XXI
Dramaland
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Love confidently, a sweeter & lighter version of its original story
Before I begin my actual review, yes, FL & ML are non blood related step siblings. Though FL & ML knew each other as kids, they didn't grow up being raised together. It seems as if the parents married much later while the ML was abroad for many years. Even when he returns, it doesn't feel like a family dynamic. There are no family pictures with him at home nor does he have a room in the household. He speaks to FL's father, his mom's husband, like a neighborhood uncle & vice versa just like FL speaks to ML's mother as an auntie rather than a mom. Regardless, I know that it can still be weird for some (& I too would've preferred they didn't have that connection) so I wanted to clear that up for those that would feel uncomfortable watching.When I first saw that this was a SITR remake, I wanted to stop watching as that drama left a bad taste on my mouth & I was worried this drama would do the same. However, though certain plot points were the same or similar, the feeling was entirely different. The tone of this drama stayed light, even when conflict was happening, and made this drama easy to watch. I think part of the reason was because of how the leads communicated & solved problems together rather than lying & attempting to do things on their own, like in SITR. Another reason is because of the way this drama was directed - it didn't have that dragging & dull feeling that SITR had nor unnecessary scenes of scenery & such. There were a couple of transitions from scenes that were choppy but nothing too jarring. As for the music, while it's nothing that I will go out of my way to make a playlist for, it sounded nice, there was different songs used, & they actually fit the scenes/drama. Basically, what I disliked about SITR was fixed here. The only thing that was better in SITR was the acting & the passion of the relationship, though I would say it actually works better here that they kept the relationship sweet instead. (Also, I'm only comparing it to SITR for those that are wondering how is this different from it.)
I was dreading having an overbearing horrible character like the SITR mother but, thankfully, there was none! While FL's father made me roll my eyes with his comments about her work & marriage & he crossed boundaries, he actually cared about FL & thought he was helping her. (No, that is not to excuse his actions but rather I was noting how I didn't get that feeling from the SITR mother.) His wife made a comment that his bark was worse than his bite & that accurately sums him up. He has reasonable reasons for objecting to her relationship but they have a heart to heart & he listens to her words & respects her decision. As for ML's mother, she was always on FL's side & supportive so that was great to see.
However I feel about the relationship, I liked that once FL made up her mind that she wanted to be with him (which didn't take too long) she stuck to her decision & didn't waver. (In SITR, even though they were loved up, FL gave the feeling of seeming not to be too sure or really not being on the same page as ML.) Their relationship made her trust in herself, as well as in him of course. She didn't hide things from him but was honest with him. Though they helped each other solve their individual problems, it never came across as them doing so because the other was helpless. They genuinely respected and believed in each other, which was a reason why they were able to stay strong, not breakup, & convince others of their love (her father really being the only one that they needed to convince.)
While the leads were cute, I will admit that I liked FL's friend, Yi Ran, & ML's boss, Chen Ye, more. I wish we would've gotten more screen time for them (they should've got Xiao Mian & Yi Bo's screen time). I think their story had potential to better be developed but it was okay as is & I quite liked seeing them together, especially with Chen Ye's son. As for the other couple, Xiao Mian was so annoying & a useless character so I didn't like her with Yi Bo. Yi Bo didn't need her as a lover when they could've only focused on his livestreaming career. Their scenes together were ones that I didn't care to watch.
Once the majority of conflict was solved, the last 6 episodes did begin to feel a bit like filler episodes - like they needed conflict to have content. It wasn't necessarily bad, nor was I bored, because that's when we got Yi Ran & Chen Ye together. I would say the only thing I didn't like that happened in those episodes was how they lowkey tried giving FL's ex a small redemption arc, but I didn't buy it & it didn't last long so it was whatever. Fans who loved SITR may feel a type of way that others like this version more but some of us prefer something that isn't as intense, doesn't have an unbearable parent character that brings down the show, & has an end that is more satisfying. So, if you didn't like SITR or dropped it, then I would say don't let that stop you from watching this version. I won't say this drama is the best but I think it's a drama worth giving a try if you have time & want something that is an easy binge watch. (In case you're wondering about my ratings regarding the acting/cast & the rewatch value, overall the acting wasn't excellent but it was okay enough for the characters they were playing & I rarely rewatch dramas so that's my standard score, unless I love/hate a drama then it will be higher/lower.)
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Country Diary By Chance
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The small town was lacking charm
From the first episode, the townspeople didn't give the best impressions. They had no boundaries & got upset at Jiyul, the ML, for daring to express not being comfortable with it. While their behavior is somewhat common compared to other small town dramas, in this one, they failed to make the townspeople endearing (except for the young boy child & Jiyul's assistant but they were never unlikable in the first place.)For some, they would've liked Jiyul to be one of those bold MLs but I like the fact that he was mostly cool & collected. Throughout the drama, I couldn't help but to feel a bit bad for him as the people around him didn't respect his boundaries or expected things of him. However, he wasn't overbearing but he did say what he needed to when it mattered. As for Jayoung, the FL, because of her upbringing it made sense why she was a people pleaser, even if it was frustrating to watch at times. At the start , she was also one of those who couldn't respect ML's boundaries & was upset at him for him not remembering her (even though meeting her was associated with a bad childhood incident) so it took some time for me to warm up to her.
Because of FL's behavior towards ML (up until he remembers her), I wouldn't say that I was strongly invested in them as a couple but rather I just accepted that they would be together & waited to see it happen. They were kind of awkward when they got together but it was the kind that comes when you first start dating someone. I would've liked to see more moments of them as a couple, including having their ending better developed.
There was too much time spent on resolving the love triangle. Some were able to look past Sanghyun being passive aggressive towards ML & his childish behavior because of his looks, I guess, but he was irritating & made me want to skip his scenes. It was difficult for me to take him as a serious love interest when he looked like he could be the FL's younger brother. He was alright when he was being a friend to her (& it would've been better if they kept him that way) but when he started showing his romantic interest towards FL he became annoying. Whenever FL was going to reject him, he would stop her from doing so. (Sure, she should've been more firm in pushing the conversation but, again, she's a people pleaser & didn't want to risk losing his friendship too.) But, it wasn't bad enough to have only him so then they added ML's ex, who of course wanted him back, into the plot. Although ML made it clear to her that he wasn't interested in getting back together, that didn't stop her from sticking around for a bit.
When a love triangle is basically the only plot, & is only over with two episodes left, there's not much to enjoy. Instead of dragging it out, the focus could've been more on the leads as a couple, ML deciding on the future regarding his work, FL learning how to speak up for herself, & seeing the secondary couple get together. All of those things did happen but they felt as a matter of fact & were rushed. Maybe this drama is better as a binge watch rather than waiting for episodes to air. The good thing is that episodes are short & it's not a long drama.
For those looking for something to watch that won't make you think after finishing a heavier drama, then I guess you may like this drama. I don't remember the music (but I had to give it a 1 rating). There were times where the FL's acting was awkward & I didn't really care for the SMLs acting either. (I've watched all of Joy's main roles so I think it was the directing here that made her come off awkward.) I think there are better short length dramas out there so this wouldn't be at the top of my list to recommend nor would I rewatch it (but I had to give it a 1 rating).
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Should've spent more time in the drafts
I know this was adapted from a manga and a Japanese drama but I haven't read or seen either of those so my review isn't comparing the originals & is only based on what I thought watching this version. I'm a fan of Sejeong, slice of life, & webtoons so this drama was catering to my likes. From the start, this wasn't a great drama but it was tolerable enough - until it kind of wasn't & I was just finishing it because of how close to the end it was.What I liked about the drama was seeing the issues webtoons & their artists faced. As a webtoon fan, I've seen artists talk about some of the problems presented in the drama (deadlines, unhappy fans/comments, rivalries, health concerns, etc.) so I think it's a good thing to show viewers who didn't consider those things. Maybe the problems may have come off over the top for some but, though dramatized for entertainment purposes, they do exist.
For me, I really didn't find any of the characters likeable (in terms of saying I connected with them or was attached to them) but they weren't dislikeable either - except for Director Heo (the loser antagonist), PD Kwon (who wasn't a good co-worker), Hanseul (who wasn't a supportive gf to artist Na), & Ma Eum's sister (who I found annoying). I will say that I actually found the supporting characters & their stories to be more interesting than those of the leads. (For example, I actually enjoyed Donghee & Daeryuk's storyline of jealousy & coming to terms with their own futures probably the most.)
What stopped this from being a good drama was the directing & having too many episodes. At times, the drama felt all over the place as if they didn't know who or what to focus on. There were 5 artists, & 2 rookie ones, who we were introduced to & we saw through the show but their storylines weren't balanced well. What I mean by that is they weren't really interconnected, which I had no problem with, but they'd focus on an artist only for the story to then focus on something else, & the artist would disappear for episodes before returning. Because of that, this drama could've been less episodes, like 12, especially with the main issues basically being resolved around then. (Ep 15 was when they were resolved & it felt anticlimactic the way that they were resolved & being before the final ep. At the end of ep 15, they were creating new issues to drag out something for the final ep.)
But, the main reasons why I can't say this was a good drama is because of the way toxic work culture was lowkey romanticized & how they dealt with Daeryuk's arc. From the start, for the most part, the PDs showed lack of concern for their artists as human beings. They were more concerned with making sure the artists made their deadlines than anything else. In PD Kwon's case, they tried to justify it by sharing how he used to care too much but then their previous company failed so that's why he doesn't show as much care now. (He caused a rookie artist to fall sick & kind of give up on their dream of being an artist yet he never asked her how she was doing.) A lot of the times they were trying to deliver a message & make it heartwarming, or whatever, but failed to do that because of the way they tried getting it across. As for Daeryuk's arc, I never have high expectations for dramas when it comes to dealing with mental health but this surprised me & not in a good way. They gaslight his abuse by playing it off as his mother caring for him (because handcuffing your child & leaving them home alone while a fire broke out is a way to protect them apparently) & having her have dementia so he feels sorry for her. It left me disturbed & made my rating for this drama go down.
I don't remember any of the songs used & I'm not really interested in going back to listen to them so that's why I gave music a 1 star rating. This is one of those dramas that I finished, was happy it was over, & won't remember (at least not for the good things). So, I won't rewatch again but had to give a 1 star rating. I still wouldn't consider it one of the worst I've watched but I wouldn't jump to recommend it.
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Love That Will Freeze To Death
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The title says it all so that's what viewers should expect for the romance
While this isn't the greatest drama, I'm one of the few who doesn't think it's as bad as some are making it out to be. If you're looking for flawless characters who aren't realistic & a perfect fairytale type of love story, then you probably won't enjoy this drama much. Although I can't say I loved the characters (except for Jiwan) & some of their actions were frustrating to watch, I was able to understand where they were coming from (except for Chaeri who was just awful). & while understanding their actions didn't mean that I liked them, they certainly kept the point of the drama's title - that love can be sweet & salty.Yureum, the FL, wasn't my favorite but it's important not to ignore her circumstances so you won't hate her too much. Because of her age, she feels the lowkey pressure to be in a relationship with marriage being the outcome. Yes, I know we think who cares you can be a single, independent lady but not all cultures/societies/families think that way. That feeling & need to make her parents happy leads her to make a decision that will make viewers think she's being foolish. As expected, she's left to pick up the pieces of her disappointed heart. Amidst that & work problems, Jaehoon, the ML, confesses his feelings. The rest of their story shows her accepting her feelings & fears that come with falling for a friend while having a working relationship with him too. A lot of viewers were unhappy with how she dealt with a certain situation while filming for the reality tv show but they weren't acknowledging that she has a job to do & can't give him special treatment because of their friendship, however harsh that may appear to be.
There are times when you may think "Jaehoon, just move on already" but, as we all know, it's not easy to control the heart. He's had feelings for her for as long as they've been friends, which is about 20 years, so they weren't going to disappear like that. I guess some can find it unbelievable that his feelings wouldn't end but we see glimpses of them through the years that show there's always been something there between them. (It'll be important to remember that when she finally confesses to him.) To some, he may come off as a pushover when it comes to his feelings for her (& I agree to some extent but I personally don't think she was selfishly trying to take advantage to hurt him as others thought) but, once again, that ties back into the message of being a sucker when you're in love. (I'm not saying that's a good or bad message.)
There is no love triangle but there is someone with an unrequited crush on Jaehoon. I sympathize with unrequited love but I failed to find sympathy for Jiyun. From the start, & throughout their entire interactions, Jaehoon was always clear about his feelings & intentions. It actually got boring, & kind of cringe, seeing her stick to him. Maybe he shouldn't have been as nice as he was in his delivery but the messages were clear. I can't feel sorry for someone who knows the situation they're in & lowkey tries to make the other person feel bad. However, she's harmless & not like those other vindictive secondary lead characters who continuously plot to tear the couple apart. (Also, because this point kept being brought up while the drama aired, I want to make it clear that if Jiyun was a man I would've felt the same way about the character. Actually, my reactions would've been worse watching a man who can't accept multiple rejections.)
As for other characters, they missed the mark with Chaeri (who many found to be the most interesting character). Her character & story could've been more developed if they focused less on the filming of the reality show. What I mean about that is they gave us tiny snippets to show us why she is the way that she is but they fell short. I think they wanted to create acceptance for her character, & even make us feel sorry for her at times, but I was just left bothered (& confused at times) by her horrible actions & not liking her at all. (To give one example, her sleeping with one of guys on the show - especially because of who it was- was unnecessary & felt like they wanted to give us a plot twist.) Aside from her, most of the characters were okay. I wish we would've gotten more screen time for Yureum & Jaehoon's married couple friend. Jiwan & her unexpected romance were the scene stealers of the show. I was also pleasantly surprised watching chef Jang's character development.
Once the episodes about the reality filming begin, expect the focus to be more about it & Yureum & Jaehoon as individuals rather than them as a couple. However, they don't have many sweet moments & when they finally get together it can feel abrupt for viewers. (I think the writers were counting on the fact that they are friends of many years to make us okay with not much communication between them before getting together.) So, if you want a sweet & easy romance to be thrown in your face every episode, that is not happening here. I actually didn't mind seeing the reality tv filming plot but I do agree it should've gotten less screen time or instead the drama should've promoted that as the main plot . Anyways, the actors all did well enough in their respective roles to make me watch episodes. I really don't rewatch dramas (so 5 is my standard ratings for dramas that weren't a waste of my time) but I would say it's an okay drama to pass the time, especially if you don't have high expectations. I don't know the music that was used, & I'm not going to search for it, but it was fine in the drama, which is why I gave it my standard rating for osts that weren't memorable to me but were nice as I watched the episodes.
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It's a downpour & there is no rainbow at the end
After finishing the Chinese version of this, it's inevitable for me not to think about how unsatisfying this version is. (I won't compare the dramas here as I already did that in my review for the Chinese version.) But, even without watching any other versions, it's been about half a year since I watched this drama & my thoughts about it hasn't changed - it was a waste of my time & I shouldn't have forced myself to watch it just because I'm a fan of Haein's. (Son Ye Jin & the rest of the cast are great actors too, & the only good thing about this drama, but he's the only one who I keep an eye out for his projects & have watched all his drama where he has a main role.) I remember before I watched it seeing praises for it & some even calling it beautiful & that still leaves me puzzled - though I guess viewers like the chemistry & passion of the leads so much they're able to overlook the unpleasantness that occurs in the drama.The drama was fine up until episode 6 or so when it started to go down a hole it couldn't be saved from. But, to be honest, I was never really able to buy into their relationship for a couple of reasons. For starters, FL would lie about almost everything & keep things from ML, even things that weren't important. She'd get caught in her lie, he'd be upset, & you would think she would learn to be honest but nope, she'd keep lying. Aside from being a liar, she was kind of passive with the way she really didn't stand up for herself (until she did & her actions weren't thought out thoroughly) nor did she give off the feeling that she was on the same page as ML about their relationship. By that, I mean that although she was with him there seemed to be a limit to what she would do to be with him, which is apparent leading up to their breakup & afterwards. (I will say it's ironic that the line, from the song annoyingly used throughout the drama, was "stand by your man" when FL couldn't do that.) As for ML, he was a bit naïve when it came to the nature of their relationship & his possessive & controlling behavior weren't endearing to watch. Aside from the way FL & ML were, the strong & suffocating objections about their relationship coming from FL's horrible mother (who still makes my blood boil, is one of the reasons why I didn't like this drama, & one of the worst characters) were enough reasons to feel as if their relationship wasn't worth the trouble. At the end of the drama, the leads are reunited but nothing about their situation has changed much, especially her mother's views about FL's romantic life, so it's a bad feeling knowing they're about to enter a toxic cycle again. I would've been fine with the leads staying away from each other in the end.
Aside from the romance, the other subplots weren't very enjoyable to watch. In particular, the way the workplace harassment was handled left me bitter. I understand that stuff like that happens all the time but it was glossed over here & almost seemed to give off the message to warn viewers to not even attempt to speak out. Her relationship with her ex was a good example of a toxic & abusive relationship, yet the choices she made relating to him were so frustrating to watch. (&, no, we can't say that it's because she's a powerless victim when it really was just her track record to make bad decisions.) & I guess it was kind of sad to see her friendship with ML's sister fall apart when FL began dating ML, but, with the treatment from FL's mother & FL not standing up for him/them like she should've, it makes sense. Basically, it's as if the writer wanted to make sure all endings weren't satisfactory. I will say that FL's horrible mother makes such an impression that she kind of overshadows everything else & makes you vividly remember her when the drama is mentioned. (Obviously, that's not a good thing.)
Finally, the cinematography & direction was something that I didn't care for. I don't mind the focus on tiny details, especially for symbolic purposes, but that wasn't the case here. You had pointless scenes of things, like the sidewalk, being filmed for seconds or minutes, I'm not sure which it was because it felt long & made me ask when was it going to end. There also would be scenes of the leads together staring at each other in silence that had me thinking okay? It wasn't the lingering type of looks that add angst to the plot too. I think I would've been able to tolerate them if they weren't stretched out for too long losing whatever they were trying to accomplish with that scene. The music didn't help set the mood, if anything it made things worse. I only gave the music a rating of one because I had to, likewise for the rewatch value because I regret making myself watch this & I would never recommend this to anyone. My rating may seem low to some but I can't think of anything positive about this drama, aside from the acting, that made me not regret watching.
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A story about choices
I've been wanting to write this review since the finale but wanted to take some time to see if my thoughts about it would change - they didn't. This doesn't deserve anything less than a 8 in rating & the only reason why I gave it a 7 for rewatch value is because I don't think I would be able to watch all 16 episodes again, at least any time soon.Looking at the poster & romance tag may disappoint viewers as the romance is more of a subplot & subtle. Because of the hostage situation that the leads find themselves in, it wouldn't really make sense for them to be all lovey dovey. Their love is the love at first sight kind & one that is expressed through lingering looks. (&, boy, do Haein & Jisoo do an amazing job acting with their eyes.) Given his status & circumstances, Sooho tries his best to protect Youngro, at times acting as if he doesn't care about her. So, while I would've loved to see more lighthearted sweet moments between them, their actions speak louder than words - they literally are willing to sacrifice their lives for each other.
While the political part of it can be confusing at first if you're not really paying attention, this story is a dark comedy more about the decisions that characters make. Even if you hate a certain character and hate/don't agree with their actions, I think the writing does a good job in setting up the characters so you aren't really surprised by their actions. What I mean to say by that is that characters aren't acting out of normal of how they've been written. While you may not be able to guess what they're going to do or say, when it happens you have that feeling of "yeah, they so would do/say that."
To speak more about characters, this was Sooho's story & everyone else was along for the ride (I don't mean that as a bad thing.) I loved seeing Sooho's journey as he questioned his beliefs to the moment he realized he couldn't follow them. As for Youngro, I personally liked that she wasn't completely jaded by everything & stayed kind at heart. (Some may complain that she cries too much but her reactions are perfectly warranted with everything that she's gone through. Also, she has her moments of bravery when she tries sacrificing herself for the hostages more than once. Keep in mind she's only a young woman in her 20s .) Moving on to Boonok, she was a menace whose actions can't be justified because of her sufferings, especially when you had other character who suffered just as much or more yet didn't resort to being horrible. She was an infuriating good antagonist though. I thought that the headmistress & doctor kang were the most interesting characters.
This drama isn't without its flaws but the few things I could criticize about it weren't enough, or strong, to stop me from completely enjoying this. (Even the end that had me in a slump for months was fitting because of the way this story and character was developed.) Every episode was full of tension & felt like watching a movie. (But, if you don't like character driven stories & stories that take place in mostly one setting, then you may not like this.) The acting was all around great & the actors make you feel invested in their characters. (I think this is Haein's best role/performance so far. Jisoo showed great potential with her acting debut. Kim Hye Yoon & Yoon Se Ah were amazing .Yoo In Na was a show stealer, etc.) The cinematography was beautiful & the ost is one of the bes & one of my favorites now. Snowdrop is a drama that broke my heart yet I'm thankful to have watched, especially as it aired.
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The show is a hit
Because of other dramas that were airing around the same time, this drama was overlooked. It certainly wasn't on my radar. I just happened to be wondering what drama to start to replace one I had finished when I saw one of those currently watching articles about FNOS on here. So, I began watching & the first couple of minutes had me thinking "umm, I'm not sure if this is something I want to watch" but I continued watching & I'm so glad that I did. I think it's one of the best ghost related dramas that I've watched & it ended up being one of the best & one of my favorite dramas aired this year.The drama begins with a shaman ritual happening & I wasn't in the mood for something dark so that's why I thought maybe this drama isn't for me right now. However, that scene didn't last too long &, although this is a ghost & crime drama, the tone doesn't get too heavy. For those that don't like horror & are wondering if this is scary, I guess there are a few ghosts that can be creepy but nothing that will give you nightmares. Overall, I would describe this drama as fun. The writer did a great job in finding a balance between fantasy, mystery, comedy, & romance. (It gave me the same vibes as Mystic Pop-Up Bar, which is a great drama I feel is underrated, & I learned that they are both works of that writer. So, if you enjoyed MPUB, then I would greatly recommend this & vice versa.)
I'm not sure if it was the same for others, but since the start it was easy for me to sympathize with ML given his past & how he was being pushed to embrace a destiny that he didn't want. He came off as cold but in reality he was scared to open up to others. But, it was a nice thing to see when he eventually did. (I wont spoil what happens but one of my favorite moments is when he plans a surprise for FL's birthday lol) As for FL, she was cute & eager in her work. Something that I appreciated about her (that bugs me about similar police/detective/etc. characters in other dramas) is how, although she was searching for the truth behind her father's death, she wasn't overbearing nor did anything too dangerous or reckless to find the answer she was looking for.
Some felt as if the episodes focusing on the past made the drama lose its steam but I would greatly disagree. If anything, seeing their backstory made me more invested in the leads & the story. &, without giving too much away, it was necessary to have those episodes as they help to completely tie the past & present in a way that allows the end, & everything that happens in between, to make sense & be satisfying. For those wondering about their love story, I liked how the story developed their feelings - it wasn't rushed but it also didn't feel slow. There is a small breakup period but FL is quick to shut that down & work through the problem together. Aside from the leads' backstory, I really liked the ghost trio. They had great chemistry with the leads but it was their own personal stories that made them endearing. You couldn't help but root for them to achieve their peace but be sad when they did, as it meant saying goodbye to them.
There was a moment or so when the acting felt a bit much but it was nothing that took away from the overall story. & I wasn't too fond of the actor who played the second male lead & the young police guy but that was more based on my own personal preferences for looks. So, those were the reason why I gave the acting a 9. About my 6.5 for the music, to be honest, aside from the theme song, I had forgotten about the rest of the songs, because I was too invested in the actual story, so I went to go listen to the ost. Out of 7 songs, I think I will skip 2. However, although I like 5 songs, only freak show (the theme song) & eheradiya stand out. When I see the titles, I'm able to remember how they sound while for the rest I need to play the song to vaguely remember them in the drama. I rarely rewatch dramas but I can see myself rewatching this sometime in the future & it's a drama I won't think twice about recommending to others.
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The forecast is bad
I should've known when I wasn't captured by the first episode that this would be a trainwreck you can't look away from. However, I try to give a drama a few episodes before I drop it. So, I kept watching & episode two was better so I continued on. By the time we were reaching the second half of the drama, I felt this drama was losing what could make this a decent drama.For starters, while using weather as symbolism for what was happening in the story was fine, the weather talk itself during their jobs wasn't appealing & only got more boring as the episodes went on. I think the concept was okay in theory but the way it was written & executed was greatly lacking. For example, while it brought awareness to some forecast issues that we may have never thought about, it simultaneously made things appear overdramatic.
The drama started with the leads showing that they could have chemistry & then it just fell apart as the writing of their characters got worse. There was inconsistencies & actions that the characters made that didn't make sense given what had happened in the story before. I didn't feel their chemistry at all. (Also, I love PMY but her acting was awkward here & the worst that I've seen from her.)
I wasn't interested in the stories of the secondary characters.
But, the worst part about this drama was the way the cheaters were glorified and got away with gaslighting. It made me feel so upset seeing FL's ex run to her for relationship advice & her giving it to as if he didn't hurt her in the way that he did. Some will say that he apologized her & it's okay to be friends with your ex but this case isn't it. To me, his apology was the bare minimum, as he didn't fully apologize for everything that he did & because of how he still felt a need to show off to her. Thinking about it again is making me shake my head so I will end this by saying skip this drama. I wanted to give the rewatch a zero but I wasn't allowed to :p
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Don't be fooled by the cast or ratings
I'm going to start off by saying that I think the rating for this drama is higher than it deserves & is high because of the great acting, which was the saving grace of the drama & part of the reason why I didn't drop it (the other reason being that I had nothing else to watch while it was airing.)I think most of us thought that this was going to be a nice drama full of fun moments between the three friends & that wasn't what we got (though that isn't the reason why I feel the way I do about this drama). I didn't have a problem with this story being Mijo centric, though I did find her character bland, as she dealt with the sad news about her friend. However, it was off-putting that Joo Hee, who I personally thought was the most interesting character of the three, was pushed aside & that screen time was for Seon Woo & his sister. (I didn't care for that arc at all nor thought that it added anything to the story.)
I would say my biggest issue with this drama was that I wasn't able to feel a connection to the characters, like they were telling me that I should feel sad (or a certain emotion) about what was happening & I didn't feel much (& I'm a sensitive person.) The acting was great but not enough to make me feel for the characters or story. In particular, it was difficult to really feel bad for Chanyoung when they used her illness as a way to justify her actions, including the emotional cheating. (Also, just because Jin Seok's wife was terrible it doesn't make his unfaithfulness okay.) I know some said this drama was showing realistic actions yet sometimes it was over-the-top that it didn't feel realistic. For example, the scene when they broke the window to the bakery & the bakery owner was pretty calm about it once hearing the reason behind it.
This had potential to be good yet the writing & direction fell flat. The start was okay & the ending was decent, but it's not a must watch or something I'd recommend. I don't remember any of the songs used & I had no choice but to give it a 1 for the rewatch value.
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A great letter in return
If you are in a drama slump or someone who enjoys mini series, then this is the watch for you. Because there are only four episodes, you may wish this series was longer or that there is more romance (which I wouldn't mind either) but, for the most part, I am okay with the series as is .When we first meet Kang Hee, she may appear a little cold or uncaring but that impression will quickly vanish as we see her deal with the hate & stress that comes with being a top celebrity like her. As the synopsis says, the hate is part of the reason why she doesn't read or respond to fanletters. I won't spoil what happened but there is a specific incident when she was younger which influenced her up until her even more successful adult years. You can't help but to feel bad for her as it seems like she can't catch a break when it comes to things going wrong. (That's one of the reasons why I'm okay with this being a mini series - because I wouldn't like to see her continue to deal with issue after issue for more episodes.) However, even though she faced difficult situations, she kept her head high & stuck to her beliefs. It was refreshing to watch.
Because of Kang Hee's beliefs, she hesitates when Jung Seok, the ML & her first love, approaches her with the idea to pretend as if she really was the one who wrote back to his daughter, who is sick & her number one fan. In the end, she agrees & starts to become closer to him & his daughter. Jung Seok is a hard working & dedicated father so it's easy to like him. It's sweet to see him & Kang Hee rekindle their friendship & like. Yes, like most viewers I would've loved to see more of them as an actual couple but the focus of this story is more on each of them as individuals than anything else. & I don't think viewers will be disappointed by each of the leads' own stories either.
Like most celebrity dramas do, this also has an annoying paparazzi following her around to bring her down. There's also another jealous celeb & toxic parent creating drama. If this story was a full length drama, then those issues & characters would've played an even bigger role in the story than they did. So, while problems were resolved easier than maybe some viewers think, it is still satisfactory. Aside from wanting more episodes or depth, I don't think there is much a viewer can complain about. (5 is my standard rating for music when I don't remember it after finishing a drama but knowing it wasn't bad while I watched it.) I would recommend it, especially if you're looking for something easy & light to watch.
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20e-Eeuwse Jongen en Meid
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A sweet drama about friendship & love
A few months I was in a drama slump & in the mood to watch something lighthearted, fun, & sweet so I decided to rewatch this to see if it was as good as I remembered when I first watched it (when it aired). While I was remembering it to be better than it was (maybe I'm just a picky watcher now but I will further explain what I mean later in my review), it hit the right spots that I wanted as a viewer.For starters, the friendship between the 3 women is the highlight of the drama & a huge reason of why I like & remember the show. They all come from different backgrounds & shapes. They don't spend every second together all together, which is understandable given that they all have busy lives, nor do they have deep conversations all the time when they do meet. However, that's what made them feel real & enjoyable to watch. As another review mentioned, even if they weren't seeing or speaking to each other all the time, they were there for each other when needed. & seeing them have simple & regular conversations, that one would have with a friend of about 20 years, was nice to watch.
Though Jin Jin is the FL & a celebrity, I liked the fact that they didn't make her friend's stories revolve around her & that they were interesting enough on their own. Young Shim is the quieter friend who works in a law office. Though there are times when I would've liked to see her be more outspoken (like when dealing with the rude cleaning lady), she brought a good balance to the friendship group. Maybe she didn't accomplish anything extremely inspiring in her workplace but I didn't mind seeing her work & develop a relationship with her boss. Also, it was kind of fun to see if she would ever make it on time or be early to work lol As for Ah Reum, she's the fun, go with the flow kind of friend who works as an airplane stewardess. She has no problem speaking her mind & following through with her decisions once she's made them. What I particularly liked about her was how she didn't fully let her mother's nagging about getting married & losing weight get to her too much - like she thought about it but didn't take it too serious.
The romance is another reason to watch the show, especially if you're a fan of the first loves & friends being reunited trope. First, the leads look beautiful & good together so I'm thankful to the casting for giving us this pairing. (Most of the other cast are good in their roles & have good chemistry too.) Of course the leads also have chemistry that is natural & easy to watch. Though they are friends & first loves that hadn't seen or spoken to each other in years, everything fell in to place when they met again but it didn't feel too forced. (I mean it is a cliché trope so we have to expect & accept some things to be forced to drive the plot.) Part of that is because they take time getting to know & fall for each other again, though I personally wouldn't call it a slow burn but maybe some would. While Young Shim doesn't really have a romantic love line (she kind of gets an open ending regarding love towards the end), Ah Reum's attempts at love are interesting to watch - not only because of the way she approaches love but because of how her relationship plays out with her boyfriend, who she wasn't expecting at all.
Now, let me begin to share the things that I didn't quite like that made this show not as good as I initially remembered. Though Anthony's character was there to showcase Jin Jin's fangirl side, I found myself confused by what exactly his feelings towards her were. Maybe it was partly due to his acting but it wasn't really clear if he only appreciated Jin Jin as a fan or if he saw her romantically. (The fact that him & his brother really didn't completely speak about her but left the conversation half way didn't help to clear up that confusion.) I don't know if we're supposed to feel as if we're watching a love triangle but it never felt that way to me because it was always clear that Jin Jin's infatuation with him is solely that of a fan. But, that infatuation is partly why it takes the leads time to get together - as they each don't know the other's feelings are mutual & are scared to make a move.
Going back to Anthony, his career sees a rise & he even finds love but it felt like throwing a dog a bone so he could have a happy end - I say that mostly about his love life. I really didn't care about him like that to have his love life mentioned (it's like one sentence or two) & I didn't really think it was necessary. Aside from Anthony, his manager lowkey got on my nerves for some reason. Again, maybe it was her acting but I just didn't care for her, especially when she got mad at Jin Jin for actually dating. &, just like with Anthony, her having a love interest at the end of the show felt matter of fact.
Finally, while Jin Jin's sister was mentioned & her storyline was waiting in the shadows, the way it was executed could've been better. It felt as if they brought it up & left it there to serve as a filler time towards the end episodes. I felt like we never really got a good reason for why she disappeared & then her reappearance was quick before she was gone again making you wonder what was even the need for her in the first place. So, those things I disliked were enough for me to not give this drama a higher rating but not enough to say they make it a bad watching experience. Since I've watched it twice already, maybe will rewatch it again in the future, & would recommend this to anyone looking for an easy & feel good watch, that's why I gave it a 10 for rewatch value. I wouldn't be able to list the songs used in the drama, nor say I listen to them outside of it, but, while watching, I liked them enough as background music. (5 is my typical rating for music, unless I actually loved it & listen to the songs outside of the dramas.)
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"A power of perception beyond the five senses"
First, I know that this is based on a webtoon but I haven't read it so I had no expectations & am reviewing the drama solely on what I watched. Second, while it was airing, some viewers complained about the characters saying they should act mature because they're in their 30s. Being 30 doesn't mean that you suddenly become an expert at relationships or communication. Sure, you may have more experience than someone younger but that's not always the case & it's situational. So, you may not like with characters' actions but I hope it isn't because you're expecting them to act a certain way because of their age.From the start, I thought the premise was interesting - I mean imagine being able to see the future when you kiss someone. It would be sad starting a relationship only to see something that shows you the end. While I wouldn't say I necessarily agreed with Ye Sul's decisions regarding her relationships. I certainly felt her anxiety & understood why she felt her decisions were the best thing for her to do. It's easy for viewers to say she should tell the truth about being able to see the future or that she shouldn't let what she sees decide her future for her. So, I think the drama does a great job in making one question "what would I do if I was Ye Sul?" But, seeing what Ye Sul experienced, it's easy to see why she would keep her ability a secret & why she would trust it completely. One of my favorite moments is when Ye Sul questions the future that she saw because I could feel for her feeling as if everything she knew was a lie. & I liked how that allowed her to reflect on how she wanted to live her life going forward.
Just like Ye Sul, Min Hoo has his own ability & condition that is a secret. He doesn't give the best first impression, & maybe for some it will stay that way until the end, but the episodes show us there's reasons for him behaving the way he does. One thing I will say I wasn't fond of was how he made comments about being jealous. I guess it was supposed to be funny & he was honest about it. It really didn't amount to anything but I just wanted to address that about him. He does cause a slight misunderstanding by not revealing his secret to Ye Sul, though I understand he thought it would make her feel uncomfortable & the writer probably thought it was good to create conflict for the plot. However, the misunderstanding wasn't drawn out for too long.
As the synopsis & tags reveal, there is a love triangle. I don't know if I would call it a love triangle though because Ye Sul never had intentions of dating Pil Yo, even when it seemed as if she was swaying. While I felt bad for the way that things ended between them & they both needed to have a proper conversation for closure, I didn't like how Pil Yo was pressuring her to do so. Lowkey blackmailing her into going on three dates wasn't a good look & I definitely didn't like how he still wanted her to go on dates with him when he knew that she had a boyfriend. He was holding onto the Ye Sul he knew in the past & not the one in front of him now. Of course, I know he was acting the way he was because he felt as if it was the only way to be able to have a conversation with her. Once that conversation is had, he was able to respect her wishes.
Because of Pil Yo's actions after he had the conversation he wanted, he deserved better than to be paired up with Ji Young. I will admit that I don't like the cliché of having characters who were rejected end up together, but she was a brat from the beginning to end. It was sickening the way she treated Min Hoo, especially since she claimed to like him. Like her, Seung Taek was another character who couldn't respect someone's wishes & didn't deserve a happy relationship. Seeing these two respective couples at the end made me a bit bitter as I don't think they were necessary.
I understand that they were trying to continue to show us that relationships have bumps along the way by having Ye Su & Min Hoo argue, which I kind of like the idea of but I didn't like the way it was executed. They could've let us hear one fight scene & the rest be muted. Because of that (& letting us seen the secondary couples), it felt as if we were robbed of sweet moments between them. So, the last episode, especially the later half I think, left me thinking that it could've been better. Aside from the secondary couples & the last episode, I enjoyed everything else & was never bored to see the mystery resolved. The acting was great & a huge reason why I watched this drama. As for the ost, I really liked it (I actually had it on repeat as I wrote this review). Every song suited the mood of its scene/the drama. I especially loved the theme song , Fantasy, which is one of my favorites that I've heard this year. (Suran's vocals are dreamy & perfect for the mystery vibe of the drama.) I hardly rewatch but I wouldn't walk away if someone was watching it & I would encourage others to give it a watch.
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Proposal approved
As someone who loves the webtoon, I was anticipating the live action adaption. Though, psychically the cast wasn't who I pictured (except secretary Cha & the grandfather), the acting was good. For the most part, I didn't mind the changes from the webtoon as I was mostly treating this as a separate work.I will gladly take all the clichés & this drama spared no effort in using them to their advantage. But, while I enjoyed the clichés throughout the drama, they did feel a bit forced & disappointing in the last two episodes. ( I'm referring to how they made the grandfather act the way that he did when the entire show they were setting up his character to act in the opposite way.) It brought down the drama for me & left me wanting more, especially the ending. Nonetheless, this was a fun drama & I needed this lighthearted romcom.
I don't think the ost was bad, like I remember liking the songs that were used but not to the point where I specifically remember them. While I don't really rewatch, this is a drama that I would recommend to others, especially if they are in the need of a laugh.
They're not a big deal but here are some things that I didn't like:
*The way her friend sold her out to Taemu. I mean it worked out in the end but it always rubbed me the wrong way even when I read it in the webtoon.
*How pushy her coworkers were (thinking to how they invited themselves to her movie date).
*Youngseo not knowing much about secretary Cha but getting upset with him, more than once, without really thinking.
*I just didn't like Hari's mom, maybe it was the actress playing her.
*The problems created by the chef's girlfriend as the drama was ending.
*How they handled the grandfather's character once news got out about Hari & Taemu dating.
*Making the grandfather sick & having to go abroad wasn't necessary.
*The time skip & how they were reunited.
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Coming from someone who isn't a fan of either leads
Unlike most of the viewers who were tuning in, I started watching this drama because I was looking for something new to watch & not because I was fan anticipating the drama. I had watched the main actress before in other works but it's not as if I kept up with her projects &I had never watched the main actor before. So, I had no bias going in watching the drama.This was a simple story yet the acting & chemistry of the leads made it easy to want to keep watching. Their moments together did feel like watching an actual couple, especially the small theatres at the end of the episodes. They were natural together. They did have moments when they caused me to be frustrated, especially the FL, but I was able to understand where she was coming from. (Those moments of frustration did make their age gap in the drama apparent though.) As for the main actor, I was impressed with him as he really made me feel for Gu Wei. (I would say his character is a huge part of the reason why I enjoyed this drama like I did).
While the acting of the leads was great, the rest of the cast was okay so that's why I could only give the acting an 8.5. I only remember the theme song, which is why I gave the music a 5. & I rarely rewatch dramas, unless I really love them but even then I try to watch new shows instead, so that's why I gave the rewatch a 5. However, I was glad that I watched this and would recommend it to others.
Things I didn't like about this drama, which are the reasons why I gave this drama the rating I did:
*I know FL was inexperienced and young but it was annoying how she always listened to her friends for advice, especially when it failed before, rather than talk to ML, who for the most part was open towards her.
*FL's friends were unlikable. San San gave the worst advice causing more damage than good. I still don't understand what her love interest saw in her (nor why his or her character were needed). As for Yin Xi, she had toxic views about her relationship, mainly not accepting her faults & blaming it all on her boyfriend.
*When ML encountered his big problem, he closed himself off from FL trying to solve it on his own & then waltzed back to her as if nothing happened.
*Though I agreed with it, I'm not a fan of breakups that are basically resolved by the next episode.
*Both love rivals used their status as friends of the leads to try & manipulate themselves into the lives of the leads & I wasn't here for it at all.
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Lucky in love
Maybe my rating is high but, though there was added drama at the end & the ending felt rushed (or at least it left me wanting more), this was one of the better web series that I have watched. From the start, I was into this story about a girl who believed in luck & a boy who believed in science. The leads were cute together and I liked seeing them show each other what they believed in. There were no love triangles or annoying love rivals. & maybe it's because the episodes were 10 minutes long & only 24 episodes, I didn't mind that the leads didn't get together right away. I think they did a good job in developing the feelings between them. & I don't know how others felt about it, but I thought the editing of sounds & such made this drama fun I wish it was a full length drama, but it was fine as is.While the acting wasn't spectacular, I think the leads did a good job with their roles. In particular, I liked the FL. One thing that did have me confused is why they had a guy playing the role of a girl but the rest of the cast was fine. I don't remember the music now but, as I was watching the drama, I thought it was fine. If you're looking for something to watch when you're having a slump or are in the mood for something cute & fast, then this is the drama for you.
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