you suspect there should've been something leading there. It's payoff without the setup, and frankly, the setup would've been the most interesting part.
Oh boy, was the story confusing. I felt like I had to run my brain on full power to try and puzzle out what the heck was going on. I'm pretty sure there was a twist at the end but I can't for the life of me figure out what it was. It's always unclear who knows/believes the female lead can see jellies (they're basically ghost creatures no one else can see, and I love the name and design of them). Relationships between characters is often unknown, and this isn't helped by the complete lack of chemistry between them. I really can't explain too much else for fear of spoilers, but if you end up watching this just... good luck.
I'll mention real quick that I liked episode five. It was the first time I really understood the lead's emotions (and was able to tell she had them), and it dealt with some really powerful topics and what to do about them. You could almost watch that episode alone, but it isn't really it's own self-contained story so some things won't make sense or will feel unfinished. In the scope of an ideal production of the show, I imagine episode five to be the one where our typically upbeat and wacky main character is shown dealing with tougher issues and making difficult choices. Instead she just finds a better reason to be depressed.
This drama is like if someone made a really great mold for some metal sculpture or something and then poured sad, lame, lumpy metal into it. It looks great from afar and on the outside, but get a little closer or take a look within and you'll find a sloppy mishmash that isn't quite cohesive enough to be considered good. I'm actually really disappointed with how it turned out, especially with how much potential the premise had. I'm going to have to recommend against watching this, as it's probably not what you were expecting or looking for.
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