Milie
Switzerland
An absolute waste of time
This show was painful to watch. I see a lot of the negative reviews centering around how toxic the relationship was, but to me that's not the issue. This is fiction and its main goal should be to be entertaining. Portraying a toxic relationship isn't necessarily a bad thing, it can be really interesting if done well. But this isn't. Its worst offense is that it's utterly uninteresting. Nothing happens. The main plot, if you can even call it that, could happen over the course of a single episode and there would still be time to be bored. The characters are completely one note. One is mean, callous, and closed off, the other is pathetically apathetic in every possible aspect and is incredibly frustrating to watch as he clumsily sulks around. The show sometimes threatens to explore their weird, toxic relationship, to become maybe even a little shocking. But nope, nothing of note ever really happens. And do not expect any character development or interesting motivations. The situation in the last episode is exactly the same as the first episode, except they are happy now (I think? Communication between them is non-existent so it's hard to tell). The one thing a story exploring a toxic relationship should do is to actually do some exploring, to make us see why they are in this relationship, how they got there, who they are as people and as "participants" in this relationship, how they feel about it, and more. But the show simply shows us how things are and moves on to the next scene, we never learn anything deeper than that.The actors are also very unevenly matched in terms of acting skills, although with the material they were given, it would be hard even for a great actor to shine here.
This is a festival of infuriating miscommunications, second-hand embarrassment, and boredom.
I will say the cinematography is great, the intimate scenes were pretty nice, and although they aren't very good in their roles, because the material is so mediocre, the actors did have pretty good chemistry. Were it not so empty and frustrating, it would also have had a nice peaceful, meditative atmosphere, but it's too bad all-around to achieve that. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.
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The performances were good overall, if a bit over the top in Yoon Seo Bin's case, but he was so endearing and cute I wasn't annoyed by it. The plot is okay and interesting, minus a few moments that were a little weird. But where the drama really excelled was in showing the instant interest between the two main characters and the excitement of new love. Watching them interact was adorable and heartwarming, and I loved the way their relationship evolved.
I'm not a huge fan of the ending, to me it wasn't satisfying and also didn't really make sense, but the rest was lovely and it didn't ruin the drama for me at all, as it sometimes can.
Overall I recommend this if you're looking for a fun, fast watch with a bit of angst and a good romance.
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The idea was too ambitious for such a short drama, so instead nothing really happens. Their relationship doesn't evolve over the course of the drama, nothing that happens has any effect on the characters, and the characters have so little individual personality that the very few choices they make have almost no effect on the plot, making it a very boring watch. The whole thing could have been told in one 10 minute episode. There is no subtlety, no deeper meaning, no slowly evolving romance, no emotions, nothing worth watching, sadly.
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Part psychological thriller, part crime drama, and almost family drama, Beyond Evil manages an impressive balancing act between cold, disturbing darkness and raw emotion, both of the positive and negative kind. The plot unfolds perfectly over the course of the 16 episodes, leaving no lull in intensity or filler episodes but not rushing into anything either. You get enough time to savor all of the twists and turns of the story, all of the new developments and revelations, without getting bored. Contrarily to other intense crime dramas, Beyond Evil is truly moving and shocking at time, but never uses cheap tricks and haphazardly put together twists to achieve that, each turn of the story is impactful in its own right, and will leave you trying to solve the mystery by yourself.
What I was not expecting from this drama is for it to be so viscerally emotional at times. This comes mostly from the stellar acting from Shin Ha Kyun, who constantly walks the line between protagonist and antagonist, while staying utterly loveable and captivating throughout. The rest of the cast are all really impressive, most notably Yeo Jin Goo, who manages a really great, complex performance, despite his young age. The Korean title (Monster) is particularly fitting: the drama explores the monstrous in the different characters. If it sounds clichéd and a bit on the nose, don't worry, the drama never is. It uses this admittedly a bit overdone idea with impressive subtlety and efficiency, so that it always feels fresh and new.
On top of that, the drama simply looks fantastic, even though a lot of it takes place in dingy police station and old, somewhat decrepit houses, the filmography captures each place's essence and feel in a way that always elevates the story. The cold interrogation room is the perfect backdrop to enhance the ambivalence and mystery surrounding the suspects, while the old butcher shop reinforces the warmth of the long years of friendships between the main group of protagonists, and the old streets surrounded by vast expenses of countryside surrounding the town really drive home the sense of "localness" of a tragedy taking place in a small town.
The music is another great addition to the drama, with pieces that almost sound out of place at first, but work so well overall to build up the atmosphere, without being too distracting.
All in all, Beyond Evil is a remarkably well-rounded drama, that manages to feel amazingly intense while never resorting to cheap twists or being too fast. Each element of the production helps build up the intensity and emotions, leaving you with a really solid contender for best mystery/crime drama/psychological thriller of the year.
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More gorgeous and heart-wrenching I ever thought a political drama could get
This was without a doubt the most stunning drama I have ever seen. From the gorgeous wide shots of the landscape, to beautiful indoor scene, to intimate moments between characters, the cinematography isn’t simply aesthetic, but incredibly evocative, and helps the relationships between characters bloom and the story progress. You could lend on any still of this drama and analyze the meaning of every single element within the story.The music was also definitely noteworthy here. Sure, we get the typical drama OST ballads, but they’re mostly well-executed, and the original score is absolutely gorgeous and once again, always serves the story wonderfully. It’s also one of the best uses of music in a kdrama in my opinion. That said, Mr. Sunshine also uses silences perfectly to build up the tension or emotions of a scene.
These two elements alone are already enough for me to recommend this drama, but that’s not where it’s qualities end, far from it.
The characters were truly great, all of them full of nuance and complexity. No one is easy to understand, all of them leave you frustrated or confused at some of their actions, pushing you to try harder to understand who they are, what their motivations, and keeping you guessing. Yet, it all does feel natural and organic for them. Once again, one of the best mastery of character writing I’ve ever seen in a kdrama. The relationships between characters are just as complex and captivating. Sometimes they don’t take the paths you want them to take, but it all makes sense and it’s heart-wrenching. This is one of the most impressive character writing I’ve ever seen in a kdrama. The comic relief never feels over the top, they’re welcome moments to break up the tension, but they’re also full of emotions and softness, and make you all the more engrossed. The actors are all at the top of their game and offer incredible performances, full, once again, of subtlety and heart.
The plot, finally, is where I think most people seem to have an issue, as small as it might be. I understand why; once you’re done, the first two thirds or so seem weak compared to the last one, but I think it’s simply because as the conflict progresses, the tension is rising more and more. Thus, the comparatively calm beginning seems to pale in comparison, but that’s simply the drama doing its job right. When you’re in it, it feels intense and so compelling. At least it did for me, I can’t say I was ever bored with it. I do think the drama could have shaved off a few episodes and compressed the story a bit and it would have worked well; however I must say I really appreciate the slower pace here. Since this is the slow mounting tension of a major political conflict, it feels very appropriate that things are progressing slowly, it makes you feel like you’re living it in real time along with the characters. And like I said, the drama uses silences masterfully, and I would say the same about slowness. It feels so intense, but not because it’s nonstop action scenes; it manages to make you feel breathless and on edge while going slow, and I think that’s what’s so impressive. It’s not going to adapt to the usual drama pace, it’s going to make YOU adapt to its pace and be engrossed in it.
The plot was sometimes a little bit hard to follow, at times going a little too far in its search of subtlety and reaching a point where it’s actually just not enough information and you’re left confused, but if you just let it go, there’s nothing that’s either essential or that you won’t get a little later.
What’s most impressive is how carefully everything seems the have been thought-out. Every element serves the narrative, everything has a meaning, a reason, nothing is wasted. Comic relief can feel cheap or not match the tone, but here, it’s an element that adds value to the drama. Same goes for the silences, they always serve a purpose, same with every single element of this masterfully executed drama. Please, do yourself a favor, and watch it!
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Good with a few lacking areas
I can't help but feel a tiny bit disappointed by Itaewon Clas. It wasn't bad, I think my expectations were simply a bit too high. Mostly, I wanted to watch it because it seemed pretty different from other kdramas, with an offbeat vibe and maybe a little more raw. In the end, it was relatively standard as far as dramas go, I didn't feel like I was in new territory. They did tackle many different social issues and showcased characters that came from varied backgrounds, which is commendable. It does feel a little forced and shallow at times, but since that is not something kdramas are used to doing, I suppose that it's a good start and a nice effort.Park Sae Ro Yi is instantly loveable, though he sometimes borders on annoyingly forgiving. I tend not to like characters who never get angry when people act badly towards them, but in this case every time it happened and I got angry, I was just kind of okay with it because he is so charming in that weird, aloof and kind of stiff way.
I think Jo Yi Seo started out as a very fun and compelling character. I loved her in the beginning, where was a bit of a wildcard, unpredictable and weird, in an equally infuriating and charming way. When the romance plot became more prominent though, she became less interesting, she was just obsessed with Sae Ro Yi and that was it, even though before that she was shown as someone who didn't care about people in general. I quite enjoy the idea that she was a loner and never cared about someone else, but when she fell, she fell hard, but I'm sure there was a way to do that and maintain who she was as a character. Generally speaking, I feel like there are three general eras of Jo Yi Seo (her cold, "sociopathic" self, her whiny, i-have-a-crush self, and her final more mature, resigned self) rather than coherent and consistent development throughout the run of the show. She ends up in a satisfying place, character-wise, and she's still a fun character, but I was a bit bothered by it.
Oh Soo Ah was a bit flat, she's spunky and fun as a teen, but as an adult she doesn't go through much change. I understand that the point was that she was loyal to a fault, until we saw her rebel against Jang Dae Hee near the end, and I thought that was well-done and interesting, however since she is one of the main characters, it would have been more satisfying if she had has more of a personality.
Jang Dae Hee was a great villain, as was Jang Geun Won, but in totally opposite ways. Jang Dae Hee is cold and menacing, powerful and clearly an impressive man, he commands respect and is a force to be reckoned with, a truly worthy opponent for our lead. I loved seeing him go from utterly confident that he would prevail to increasingly petty as Sae Ro Yi got under his skin. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jang Geun Won is the guy you love to hate, the bottom of the barrel. He has neither class, nor power, no true ambition of his own besides enjoying his unearned status, and he's a coward. He's vile and constantly exasperating. And yet, you feel for him, because it can't have been easy growing up with his father, and he's also responsible for a lot of his worse traits. I found myself constantly rooting for him a little, hoping he would pull himself out of the hole he had been digging for himself, but I can't say I'm disappointed with the direction they took with his character at all.
Why did they make us hate Jang Geun Soo? His arc was so strange, with no pay-off.
The rest of the cast was competent, and their characters decently written, I have no complaints. They added much needed levity in parts, and interesting side-drama, I liked them all.
The main storyline was a little repetitive at times. We got an awful lot of: Sae Ro Yi will never manage the next step. But he so determined. Actually nevermind, it's going great! It's actually going a little too well. There might be something up with that. Oh nevermind, Jangga seem nervous, so they didn't plan this I guess. Cool! Oh, no, actually it WAS all part of Jang Dae Hee's plan. Lather, rinse, repeat. Obviously it's to be expected that there are big steps forwards and stepbacks alternating, but it could have been handled better.
In short, that is my problem with the show. There are a lot of aspects that are okay, but could have been done better. My final word is that this is a competently made drama, that deals with important topic that are rarely discussed in kdramas, but it doesn't really strive to go a step above. I enjoyed it a lot, but it left me hungry for just a little more.
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The plot was not very complicated or original, but it was decent for a short little drama. The ending was a bit weird to me, I didn't get the resolution was there until we simply moved on and the show ended, I kept expecting more. The ending is also pretty cheesy and full of plot holes, unanswered questions, etc. The show also spends a lot of the last episode with side characters that barely got any screen time in the rest of the episode for some reason.
As for the characters, they're not very original or ground breaking, but the actors make the best of the somewhat lacking script and are overall pretty nice.
Overall, it was very middle of the road, nothing to write home about, but a fun quick drama to watch if you want a fun vampire drama that doesn't take itself too seriously.
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A beautiful story about people, compassion, and vulnerability
I first noticed this drama on Netflix because I love Sooyoung and had wanted to watch one of her dramas for years at this point, but despite my initial interest, I had to admit when I watched the trailer and it clicked for me that it was literally about running, I expected a funny but shallow, fast-paced drama about dynamic, successful young people doing their thing, and I really wasn't in the mood for it so I pretty much gave up on it. However, one of my friend who had started it encouraged me to watch it and I am so glad she did! It was nothing like I thought it would be.Run On is a beautiful, moving story about people growing and learning together, getting to know themselves and each other through empathy and vulnerability. It's about learning to love yourself and others, about learning to be together with other flawed people, and it is beautifully done. It's also very mundane, but I mean that in the best way possible. I mainly watched really intense, epic dramas lately (which I love too) and this was a breath of fresh air. And that is not to say that there aren't big emotions here, there certainly are, but they’re not over-the-top or clichéd. Every misunderstanding is used to further our understanding of the characters as well as the characters’ understanding of one another and their journey together. Every interaction feels natural and organic, and the drama avoids all of the stereotypical beats you might expect. It's very genuine and simply beautiful. I’ve rarely, if ever, seen a drama like this, it’s something I expect more from a small, indie movie, except here we have 16 episodes to witness the lives of these characters instead of an hour and a half..
I really hope to see other dramas go that route in the future.
(The rewatch value is relatively low because I don't judge whether I would watch it again, which I absolutely will, but whether there is a lot added to it during a rewatch, and it's just not really that kind of story and that's perfectly okay.)
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Very good until the last stretch
Overall I can definitely say enjoyed this drama. The acting was good, the story was well thought-out and engaging, the action was great, it was full of twists and turns, never boring, and I generally liked the vibe it gave. They ran out of steam in the last episodes, and they're a bit more tedious as a result. Still enjoyable and I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for a fun spy-ish/action/mystery drama.I pretty much binged episodes 1 through 10, which were really great in my opinion. It was fun, fast-paced, surprising, and intriguing. I felt for the characters and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. The writing was great, each new thing working perfectly and bringing new life to the story just when it needed it. There's a bit of a change of atmosphere early on that's well-done and very intriguing. The mystery unfolds naturally and with good impact and left me looking for clues, trying to predict what would happen next.
The last episodes were still good, but the writing was less clear, I got a bit confused or couldn't see where they were going with some things. It wasn't to the point that I didn't understand anything anymore, but it meant I was more passive, no longer trying to guess what was happening because I simply didn't have enough clues or enough understanding of what I was given. The ending was not bad but a bit disappointing. After everything the characters go through, the resolution arrives quickly and pretty easily, and there's very little impact to it. I was honestly worried about how they would fit the real ending within the remaining time, until I realized that was it, it was just a bit of a non-event.
Sadly that's a problem that's not present only during the ending. Some reveals, twists, etc. did not lend very well, but they were mostly minor things, and mostly it wasn't a problem with the idea itself, but the way it was done, it's like the drama didn't pay that much attention to the twists it set up, didn't give you time to savor them, it just moved on to the next thing like there was nothing worth noting. It's frustrating to see the drama achieve that tension and nice twists consistently for most of its length, and then falter in that very thing near the end, but I'm guessing it might have been due to them running out of time in the last episodes.
I really liked the main characters, especially Seohyun's and Go Kyung Pyo's characters, however the secondary characters were a bit forgettable.
All in all, it was not my favorite drama ever, but it was definitely nice, I had a good time with it. With a few improvements on the last quarter or so, it could have been really great.
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Oh! My Emperor: Season Two
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To be totally honest, I watched this because I had recently seen The Untamed and I wanted more Xiao Zhan and I wanted to watch a nice fantasy show. It became pretty apparent early on that this was not exactly what I was looking for, but I kept watching because I wanted to see how crazy it could get. The answer is: very. I don't regret watching it, but I will also never watch it again. Sadly, the ending felt unsatisfying and rushed, while the rest of the drama really took its time.
I'd recommend this drama if you're looking for something very light and funny you can watch to relax and turn your brain off, or if there's an actor or actress you know and love in it, but that's about it.
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