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Jeana
In Fucking Beast Mode
BIGBANG MADE: The Movie
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I’ll try to keep this review objective with all the biases temporarily put aside because you don’t have to be a Bigbang fan to enjoy this. You don’t even have to me a K-Pop fan. All you have to be is someone who appreciates music and all the hard work that’s invested in it.
The thing that is so attractive about this film is the sheer honesty it comes with. It doesn’t take you on a sappy journey of how these boys grew into men together or stories about their early hardships, no, instead it shows the real world where these grown men continue to strive forward holding on to each other and struggling even when they’ve reached the top.
There are a lot of things that most artists don’t want you to know. You see a supposedly candid moment on stage between members and you write a billion fanfictions inspired by it. You read into it, you make your own conclusions but what you don’t know is that “candid” moment is probably practiced a billion times off-stage. You think your idols are perfect and faultless but when nobody's looking, they swear, they throw tantrums, they get angry, they hurt and they are wholly human. That’s what this documentary shows you. This is what this group says: This is who we are and we’re unapologetic about it.
It starts with the group in a retro film setting, wearing suave suits and looking oh so polished but slowly proceeds to peel back layers and lets you see a raw glimpse in the life of superstars who are at core ordinary human beings. While there are goofy, no-makeup, almost cringeworthy moments where these artists let go of the facade and bask in a childlike glee, the highlight of the film is the portrayal of Bigbang’s biggest strength: Their work ethic. You get to see the nitty gritty of music production and all the factors that go into bringing a fabulous concert stage to life. Every single member participates in every single detail of the process tweaking it into something closest to perfection.
Five billionaires in the room and nobody wants to spend out of their own pockets. Stingy, you say. But isn’t it also somewhat relatable? These men didn’t grow into wealth, there was no small loan of a million dollars to help them through, they build their empire from the bottom ladder and climbed to top with many a missteps.
You know the true essence of a person when you hear the views of people working under them and here, Bigbang takes the backseat and lets the team who played a huge part in making them who they are do the talking. It’s emotional, heartfelt and sincere.
Then there are the lows that you don’t see on camera. The sweat, the bruises, the pain that we never take into account. Bigbang doesn’t boast those things or throws a pity party, they just straightforwardly put everything in front of you like they’ve done with everything else as of yet:
This is how it is. Make of it what you will.
If you’re a hard boiled, bitter cynic like me with “Don’t believe everything you see on T.V” stamped on your forehead, you’ll probably doubt the authenticity of emotion here too but the thing is, somethings just can’t be faked and even if 1% of this film rings true to you, that’s already hugely impactful.
It makes you laugh out loud, tear up and most importantly it makes you “feel”, the ability of which we’re slowly losing as the time goes by.
The brotherhood between these men is almost tangible. They’re tied together, completely in sync with each other's mannerisms and weaknesses and it shows without trying.
The film has great cinematography and direction, seamlessly transitioning between real life videos and on-stage song performances all the while bringing out the best in everything. There’s style, love friendship and nostalgia all mingled together in this 2 hour worth masterpiece.
Finally as a fan, I’d like to say that this is the perfect gift for the fandom. It’s an everlasting piece of them that stays relatable and true no matter what changes time brings. Re-watching this after such a long time, with an entirely different perspective, I felt so many different emotions but one thing that stayed the same was my rating because even if you don’t like it, you can’t help but appreciate the high quality of it. After so many things that have happened- both fortunate and unfortunate- and finally as they all go and have gone into military, coming back to this movie; a harbinger of hope and resilience, really does feel like coming full-circle.
As far as I am concerned when Youngbae looked straight ahead and asked the fans “We don’t know what the future holds for us but will you wait for us to see it together?” all I could do was scream “Yes” along with the million of others on the screen.
As far as your idols are concerned, don’t drown them under your expectations. As Jiyong said,
“For you, it’ll be sad that you won’t see us five people anymore but for us we might never see 1.5 million of you. We are losing much more, it’s much harder.”
And as far as Bigbang themselves are concerned, love them or hate them, you can’t ignore them. Their mark on Korean music and our lives is made and it’s there to stay.
Enjoy!
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Everybody knows I love my drama boys but sometimes you just need good ol' girl power to get you going.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and Avengers social club brings you three furious women who've been scorned enough.
Jung Hye, an heiress who has had to put up with ten years of empty marriage, being constantly overlooked as a decoration piece that has no say whatsoever in important matters; Hong Do Hee, a fish-selling single mother who has had to deal with her children being bullied and facing constant contempt because of her poverty and Lee Mi Sook a perfect wife who has had to suffer domestic violence and humiliation on the hands of her husband.
But when you get tired of all the agony, what do you do? You take revenge.
And this brings us a show about how three women band together to stand up for themselves against society conventions, domineering men, stuck-up bitches and anyone who thinks that a middle-aged ahjumma is easy to run down.
However, two is better than three and three is better than four. And the fourth member in this perfectly mismatched group is Jung Hye's smart and compassionate step-son. Just a highschooler who has been constantly abused and used by his parents, he's taking it no more.
And so these four beautiful individuals form the infamous Bokja Club, ready to turn the tables on every bastard that did them wrong.
Avengers Social Club is an excellent drama. Together with genuinely heart-touching moments and high class comedy, it comes out as a quality show that has you totally invested.
The best thing about the drama is the character development. All these people grow together as friends, forming a permanent bond and excellent chemistry, while simultaneously growing strong as individuals. By the end of the show there's not a single person in the drama that doesn't change or grow.
The three women come into their own, embrace the power wihin and their journey is simply heart-warming to watch.
The cheeky instrumental soundtrack makes the hilarious antics of the Bokja Club all the more enjoyable. The drama is beautifully written, shining a light on society's serious issues all the while mainting a constant sense of humor.
All the revenge schemes are realistic and you find yourself whole-heartedly cheering the members on. Even the antagonists, not the brightest bulbs in the kitchen, bring a lot of mirth to the table.
This is a show that gives you pure joy and fills your heart with warmth.
Empowering women, the power of friendship and the message that it is never too late to take a stand; the drama comes with its fair share of unadulterated goodness.
With Avenger Social Club, revenge has never before tasted so sweet.
A must-watch.
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This Is Me Worshipping You.
Raw, real, emotionally charged live wire of a drama that feels like home; My Liberation Notes is powerful in its simplicity.Have you ever felt down and depressed? Like nothing makes sense anymore? Have you ever felt listless or too lazy to make the effort. Have you ever felt giddy with joy? Nervous about a crush? So incredibly weak and out of control? Anxious about the future? Disappointed from life? Happy about the smallest things? Self conscious without reason? Devastated after a breakup? Struggled with your weaknesses?
Basically, have you ever just lived life and experienced all its beautiful, tumultuous, heartbreaking ups and downs? If yes, you’re living this drama because this is about you and me. It’s about us all. It’s about family, love, heartbreak, growth, sorrow, joy and just trying your fucking best to survive.
It’s about people who each carry their own baggage, they lose, they win, they cry, they celebrate, they are broken but so fully human and every single day they wake up and find a reason to live life in all its complexity.
Here are a few reasons why you absolutely need to watch this:
☑️ Wildly atmospheric
This drama is gorgeous. It makes you feel the emotions through beautiful sceneries and stunning shots. Coupled with the excellent cinematography, you get one of the best sound tracks ever. You feel the summer heat, the lonely winter and the dangerous rain. Every scene in this drama is punctuated with feeling and is brimming with emotion.
☑️ Romance Of The Year
While the story showcases multiple lovelines (each bringing their own flavour to the table) our ultimate ship is our prickly Mr. Gu with eccentric Mi Jeong. What starts as a relationship that’s merely a distraction grows into a sizzling, passionate bond between two people who are flawed but are utterly compatible. The chemistry between them is combustible and they have real and intense moments where they are wholly attuned to each other baring their truest form. God, their love is believable and it makes you root for them fully as you watch them grow and evolve both as individuals and together.
☑️ Dialogues, story and writing
The dialogues in this drama are excellent. To the point, that you want to just grab a notebook and jot everything down. The pacing of the show, while slow at the start is oddly captivating as you go on. It has an aura of mystery that hooks you in and doesn’t let you go. Aside from the slightly rushed last few episodes, plot progression and the writing is almost perfect with little to no loopholes. Instead of a single climax scene, the episodes contain numerous small but powerful and highly nuanced moments that somehow make everything that happens important. Like a detail you can’t miss because nothing is filler.
☑️ Acting & Characters
There’s not a single character in this drama that you aren’t fully invested in. The three siblings are each badass in their own wholly human way and are extremely lovable. Every single person in this show comes to their own phenomenally by the end of the drama. The fact that the acting in this is brilliant across the board just brings it full circle.
☑️ Mr. Gu is the sexiest man alive
Oh my God, that man can walk into my life and I’ll gladly lay down my lashes for him to step on. Not only is he handsome as all hell. His personality makes him the tall, dark, just the right amount of toxic and dangerous mystery man that screams trouble for all women.
He is played excellently by SSK who uses his expressions like a masterful puppeteer and strings us along dancing to his tune. You feel Gu’s rage, volatility, his pain and desperation in a way that gives you chills.
☑️ Full of heart and FEELS
Just after a couple of episodes, it’s clear you can’t passive watch this show because you’re already in too deep. You care about everyone in this drama too much. These are your people and you worry for them, hurt for them, laugh with them, cry besides them and cheer them on.
There are hard hitting moments complimented by some top notch comedy, coupled with a sprinkle of action, served with a side of tears and heartbreak, peppered with a lot of love, nostalgia and feeling of home. There is something for everyone.
☑️ Binge Watch or a Weekly Watch?
I binged these episodes when it was halfway out and wanted more. When I ran out of airing episodes, I waited for it with bated breath, every weekend. And every weekend it felt like a comfort blanket that wrapped itself around me until I was right there in Sanpo with these characters that I had come to adore.
However, because the first few episodes do have a lot of vacant stares, depressing quotes and slow buildup, if you can’t binge, it’s okay to take breaks between the episodes. It’s the kind of show that you can always come back to and pick up where you left off.
✅ Final Thoughts:
As someone who usually doesn’t like slow paced, slice of life shows, believe me when I say this drama has the power to change your mind.
A fantastic journey, that brings forth a delicious, immersive blend of both darkness and light- My liberation notes is possibly the most stylishly executed and deeply captivating drama of 2022.
An absolute must watch.
Go ahead and get liberated, I dare you.
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This review is the ultimate shattering of pretty illusions caused by all the decietful 10 star rated reviews of this drama, provided by yours truly.
See I have no problem if you loved the show, if this kind of thing is your thing and you enjoyed watching it. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion and boos should do their yous.
But, if you're tryna sell me the fact that 'this drama is a beautiful redemption story filled with well-developed characters and a thoughtout plot-line', I'm going to have to tell you to sit the fuck down.
Because, that's not it at all. Objectively speaking, Sawang Biang is quite a simplistic story targeted to appeal to mankind's perverse pleasure. It's really not that deep. I personally like complex, wounded characters who're almost unforgivable but at the very least, I want them to be well written in order to understand their reasons.
Kawee, to put it simply, is a pathetic little bitch.
A child of abuse and neglect (both of which aren't properly explored) who's fundamentally broken but has very little reason to be. A spoiled brat with daddy issues- basically every rich kid's life story nowadays. Even if I don't bring out the 'kids in Africa with worse lives' argument, it's still safe to say that Kawee had no right or reason to act out the way he did. He pretended to be tough but was weak to his core. Someone deprived of love, affection and angry at the world. All these things should've amounted to him being quite an interesting and complex character but instead, the show made him fall flat. Which is why, though I liked the potential he had, I hated what he ended up being.
A lot of people described the show with flowery words like 'a beautiful story of a man's broken road to redemption' except that road broke and came to a dead end far before it could ever reach its goal.
Kawee's actions are surely unforgivable and the only way he could've been saved was if he had the brutal wake up call of self actualization. If he truly realized how horrible he had been. If his sins woke him up at night and tormented him. If he developed a deep rooted guilt and then travelled a slow journey towards being a somewhat better person; someone not fully redeemed but not the devil he was before either. Here, however Kawee changes like the whether. He wakes up one day, realizes he's gonna be a father and is all like 'Oh shit, time to be a saint now' and the next day we see him be the best person alive.
Like for fuck sake, we're talking about an extremely damaged person with deep rooted insecurities here. How the hell can a few sentimental speeches expressing regret and a few months of asskissing possibly erase all the destruction he wreaked in an innocent woman's life?
Let's not forget the fact that he constantly boasts about all the 'good' things he does being all like ' Isn't this enough, Narin? I'm trying so hard for you, can't you see?' Really bitch? Fite me.
Now for all those who say that the chemistry between the leads was great...
Are you out of your Goddamn mind?
Maybe I'm blind but where you saw chemistry I saw massive cruelty. This wasn't a case of dubious consent where the girl is half-willing and half not. No. This was an act of pure and unadulterated malice. He rapes her, beats her, manipulates and blackmails her to do his bidding and treats her like a dog on a collar. There is nothing remotely romantic about it. It's infuriating is what it is.
Almost as worse as the Main lead, were the side characters. I have never encountered a more ridiculous drama mom in my entire life. She's so nice, so kind, so lovely that her piety takes over all her brain cells. Even though she is clearly aware of what a douche bag Kawee is, she forces her abused daughter to constantly apologize to him and be nice to him.
I mean, how clueless can you be? However, when she finally gets a clue and makes this 'I'll never let him hurt my daughter again' declaration; she acts on this statement by acting all chummy with her daughter's rapist the next day by teaching him how to cook.
Bravo Mama, Bravo.
The rest of the meddling no-lifers known as the supporting cast were no good either. They constantly guilt tripped the heroine, making her believe as if she's the one in the wrong for not easily forgiving the man who destroyed her life. They consistently forced her to be with him and it's an all out classic case of victim blaming.
Even her pregnancy docter tells her to obey the man. Like bro? Y'all are acting like he stole her pup and she's mad. No, that asshat stole her life, her happiness and her virginity. Unfuckingbelievable.
To be real with you, I'm not a faint hearted or easily offended person. I've watched and read far brutal stories than this. A lot of people take up controversial topics and then proceed to effectively ruining it. Been there, seen that. The real reason why I'm so passionately angry about the show is how much it trivializes rape. It makes it appear as something that is normal. Nobody in the show properly adresses the issue or deals with the repercussions. Rape used to be a word bomb; an absolute taboo but here it's shown like an everyday thing. If you're not going to properly adress the subject and the aftermaths of it, why the hell are you putting it in your show in the first place? What's worse is that while I was watching this show even I, for a minute overlooked the whole rape thing with how normalized it was but later, when I thought about it and the scenes revolved around my head, I was deeply shook.
There is no way a victim and an assaulter can be together the way they are in Sawang Biang. Kawee has no reason to love Narin and it's obvious that what he feels, is this sick infatuation and ownership towards her because of how much he physically and mentally controls her. Narin, on the other hand has no other option but to accept him. She's forced into a situation where she has a kid to protect, humiliation to face and family and friends that think she's the villain. This is an unfortunate compromise of a union disguising itself as a love story and I call bullshit.
The only reason I even gave it a three stars was because of Ken and Anna. I liked both their acting. The way Ken twisted his pretty features into pure ugliness made Kawee an all the more deplorable character. Narin played by Anna was strong though out. She resisted the situation as best as she could and was someone whose will wasn't truly broken till the very end.
I don't recommend this drama to anybody so if you are someone who likes to venture in the realm of the dark, go read Six by K.I Lynn. It's far graphic than this show but has characters that stay true to themselves till the very end and find love in horrible circumstances.
Enjoy!
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I'm going to be completely honest here; if anyone is trying to convince you that "Love Me If You Dare" is a compelling, mysterious, cat and mouse suspenseful detective drama, that will keep you guessing- they are lying. It's as simple as that. As someone who has seen her fair share of crime/mystery/detective shows, I can testify that there was not a single unpredictable twist in LMIYD. Simon, even though he is supposed to be this genius mastermind is, frankly speaking, extremely over-hyped in the show. The clues that he finds and the mysteries that he solves could easily be the work of a rookie detective and more often than not, his discoveries would be so obvious that I'd solve the whole thing before Simon even began to work his mojo.
For being Sherlock, his intellect was not very impressive, and when the show climaxed, the real culprit was unmasked and it was supposed to be this "wow, wow super wow" moment, all I could do was yawn, because I had already made the seemingly mind blowing revelation about four episodes ago.
Let's not forget that the main heroine is literally there as a pretty face and nothing else. She's so irrelevant to the plot, that it's actually funny. She has no role in anything and is there just to showcase and shine a different light on Simon's personality. Her character has been used merely as a superficial prop to revolve around Simon and I find it a little bit offensive as a woman, that for someone who is supposedly smart and who showed a lot of promise in the beginning, she remained nothing but a cliched damsel in distress till the end. Like for goodness sake, as much as I love Asian dramas, I am really not a fan of the wholly patriarchal society they mostly seem to portray.
So all in all now, I'm going to tell you the real reason why LMIYD, is in all its entirety so freaking famous. Why people are giving it great ratings left and right. Why they would claim that it is probably the best drama ever written. The answer lies in One Name. Two Words. One Person: Wallace Huo.
First of all, nobody can deny the fact that Wallace Huo is the epitome of beauty. He's gorgeous; plain and simple. I can watch a thousand of brainless plot-less episodes, if it meant I could stare at his face for hours. And stare at his face I did. I ogled him so much that I was afraid my eyes would pop out and I would drown in my own drool. Because, not only does he have a very pretty face, he's also an excellent actor. His dialogue delivery is entrancing, his expressions are spot-on, his walk is elegance incarnated and everything he does, he does with utter grace. If Wallace was to spout complete gibberish, the onlookers would still be starstruck because he'd relay that gibberish in such a way that it would seem nothing short of Shakespearean. This is a one man show. He's the king here and he commands it with his charisma, allure and masterful acting skills.
In short, LMIYD would have been nothing but a superficial drama with outwardly beautiful people if Wallace didn't give it soul. And to be honest, there's this one scene towards the end, that makes watching all the "meh" typa episodes that led to it worth it.
*Spoiler*
It's that scene where Simon has to pretend to kill the woman he loves in order to best his enemy. I'm not going to lie, I watched that scene about 15 times and my nose bled every single time, so much so, that I thought there was an imminent danger of death by blood loss. You can't help but fangirl like a lunatic when you see Simon display so many different emotions. That scene is purely iconic and is the reason why I gave this show a solid 7.
So, if anyone tries to tell you otherwise and claims that they aren't shallow and are all like "oh but, it had so many other great things than the male lead", know that they are frontin' for Wallace is the only thing great about this show.
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When Love Is a Game of Go, the Couple That Schemes Together, Stays Together
Redemption and vengeance meet in this deliciously wicked, sinfully seductive and electric love story between two morally ambiguous characters who come together to create the most formidable power couple of 2023.Jiang Xue Ning is an evil empress who has schemed her way to the top and destroyed people for her ambitions, only to meet her downfall at the hands of a ruthless usurper who brings her to her death.
In an interesting turn of events, she gets to go back in time, to fix her wrongs, save the two men who were ruined because of her love and hopefully stop the bloodthirsty rebel and his insidious plans.
However, fate cannot always be changed and sometimes the wrong answer is the right one all along. The Story of Kunning Palace is a fast-paced thrilling ride from beginning to end and comes with its share of pros and cons. Let’s get into it.
✔️The sexiest anti-hero of the year award goes to Xie Wei
He chokes. He kills. He plots but most of all, he knows how to kiss his lady love until she sees stars. Xie Wei is an absolute menace. As vicious and ruthless in his planning as he is petty when it comes to love. He is not afraid to get his hands bloody and use everyone and their mamas if it serves his purpose. Forty steps ahead of his enemies and always one with the backup plan, he is the ultimate edge lord. However, all his plans and strategies come to a stop when it comes to one woman: His Ning-er.
Zhang Ling He did a great job giving life to a character that is both terrifying and vulnerable. A man on a path of vengeance even as a part of him remains frozen with his robbed childhood. He is a person of many flavors as he goes from being the most intelligent and devilish man in the room, to a petulant, almost childish boy in love. He is both dangerous and endearing, villainous and heroic, charismatic and insecure, damaged and wholesome and the ultimate bad guy you can’t help but root for.
✔️The powerful heroine who brings the man to his knees.
Jiang Xue Ning is one of the best female leads out there. She is smart, intelligent and practical even as she has a soft heart. She can be as vicious as the best of men and has a penchant for paying back her enemies. She is a woman who never loses sight of her goal and always stays true to herself. She can be soft when the time calls for it and tough as nails when she needs to be. I think this is Bai Lu’s best role yet and she executed some really great scenes with elegance, grace and a lot of heart.
✔️Steamiest C-drama romance to end all romances
I think this is one of the most rewarding love stories I have seen lately. The two are equally matched in every way and understand each other in a way that nobody can. Xie Wei’s absolute mad, crazy, obsessive love for Ning-er is exhilarating to watch. He is unapologetic, fearless and unhinged when it comes to his need for her. She is the person who shares the darkness in his soul and the only woman who can keep up with his brilliant mind.
For her, he is the man who supports her through thick and thin, the only one who doesn’t handle her with kid gloves, the one person she can break down in front of, be herself with and the man who revels in her wildness as much as she does. Their chemistry is unmatched and their love is believable. There’s no question from the first episode that the two are destined for each other and the angst, obstacles and sexual tension just explodes into the most satisfying, passionate romance on-screen that is complimented with some truly sensual kisses.
✔️Friendship, loyalty, camaraderie and lovable side characters
One of the things I loved about this drama was that they were able to create meaningful relationships for both the main leads that seemed authentic. The male lead’s friends and people who love him unconditionally have their reasons for doing so and aren’t lackeys that exist just for the sake of it. Similarly, Ning-er has strong female friendships that are such a breath of fresh air to watch amidst watching palace women mostly fighting each other over a man.
As such, the drama gives birth to some really great characters like the hilarious fake Dingfei, and Yan Lin who has to be the greenest flag on this earth and the only time an FL’s potential love interest wasn’t annoying.
✔️Action scenes + Dialogues + Music + Comedy
The show has some great action scenes that were especially kind to Yan Lin. The dialogues for both Xie Wei and Ning-er were excellent and captured the intensity of their feelings beautifully. I particularly love the instrumental on this and enjoyed the little bits of comedy that is sprinkled all over the show.
So, overall, the drama comes with a lot of great things. Unfortunately, it also has its flaws, for example:
❌Weak antagonists + false sense of danger
Villains in this story are incredibly weak, overshadowed by the protagonists and make dumb decisions. So, the stakes are never really high because you know Xie Wei and Ning-er will somehow always come on top. The only time the good guys actually suffer a major loss is because of their own lapse of judgment which results in an extremely unnecessary and pointless tragedy. It hardly makes an impact and the protagonists remain overpowered throughout.
❌The boring middle arc + Annoying 2nd Male Lead aka Zhang Zhe the Turnip
A big part of the female lead’s redemption arc right from the first episode is the debt she owes to Zhang Zhe - a man she bargains her own life for. So, it’s unavoidable that the show would devote a lot of screen time to this character. Unfortunately, Zhang Zhe is a poorly written, one dimensional character who is so self-righteous, holier than thou and the unwanted paragon of virtue that not only is he boring to watch, he is flat-out irritating. As a result, his love arc with the FL is the most boring part of the entire drama.
❌Petty politics + low production value
I think others have also pointed out that the production value on the show is not the greatest with some truly terrible CGI. While I did enjoy some beautiful shots, I wasn’t happy about the unflattering close-ups and weird angles of characters that made intense scenes look a little comical. Fortunately, they are easy to ignore.
Story-wise, I think the strongest aspect of the drama is the slow burn love story and while it’s exciting to see Xie Wei and Ning-er plot and scheme and brilliantly execute their strategies, considering the antagonists are so one-note and the palace politics are quite petty and simplistic, I won’t lie and say that the drama comes with an impactful plot or masterful writing. Instead, it’s actually a super basic plot with a lot of tropes that’s done so well that it’s enjoyable.
✅Overall, the drama is mad fun to watch and its flaws are nearly not enough to weigh it down. It almost feels like the younger sister of The Rise Of Phoenixes with diabolical characters in love, except it comes with an ending that’s easy on the heart.
Definitely, Jeana approved.
8.5/10
Jiang Xue Ning, run away then. Run to the ends of the world but I am telling you, no matter where you run, I’ll find you.
-Xie Wei
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Fun, dramatic and mindnumbingly stupid Season 2 of the Makjangiest Makjang on the block
Even though I enjoyed this A LOT, I have mixed feelings about this show so I'mma break it down into pros and cons. Read till the end before getting triggered.Cons:
▪︎The first half:
"Can this show get any more ridiculous?" asked my tired brain after it finished yet another episode full of repetitive, pointless misery that was only half as entertaining than what it used to be.
Don't get me wrong. The shock value is still high albeit it gets more and more predictable with every episode. The black comedy is still top notch, I was morbidly laughing my ass off 90% of the time. It's still a fairly easy to watch show. Kinda like junk food, you know it can't possibly be healthy for you but you're still watching. Almost begging for it to get better.
This is a Makjang. So, I trust that if you like those and you've watched season 1 you already expect this to be over the top and exaggerated.
However, despite how OTT it was, season one had a solid direction and the characters were actually built nicely.
Behind all the noise, if you looked, you could find some nuance and thought behind the way characters functioned. So, by all counts it was a well made show and it wasn't a surprise that it became a household name in Korea. That's great but then obviously the drama creators got greedy and they wanted to prolong the victory for two more unnecessary seasons.
By ending the last season the way they did, they found a sure shot way for us to continue. Surely, we were all angered by the triumph of the bad guys and wanted to see justice prevail. Going to watch season 2 was the easiest decision for all of us. Unfortunately, in just a few episodes, the drama writers made me effectively stop giving a shit about everyone in the show.
The writing was just terrible, nonsensical and laughably bad in this one. It's like they ate a bunch of plotlines and then vomited it out on screen. There's no point of this show because things happen just for the sake of happening. During most of the drama, there isn't a single character you can root for and the evil characters that were interesting and charismatic asf in season 1 start to seem hollow and one dimensional in this.
It's the same old thing over and over and over again. Bullying, murder (but not really), revenge (but not really) and Repeat. And we are getting no where. It gets tiresome to watch a repeat of season one with none of the wow factor.
The worst thing is that for most of the show, the protagonist is Yeon Hee who is the single most brainless character to ever appear on tv. She was horrible in season 1 and unfortunately, worse in season 2. She functions on half a braincell and only knows how to whine and scream my ears off. That's it. Not a single ounce of sense in that woman.
There are a few hilariously unfunny plot twists that the writers pulled out of their ass and they stank of bullshit.
Yes, the antagonists did deliver their best. Cheon Seo Jin killed her performance as always. The acting didn't suffer and remained at the top but what's the point when you've stopped giving a fuck about the story and the characters?
It's just a cycle of seeing miserable and mindlessly evil adults and teenagers be pointlessly cruel, greedy and annoying for 13 hours straight.
The direction is still crisp, the drama exudes luxury of the Hera Palace and I love the brilliant music pieces but we already saw all that in season 1.
For a show to function, the good guys need to be on equal footing as the bad ones but here the antagonists >>> protagonists. Even when the bad guys suffer it's mostly because of their own stupidity and infighting. Hardly any badass good guy moments in 70% of the show and at one point, you're just wishing for them all to just kill each other and save you the frustration.
▪︎Pros:
So, I wrote all that and you're like um, is there anything left to say? Yes, there is. The show finally picks up in the second half. Don't get me wrong, the writing is still completely bogus and the plot is very silly and unrealistic BUT you finally get a character you want to root for.
This is the 30% of the show that absolutely makes you want to power through sitting right at the edge of your seat.
I don't want to give spoilers but I'll just say a badass bitch is back in the house and once she comes, watching the show becomes much easier.
Episode 12 is literally one of the most satisfying episodes as slowly but surely our good guys get ready to whoop some major asses.
Throughout the show there are some very touching moments in the way the parent and child relationship is portrayed. Some scenes were really nicely executed and I got some major feels even when overall the drama lacks emotion because of the inconsistency in pace and writing.
The ending is also very satisfying but annoying in equal measures.
Overall, is this drama WACK? Yes.
Is it trying to be anything else? No.
Will I be watching season 3? Fuck yes.
This is the crack I run on. You don't have to use your brain while watching it and it's strangely addicting.
So, keep your expectations low, turn off your brain and enjoy it to the maximum!
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Do you really know the person you're in love with?
A fast paced, bite your nails, clutch your pearls, sleep with the monster under your bed kinda crime love story that will have you hooked from start to finish.Cha Ji Won is an excellent cop and a very lucky woman. She has an adorable daughter, a gorgeous husband who cooks, cleans, gives great kisses and is a skilled craftsman. They have a pretty little house and life's pretty good. Except... that her gorgeous husband might actually be a serial killer in the past. Oops.
Flower of evil keeps you on the very edge right from the start. The drama goes to great lengths to write brilliant characters and explore their personalities and relationships with each other and it succeeds for the most part.
Lee Joon Gi (Do Hyun Soo) was phenomenal here. God, his acting often left me speechless. The control he has over his microexpressions is crazy. His acting is so nuanced that it captures you throughout and makes you one with his character. The way Do Hyun Soo flits from this charismatic, doting, loving husband and father to this scary sonovabitch with madness in his eyes and the potential to murder always hit me like whiplash.
Do Hyun Soo is an unreliable protagonist. You're never quite sure of his motivations in the start. He is smart, cunning and manipulative and gives up major red flags. He seems incapable of emotion and you never know whether he is really able to care for anyone or not. But boy, when he comes through, he comes THROUGH. And you can't help but fall in love with him.
I am really proud of Moon Chae Won (Cha Ji Won) for doing this drama. I have disliked some of her work in the past for mostly playing roles that present her as an accessory to the male lead but she really stood on her own here. Her acting was excellent as she portrayed this hard hitting, ball buster cop who is as strong as she is vulnerable.
The drama did a good job with developing a myriad of characters so that all of them feel important. Cha Ji won's police squad, Hyun Soo's sister, the couple's daughter and parents and reporter Moo Jin who is a fan favourite.
This drama is part crime thriller and part romance. On the murder mystery front, I don't think you guys will find anything that's all that new. Yes, the real killer is very deliciously psychotic and smart enough to give our good guys a hard time. Yes, things really frustrate you as we go forward one step to catching the true culprit and are pushed three steps back. But overall the whole investigation and the way things pan out are very kdrama-ish, equipped with predictable plot devices and definitely not unique.
The highlight of the show was for sure the romance. It was just so good. There was no angst and cutesy stuff that comes with new couples. No stupidity or 'he loves me, loves me not' bullshit. They've been married for 14 years and love each other like crazy. It breaks your heart when problems out of their control time and time again stand beetween their relationship and test the trust and love they have for each other. But make no mistake, they are both each other's world and always have the other's back. It's so natural, intense, mature and believable. They have great chemistry and understanding and I loved everything about them. It was amazing for me to see the way they react, deal and feel when they come to certain realizations about each other. It made the show a treat to watch.
However, I definitely have some complaints. I went into the show thinking it will absolutely wreck me. I thought there was no way it will end happily and that it will break my heart. But halfway through, you realize the show is pretty vanilla. And staying true to that, they really cushioned a lot of blows and pulled their punches in the second half.
As a viewer, I was half relieved that my feelings were spared but half unsatisfied because I wasn't hit in my feels as hard as I could have been.
There were also some very cheesy bits and some cliche ridiculousness in the second half as they pulled out the good ol' theatrics. A couple of things were a sob fest that I kept laughing at, instead of taking seriously 'cause of how over the top they went with their crying scenes. I'd go as far as to say that our main leads may have over acted a bit in the last couple of episodes. It was in sheer contrast with the crisply written, full of underlying tension and subtle gravity of the first half.
But overall, it surely kept me invested throughout. I swooned, got teary eyed, impatient, was frustrated, excited and anxious so the feelings were definitely there, to the point that it got me replaying many scenes.
There were plenty of warm moments to compliment the dark ones, steamy kisses and scenes you laugh at- sometimes because it's genuinely funny and sometimes 'cause you find some dark humor in them.
The sound track was great, the pacing was smooth and the acting was excellent across the board.
All in all, a must watch. So what are you waiting for? Go watch it!
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Action, pizzazz, bromance and a whole lotta stupidity.
As far as entertainment value is concerned, Bloodhounds does have a lot of it. The drama is full of hot oppas kicking ass and a wholesome bromance between Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi- who give you both Men in black and dumb and dumber energy at the same time.WDH shines with his Alpha bunny presence and owns the role. The action scenes are snazzy, the comedy is great, it has a lot of interesting characters, the villain is charismatic, the friendship theme is at an all time high and it’s a very addictive and watchable bite sized show.
That said, the writing is painfully stupid. Like it’s just really fucking bad. The characters do such mindlessly idiotic shit just for the sake of conflict that you can’t take this seriously at all. It’s just 8 episodes of plot holes, meaningless deaths and 0.0001% common sense.
It’s junk food without substance and nothing too deep. However, it did bring me outta a super long slump and I did have fun watching it which is why I am not giving it a 4- which is where I think the writing’s at.
Cause what they are trying to sell you is essentially that a killer who is more or less the underground mafia who has killed samurais, hardened criminals, professional killers, gangsters and has the country’s richest and powerful in the palm of his hand can only be defeated by two goofy millennials who are still wet behind the ears and know how to throw a punch…
It’s hard to buy the BS, you feel me?
Anyway, overall a nice time pass and good for some swoons and giggles.
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When it's so bad, that it's good...
Over the top, filled with cringe comedy and ridiculousness; this drama somehow made me go from shaking my head at its antics to thoroughly enjoying it in an endeared mannerFirst of all let's talk about the elephant in the room. I am not going to deny that this show is problematic. Even if we skip the fact that this 'family drama' is derived from a very ethically questionable adult webtoon and is bound to direct attention towards the source material, there are still many other things to frown upon.
In the very first episode, the FL (a highschooler) kisses the ML (an adult and a stranger) without his permission, then goes on to be very handsy with him throughout the show despite knowing that he has a girlfriend, beats up people left and right and well, basically does a lot of what your typical drama 'bad boys' usually do. (It's inappropriate behavior regardless of the gender.)
Then, in a very ignorant fashion, for comedic purposes the drama introduces a supporting character (ML's best friend) that has angered the international community for culture appropriation and rightfully so. Korean dramas have never been known to handle sensitive topics 'sensitively' and should know to stay away from them which Backstreet Rookie clearly does not do. It helps that he has reduced screen-time as episodes progress and that the fast forward button comes in particularly handy for his scenes.
So if these things make you shy away from the drama then it's completely understandable and you should do you.
But now for those who were able to walk past the controversy: The thing is while being ignorant, the drama clearly is not malicious. It's pretty obvious that they are just trying way too hard to be funny and sometimes it strikes true and you're left in fits of laughter and other times it doesn't and the result is just embarrassing.
Soon we realize that the FL; a young girl who doesn't have it easy, who lost her father too early, who has been raising her sister alone is quite a lost child inside. She is aggressive at first in her persuit for the ML (who is the only one who seemed to give a shit about her) but soon she becomes more mature and thoughtful. She is strong, stands up for herself and those she cares for and loves fiercely. After you get through the first episodes, she becomes an increasingly likable heroine and you can't help but root for her.
This role doesn't do anything for Ji Chang Wook as an actor. His character is not the typical male lead and not very attractive. He is a pushover, a 30 year old man who lives with his parents, doesn't have a lot of self respect, let's people run over him and despite his good looks, he doesn't do much in the beginning. However, soon you see his strong sense of justice, his love for his own family and the fact that he is literally an actual good human being and so you warm up to him.
The acting is great across the board. The main couple looks so good together (the romance follows with both of them being legal adults) with great chemistry. The OST is stunning and the cringe comedic camera effects during action scenes also grow on you after a while.
The best thing about it, is that even though it's very obviously in your face slapstick, the drama comes with these surprisingly heart warming and emotional moments that sneak up on you and hit you in the feels.
Also, since it is by the same creators as The Fiery Priest, it has A LOT of drama references that are absolutely gold and leave you roaring with laughter.
Overall, it's a light hearted romantic comedy, that doesn't take itself seriously.
So I'd say if you tried the show and couldn't get past the objectionable material, that's perfectly fine but if you are one those who want to watch this show and are hesitating just because of the negativity surrounding it, I suggest you give it a try and let the drama make its case first.
Enjoy!
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Lies, deceit, murder and two broken women on a mission.
I may spend 360 days out of an year complaining about draggy dramas that are slow paced and bore me to death but when the weather hits just right and the sun goes down and I am in a certain type of mood, I spend the remaining five days seeking slow burn, dark, art house kind of movies and shows that feed my soul.The thing with dramas like this is though that they bank heavily on two things: atmosphere and characters. It’s less about what is happening and more on why it is and the psyche behind it. If done well, they can give you a delicious little mental workout while thoroughly creeping you out.
“Lies hidden in my garden” absolutely nails the atmosphere. It delivers on the eeriness, the creep under your skin kind of horror and creates a perfectly unsettling and disturbing mood.
I absolutely love the camera work in this show. Some of the shots are truly stunning cause of how beautifully they overstate or understate events in the drama.
My particular favourite is when a character has this great revelation and the camera takes a 180 degree tilt and it’s almost like you can feel the character’s world turning on its axis.
So absolutely gorgeous cinematography coupled with a decent music score that highlights the underlying tension of the show.
Now, come the characters. I don’t know what it says about me that my choice for the best and most dynamic character in The Glory was Lim Ji yeon’s bully. 💀 I thought she slayed the role and so, it’s no secret that I picked this show up for her.
Her character here, is again not a very likeable one. She is an extremely broken woman, a victim of domestic violence, pregnant, broke with a sick mother and a burdensome brother to deal with, who is as greedy as she is volatile and as helpless as she is tragic.
LJY steals the spotlight as she flits over her various emotions and I think she delivered the complexities of her character fairly well.
The other most promising character is of the husband- the chilling, absolutely terrifying motherfucker who gaslights and lies as a passion. The actor killed the role and proved to be a very promising villain.
Now, here comes the elephant in the room- Kim Tae Hee and her character with an awful lotta screen time. KTH is a talentless and weak actress who has built a career on face value and it shows. My words are harsh but they are true. She is very uninteresting to watch on screen and gives life to a character that’s inconsistent and hard to empathise with because of how dumb she is.
Just because of her existence, the show loses its edge and brings down its standard.
Other than that, the writing of the show is nothing to sing home about. While the suspense element is done pretty well, the twists are hardly things you can’t see coming. Moreover, some plot lines/characters are introduced only to never be properly explored, making scenes with them just pointless and leading nowhere.
It’s like you understand what the writer wanted to achieve but they didn’t do a very good job doing it.
So, overall It’s an okay-ish show that you can enjoy only when you are in a certain mood. Good thing that it caught me at the right time so I did enjoy it but in good conscience cannot praise it for the quality.
Honestly, I think shows like Anna and movies like Burning and Voice of silence are better alternatives for this show. They’ll give you the same mood and take up less time.
So that’s that.
Enjoy!
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Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
Internalised misogyny 101 and a masterclass in reducing strong women to pure drivel
Alchemy of souls season 1’s downhill trajectory in the second half and that clusterfuck of an ending should have been enough of a hint for us to not continue with season 2.Oh but most of us did. We so did. And do you know what? S2 actually had a promising start. For what it’s worth, I thought Go Young Jung did a good job with bringing forward a new Naksu who had retained her innocence and wasn’t tainted by all the misery. Jung so Min was a tough act to follow and GYJ did it seamlessly, quickly making us like this cute, sweet, resilient and silently strong woman in love, atleast for a short while.
The usual amnesia, cold man/warm woman angst worked well enough as a guilty pleasure watch in the first, say, three episodes but then… it got real old real fast and you quickly realise:
YOU DON’T WANT A CUTE, SWEET, RESILIENT AND SILENTLY STRONG WOMAN IN LOVE ANY MORE.
No. You want Naksu back. It’s absolutely ridiculous how Hong sisters created this idea of a damaged female assassin with baggage who can be selfish, tough, vulnerable, ruthless and is actually a multi layered character and then spent a season and a half forcing her into the role of a ditzy damsel in distress, constantly in need of saving by oh so strong men.
While her male leads are getting these magnificent and badass grand entrances where they fight a hundred enemies in one go, what does the supposedly powerful female assassin get? A good amount of screen time where she faints, gets hot flashes or enjoys her favourite past time: crying helplessly.
The plot in season 2 is nothing to sing home about. It’s just Jang Uk running circles around the elephant in the room: the identity of Naksu who is traipsing right under his nose.
They just drag and drag and drag that one plot line that by the last episode you really just don’t care at all. The grand reveal is also extremely lacklustre and anti-climatic. It’s like the Hong sisters are making shit up as they go and wing-ing it like their lives depend on it.
The cheap attempts at contrived emotion with the fake deaths, sentimental music and dumb cliffhangers is the height of poor writing.
While the Crown Prince does bring in the comedy and there are a few adorable bromance moments; they are nearly not enough to carry the show on for ten episodes.
I am honestly so offended with the way they dangled the possibility of Naksu owning her skills and showing every one who’s boss in front of me like a carrot and forced me to watch till the end but all I really got was unnecessary pining, a grade school romance, a heroine whose entire purpose is solely to build the hero up and then make herself scarce and Hong sisters displaying how deeply they are entrenched in their own internalised misogyny.
There’s no other way to say it because God forbid, the female lead actually saves the day in even one episode. Blasphemy!
Don’t even get me started on the other potentially powerful female character in the drama “Jin Bu Yeon” who was reduced to little more than an after thought only getting five minutes of mentionable screen time.
So really, going in this show, please don’t expect an actual plot, story line or any sort of meaningful character development because you’ll end up having your intelligence insulted.
Instead, check it out only if you want a mindless watch that serves as a guilty pleasure and is more or less fan fiction in TV form.
Oh and there are some steamy kisses.
Hong sisters really thought they’ll throw in some skin ship as a band aid over the bleeding, torched, infected and full of pus wound that was season 2’s plot.
Make of that what you will.
Enjoy.
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I've never really understood the allure of Lee Min Ho before and admittedly, I sought great enlightenment in that regard with City Hunter, however, 20 episodes in and I'm still lost. It's safe to say that he is the namesake of Korean Entertainment Industry, internationally famous and even No#1 on the most popular list on our beloved MDL but for all that hype, there isn't much basis. To put it bluntly, he really isn't a very good actor. Sure, he's plenty cute but sadly his gorgeous looks can't save his acting from being plagued by redundancy and lack of versatility.
Lee Min Ho is like a bar of undiluted highly sweetened chocolate; eat one and you'll thoroughly enjoy the delectable sugar high but eat too many and it will turn from delicious to downright nauseous real quick. In other words, he's not the type of actor whose shows one can binge-watch because doing so will be akin to subjecting yourself to the monotony of a recycling machine.
For being an almost perfect hero with no flaws, his character "Lee Yoon Sung" is surprisingly not the sharpest knife in the cutlery and even though the writers created him to be very likeable, he is straight up annoying at times. The biggest example of that is probably when somebody close to him gets shot or severely injured in front of him. Instead of calling the ambulance like a normal person would, he absolutely has to act out the whole 15-minute-long over-emotional dramatic scene filled to the brim with hysterics where he clutches the dying person to his chest, looks deep into their eyes, cries tears of heartache and assures them that they will indeed not die, all the while sufficiently increasing their chances of said death.
I mean, how Kim Na Na survives after being shot is still an enigma to me because our dear Yoon Sung did try his level best to cause murder due to excessive blood loss because wallowing in misery and repeatedly asking your girlfriend why she'd take a bullet for him is oh so important than taking her to the nearest hospital. (Of course, he donates blood to her later and saves the day because we can't let our watchers forget who the true hero is, now can we?)
Park Min Young is a cute actress and Kim Na Na is essentially someone that I would really root for. Which is why, obviously, the creators had to abuse her character to the maximum. I mean if you're going to sell me the fact that a woman who can fight off eight thugs when her man is in trouble, walk right into the heart of danger without an ounce of fear, is an excellent shooter, a level four in Judo and just a badass in general can just as easily be kidnapped, drugged, taken hostage without so much as a mewl in defense by a single man, I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to buy that bullshit. The only thing that I despise more than spineless damsels in distress (without just cause) is a spineless damsel in distress disguised as a strong and highly intelligent heroine.
Na Na did not deserve to be used as a tool to highlight Yoon Sung's character just so he could appear to be the perfect knight in shining black mask, rather, she should've been an independent and resilient woman in her own right who could effectively save herself, but alas chivalry trumps all.
If that isn't enough, City Hunter gives a new meaning to the term "bad romance". It introduces two people who don't deserve to be together in any possible realm and force them to fall in love. As it happens with forceful collision, the result is destruction of both entities. Their affection for each other is completely unbelievable. No matter the martyr syndrome, noble causes and tortured hero bullshit- simply nobody should have to deal with Yoon Sung's horribly immature and selfish attitude. He's constantly pushing and pulling at her, switching gears and being cruel for no reason and Na Na's highly self-sacrificing, outrageously understanding, Mother Theresa level righteousness is frankly, pitiful. Add zero chemistry into the mix and you get a perfectly stiff romance that is difficult to swallow no matter how many justifications you provide to wash it down with.
To top it all off, both the actors have a very short emotional range and their crying scenes made me feel like the awkward back-patter who has to fake sympathy in order to not look like a douche-bag. Furthermore, you got to love how every single dirty politician is exposed with video recordings because it's absolutely 100% inevitable that sooner or later all corrupt criminals will announce the entirety of their sins word by word in thin air. You just have to conveniently be at the right place at the right time with a recording device at hand and you got yourself a wonderfully detailed confession. How exotic.
However, get depressed not, because the show does admittedly has its moments. The best thing about it is the fact that the few things it chooses to well develop are indeed, excellently executed. The injuries are very realistic and if our protagonists get hurt they actually suffer for a lengthy period of time instead of possessing magical healing powers. (Ahem, K2, ahem)
Kim Sang Joong is simply the star of the show. I mean, talk about charismatic villains. Not only is he extremely handsome for an ahjussi, he's also a brilliant actor and I think his cold-hearted glares ultimately made this show worth watching. Lee Jin Piyo is a ruthless mastermind, too cruel and extremely focused on his single-minded revenge. Anything that comes in his way is collateral and messing with him is synonymous for signing a death warrant. I'm not going to lie, I seriously shipped his and Yoon Sung's father-son relationship (as lacking and unhealthy as it may be) and one of the best moments of the show was their showdown in the last episode.
Prosecutor Kim with his holier than thou attitude, fierce determination and power walk (despite the fact that he in reality accomplishes nothing as a prosecutor and loses every time to the City Hunter) really grew on me over-time which was why it was really heartbreaking what the show did to him. I mean, if they were going for emotional impact they got it because honestly, I got very teary-eyed in that particular instance.
There's no denying that the story of City Hunter is very well thought out, the suspense element is nicely done and the interaction between the main characters and some of the supporting one's (Yoon Sung's mom, Bae Man Deok, Sung Chang Hoon and Jung Joon) were really touching to see. The music is good and even though City Hunter's strategies aren't exactly Sherlock-esque, I thoroughly enjoyed all of his exposés. There is a tiny idealist that resides in my heart that secretly loves the whole sentiment behind a masked hero saving the people in times of need and despite all of his flaws I was still sincerely rooting for Yoon Sung.
So, in conclusion I'm going to say that City Hunter is over-all a pleasurable drama, it makes you stick to it till the end and anticipate the incoming episodes with a fervor but when you sit back and ponder upon questions like; "What scene would I like to rewatch and put on replay?" "Which event was unforgettable?" "Which part got my heart racing?", nothing comes to mind. It is surely a good time-pass but not something that'll get you invested.
P.S: I hope all the Lee Min Hoes and City Hunter fanatics out there don't have a Cerci-mode walk of shame leading to execution-style murder in mind for me. Y'all are gorgeous human beings so please go easy on pelting the "This review ain't helpful" button.
Teehee ^~^
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Really, you should watch me watch him.
I have a huge school-girl crush-y grin on my face, my heart starts palpitating and all the Aaahs and Ooohs on the spectrum emit from my mouth.
However, my personal bias aside, there is no denying that he is an excellent actor. No matter what role he's given, he puts in his 11O% and owns it. Unsurprisingly, he does the same in Suspicious Partner. I spent all my time swooning at his adorable actions, fawning at his beautiful face and admiring the way he is able to smoothly deliver so many expressions all at once.
My obsession with him is exactly the reason why I hate giving any drama JCW stars in, a rating less than 8. It makes me feel all sorts of 'disloyal', but unfortunately sometimes you just gotta tell it how it is.
And the 'it' here is the fact that aside from Ji Chang Wook, this show has little to nothing going on for it.
Suspicious Partner starts as a strong, romantic suspense drama but somewhere in between it loses its identity. So much so, that when we're done with it, it fails to properly execute either of the genres.
I want to give credit to the female lead, for she does try and do her best to be quirky but unfortunately, I don't feel much for her. She feels like a support role, at best. There's also the fact that I had to put a lot of effort in getting over her role as the annoying kid Queen Seon Duk, which was a feat in it self 'cause ten years later, her mannerisms are exactly the same as before.
While there is a good dynamic between Ji Wook's Law Team and some hilarious moments between them, nothing really stands out. The sisterhood and bromance has so much potential to be a golden point of the show but unfortunately, it is left untapped.
There is some majorly good acting put out by the antagonist but the show does not develop his character as much as it deserves to be.
The whole crime mystery is dead and very predictable. The second lead romance falls flat and more often than not, the drama stumbles into the realm of utter boredom.
There are some good OST songs here and there but again, there's nothing I would lose sleep over. A lot of questions are given unsatisfactory answers, plot-holes are abundant and so are convenient plot-devices.
The story-line is mediocre, if we're being kind. They use so many ideas from Ji Chang Wook's other shows. Some scenes are copy pasted from The K2, a whole plot-line regarding the heroine's father is taken from Healer and it is all just more of the same ol' same ol' bs.
If it wasn't for JCW, I'm sure I'd rate it even less. And even though I am an eternal fangirl; I love him to the moon and back and I think he is as perfect as always in this show, I will still say that I didn't see him go the extra mile here. This role couldn't have been a challenge for him and because I know that he's an incredibly versatile actor; I'm so ready for him to bring us something phenomenal and better than this.
So over-all I guess it's a good time-pass.
Not too bad, not too good but extremely forgettable.
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Although I Am Not a Hero
35 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Don’t know what’s worse - Oppa’s atrocious mullet or his deadbeat, loser dad personality.
While Atypical family started out as a charming love story between a con artist with dubious intentions and a depressed single dad struggling with past trauma, it quickly becomes boring with predictable and contrived writing, lousy time jumps, trauma and death baiting and wasted potential.✔️The good
The younger female characters in this story are probably the only saving grace of the show. I think Chun Woo Hee did a good job in this drama with her cunning, prickly, initially selfish but compassionate, black-bellied heroine who was refreshing to watch.
Other than her, both the ladies of the said atypical family - young Ina who can read minds and is a chronically ignored and neglected child and Bo Dong Hee - the girl who can fly but now only waddles due to her weight gain are interesting characters that bring some flavor to the show.
The main couple definitely has chemistry, there are some good comedic moments and the kisses are good. Other than that, the transitions between past and future as far as the hero’s time jumping superpower is concerned is interesting and executed well. And, that’s basically where the good stuff ends.
❌The bad
The cinematography and styling of the characters are mediocre at best. The music score is terrible with a weird awkward beat playing at all romantic scenes that sucks out all the romance. There is just some extremely terrible writing in the last couple episodes with a lot of pointless death baiting when it’s obvious nothing is going to actually happen.
There is also a time jump that magically has Bo Dong Hee lose all her weight - which is so dumb because up till that point, the drama did a frankly good job of her struggling with her weight loss only to give her the most lackluster makeover ever.
There is also some seriously wasted sismance potential in this drama (though they do try to hastily stuff it in the last two episodes) and all the older characters - the hero’s mom and dad, the heroine’s adoptive mom - all of them are a pain in the ass with their constant yapping.
❌The Ugly
This is possibly Jang Ki Yong’s worst role yet. Seriously, his character has the maturity of a pea, is the worst dad ever, qUirKy in SPADES to a point where it’s not adorable anymore and did I mention his hair is AWFUL? That mullet is an actual crime against humanity.
I mean it’s almost a talent how they were able to make freaking beautiful Jang Ki Yong look so incredibly not sexy. It’s definitely a choice. Man’s is so deadbeat and has 3974392 issues, solves nothing for the MAJORITY of the show and his reaction to basically everything is to start hyperventilating and unleash waterworks that put the best soap operas to shame.
Sure, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in the first few episodes because of his trauma, loss and struggles with alcoholism and depression but if you are going to sell me that love can cure all that then the fact that he can go from ten episodes of development to BUM mode on the drop of a hat is so stupid, I can’t.
Jang Ki Yong’s absolutely extra acting and wobbly bottom lip + flaring nose theatrics at anything and everything just had me yawning. I felt nothing in his scenes because he was enough of a drama queen for all of us.
He has ZERO genuine consideration for his child, only fake promises and emotional crying scenes to overcompensate for the fact that he is a weak man living in the past who could go spiraling any time.
Up till ten episodes, that is 80% of the show, I really didn’t understand the point of all of this because is the drama telling us that one woman could heal all these individuals? Because it’s not healing if she is putting bandaids on their wounds and they unravel if she so much as goes to the loo.
These people hardly change much from the first episode until the tenth episode because Ina is still a neglected child, Bong Hee even with her magical two second weight loss is still cranky and misunderstood, the oppa is still spiraling and the grandparents are still yapping in the back. The only character that was developed and remained strong throughout was the heroine and honestly, her alone wasn’t enough to carry the show.
Then, suddenly, episode 11 hits and EVERYTHING fixes itself. LMAO. Literally even the villains have forced redemption arcs and they put a cute little sorry on their shitty behavior and give it a pass.
Don’t even get me started on how little self-preservation these characters have. In every life or death moment, they absolutely have to waste at least ten minutes, staring into each other's eyes moping or doling out theatrics. None of them would survive a real life accident.
And, finally, the drama ends with the most poorly written, contrived ending I have ever seen. It’s just comedy at that point.
Still, overall, it’s a fine time-pass to watch on the weekends. A slow paced palate cleanser if you will, but it’s nothing deep and shouldn’t be taken as such.
Enjoy!
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