Jinyoungie
Because This is My First Life
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This is one of those dramas that just causes you to think and I mean that in a good way. I love how the writers went in different directions at certain points of it, and I love how there were a lot of modern ideas and thought processes woven into this one. It made this drama feel more original. This drama kept me hooked because I was interested in all three couples stories. Each of their relationships were really different specifically each partner's expectations for the other and their expectations for the direction their future's should take. I applaud the writers because it's not a typical thing for me to be interested in much other than the main couple, but they managed to keep the other couples interesting as well so that when it was their turn I didn't begrudge it but was excited instead. Even though marriage is not really on my horizon this drama gives you a lot of food for thought about the institution of marriage and it's values and issues.
I also felt really touched by a specific character's journey. Her desire to live a normal, typical life. I've never desired my life to be insanely different than anyone else either and what I've always wanted is to live a life where I do the things that everyone wants to do. Sometimes you just want what's normal and that really hit home for me.
The actors do a splendid job. Each character is played realistically even though some are exaggerated. The exaggeration isn't anything hard to watch though, it's more just emphasis on the type of person each one is and I think the actors do a really good job of being believable and likable and more than anything, interesting. Also, I loved Bo Mi's character!
The music is beautiful and I don't think they could have picked more fitting tracks. The upbeat tracks make me wanna jump up and down, and the sadder more melancholic songs are very poignant to the situation. The music definitely adds a lot to this drama.
Because This Is My First Life almost made it into my favorites list, but there was one episode or two that I really disliked and no matter how hard I try I can't quite overlook them. I know what the point was that they were trying to make, but I would argue that they went way to far, passing the bounds of realistic and believable.
Overall: I recommend this drama! I felt refreshed by this drama and whenever that happens I think the drama deserves a lot of merit. It's really good and I definitely think the pros outweigh the cons pretty heavily.
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What this drama does well is the relationship between Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo. Jung Kyung Ho. The more kdramas I watch with him, the more I see him as an actor that consistently has great chemistry with his co-stars; whether it be romantic chemistry or simply platonic, Jung Kyung Ho always meshes well. Jung Kyung Ho and Jang Na Ra are a fantastic combination. Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo have a playful banter with an underlying attraction that can be felt through the screen. Their relationship drives the show and their scenes were the highlight. Jung Kyung Ho plays cute but totally hilarious and sassy so well! He is literally like a squish-able puppy on screen! His character Song Soo Hyuk is adorable and witty, but he is also grounded and responsible. His relationship with his son Min Woo is beyond precious and that is the other highlight of this show. Jang Na Ra's character Han Mi Mo is a little flighty, a little frustratingly air-headed at times, but she is also optimistic and fun-loving and has enough spunk and self-confidence to make wise decisions and make her a likeable leading lady.
Overall, I think One More Happy Ending could have been vastly improved had it focused more on Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo's relationship. I never grew tired of their scenes and was left wanting more of them which was a feeling I didn't have for a vast majority of the other characters. I also would've appreciated more scenes with father and son, Soo Hyuk and Min Woo. I felt like Soo Hyuk being a single dad was meant to be such a framework for the storyline and yet the scenes between father and son were so few and far between. This was especially frustrating since their scenes were always very meaningful and heartwarming to watch.
I like a good love-triangle, yes it can be overused in kdramas, but if it is done well and the characters are empathetic and their actions plausible then I'm all for it. But the balance was all off in this one. It was obvious to the audience from square one that Soo Hyuk was best for Mi Mo and more than that, it quickly became very obvious that Hae Joon was not. But beyond even that, Hae Joon as a character was too cookie cutter. There wasn't anything that made him unique or like-able. He was one dimensionally manipulative and dominant, and somehow still managed to be boring!
As for the other angel's members, I felt disconnected to their stories. I don't think any of their story-lines were developed enough for me to become attached to their characters. And beyond that their story-lines were so predictable that as we hopped from one woman's relationship to the next I just couldn't seem to engage.
If you like romantic comedies, I would recommend watching this for the main couple. Song Soo Hyuk and Han Mi Mo are adorable and have great chemistry! The story is pretty basic, and everything else kind of blurs together into this category of "meh". I will probably never rewatch this, but I have already gone back and rewatched scenes of the main couple.
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Going into Life on Mars, I'll admit it, I had high expectations. I mean the reviews and ratings were stellar, and I love both Jung Kyung Ho and Park Sung Woong; but after the first few episodes I felt let down. The beginning didn't seem well orchestrated and I felt as though the first couple episodes did a poor job of laying the framework for the general plot. But now here I am, giving it a 9.0 rating.
I have to start with Jung Kyung Ho because he is one of the main reasons I picked up this drama and the reason I stuck it out at the beginning. Jung Kyung Ho does a phenomenal job (I'm not surprised). Even with his character's cool stoic disposition he manages to capture even the subtle emotions and minute expressions that easily could've been overacted or not emphasized enough. He also mastered some of Tae Joo's pretty intense maniac outbursts. To describe our lead man, Han Tae Joo is a rough around the edges. His personality is prickly and he is very reserved and strict. He's a man who cares about following procedures and trusts science and logic more than anything or anyone else. To be honest there were a lot of times that I just wanted Tae Joo to let go a little. I was pining for him to, I don't know, crack a smile for god's sake, maybe even let out a little laugh?? But as the story progressed I came to understand Tae Joo's character and I realized that the beauty of Tae Joo as a character and Life on Mars as a whole, is Han Tae Joo's quest to discover what the truth really is, what his reality is. Recognizing what it is and who it is, that makes him truly happy. Plus I have to say that his hard, stubborn personality was the perfect addition to the whole police squad, but specifically Tae Joo was the yin to our beloved police captain, Kang Dong Cheol played by Park Sung Woong. With Han Tae Joo's level-headedness and Kang Dong Cheol's spontaneous ferocity, they made the perfect police duo but also the sweetest of comrades, and of friends.
The relationships between the characters and the small ways they each individually developed opinions, judgments, and feelings for Tae Joo from the early beginnings to the very end was so touching and realistically executed. I loved the little nuances that we get with each character, the different little ways that they initially show respect or a lack of respect (*ahem* Lee Yong Gi) for our police chief Han Tae Joo and how these little nuances grew into sustainable real relationships. Jo Nam Sik our youngest member of the crew, who demonstrates a quiet but albeit present glow of respect and awe of Tae Joo, the ways Nam Sik acknowledges Tae Joo's presence when he enters a room, the way he earnestly reports information, you can see he recognizes Tae Joo as his authority, but also as the hard-working, clever, deserving police chief that he is. Ms Yoon or Yoon Na Young, whose bright mind and diligence is first recognized by Tae Joo, as she extends her warm smile and helpful hand without hesitation and shows her admiration without restraint. Then we have Lee Yong Gi who shows immediate distaste and doubt in Tae Joo, expressed in his snide comments and quiet grumblings. And last, but not least, no not least, we have Captain Kang Dong Cheol who shows more maturity than Yong Gi but is also skeptical of our lead Han Tae Joo who enters their police team with an air of quiet pride and dignity, who looks and approaches cases from a much different perspective than their norm. But Dong Cheol quickly alters his initial judgment when he sees that Tae Joo puts just as much care and dedication into his job as he does, if not more.
And of course on the flip side, I like the slow evolution that we see from Tae Joo's end. He is, under the circumstances, understandably distant and closed off from his coworkers. He doesn't care what their opinions are of him, he acts as he always does and doesn't let their current culture or ways of doing things influence his own methods and personality. When other coworkers make judgments of him he doesn't show the need to defend himself, he only desires to follow procedures and work towards solving cases. However, one of the things that impressed me and made me like Tae Joo as a character early on, is the respect and encouragement he gives Ms Yoon. Ms Yoon is not recognized as an equal member of the police squad. She is essentially the errand girl, the little secretary answering phones and the one to "fetch us some coffee". A lot of this is probably because of the time period, so I can't fault our other characters/members of the police squad too much. But Tae Joo on the other hand, treats Ms. Yoon as he would anyone else, as an equal which in turn, begins to influence others to treat her the same. He gives Ms. Yoon a fair shot yes, but he also recognizes her potential. He sees how invested she is in cases, the diligence and attention she puts into even the small things, and he notices that she has valuable, evidence based judgments and a quick-wit. Then we have Nam Sik, who Tae Joo treats as an adult despite his young age and short time on the force. Tae Joo knows Nam Sik looks up to him but doesn't let that go to his head and continues to be a consistent role model for Nam Sik. And even when Yong Gi is being a complete tool, 9 times out of 10, Tae Joo maintains his maturity and doesn't let it bother him, the only time he says something is when it directly involves a case. And with Kang Dong Cheol, the leader and most outspoken one of the squad, Tae Joo collaborates. He doesn't belittle him when he knows nothing about Forensics and science, but he taps into Dong Cheol's own unique strengths as a charismatic leader, a people person with a lot of on-the-job experience. As slow as the progression may be, we see that Tae Joo genuinely cares for each member on his police squad. And Han Tae Joo does what he so vehemently fought against, when everything comes crashing down, he trusts them. **Spoiler** That is the moment where it becomes evident that these are not just coworkers, no these are not hallucinations, these people, Nam Sik, Yong Gi, Yoon Na Young, Dong Cheol, are his friends.
In conclusion, would I recommend you watch it? Well, the episodes are definitely true to the genres of investigation and detective work as each one generally revolves around/includes solving a case so keep that in mind. But even within that there are things that make this drama unique, it takes place in a different time period and it's got the psychological twist to it. And of course the relationships, the slow progression that forms solid relationships between the different characters is very organic and realistic which I think makes it all the more heartwarming at the end. If these are factors that interest you, then yes Life on Mars is definitely worth the watch.
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This KDrama proves to me that you never quite know what your tastes are; that there are exceptions to every rule. Personally, I lean towards romcoms with romances that warms my heart and comedy that gives me the giggles. Action and crime dramas are not my preference at all. But Cruel City... was the PERFECT exception.
Heart-pounding, blood-boiling, mind-racing: these are the words I would use to describe how I felt the duration of Cruel City, from the first episode to the absolute last second. Captivating action and suspense scenes that had me literally clutching my heart and mysterious characters that had me constantly analyzing whether I was meant to root for them or against. Plot-wise, full of twists and unexpected scenes which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Villains that made me feel sick to my stomach. You will be shocked and surprised while watching this and you’ll never be quite sure what the outcome will be. I both loved and hated this aspect of the drama, as there were times where I felt so stressed without the confirmation of knowing what was going to happen to my favorite characters but then the momentary relief after a scene was over could be so satisfying.
What drew me into watching Cruel City, after it had been sitting in my plan to watch list for years, is Jung Kyung Ho. After watching him in Falling For Innocence and in episodes of Hospital Playlist, I knew I was addicted and, looking for another excuse to watch Jung Kyung Ho, Cruel City became the perfect candidate. I've only recently discovered Jung Kyung Ho after having watched KDramas for about 6 years which totally frustrates me as I am just now witnessing how completely flawless he is. Jung Kyung Ho is one of those actors who can completely submerge themselves into a role. His talent is such that you almost get tricked into believing that his character exists in real life. Jung Shi Hyun, Doctor's Son, is a character that I think will haunt me for ages now that I’ve finished Cruel City. Jung Shi Hyun, like most of the other characters in this drama, had an aura of mystery; but in the most appealing and addictive way. He is masculine and threatening, harsh and cold. There were times where looking through the screen into his eyes even scared me. But his unmatched loyalty for those he cares about, his fierce resolve to stand tall and sacrifice himself for his loved ones in every situation, makes his character so powerful and breathtaking to watch. He does not allow his constant inner turmoil between what he is meant to do and what he wants to do break him; but rather it motivates him to fight with everything he has. I heard others raving about this being Jung Kyung Ho’s best role, and now I can understand why. The mask that he wears as Doctor’s Son with his emotionless, calculated gaze, contrasts so well with the highly intense moments wherein he is forced to let his true heart and inner spirit burst forth. Jung Kyung Ho was consistently the scene-stealer. I was completely impressed/satisfied with all of the other actors' performances as well, special shout out to Yoon Hyun Min as Soo and Kim Yoo Mi as Lee Jin Suk, who both slayed their roles.
Looking at this drama critically, there were a couple things that I wish had been done differently that would’ve brought my rating up to a 10 and coincidentally they all are in the last episode. The main thing that bothered me is in the last episode an unusual amount of characters acted in ways that were out-of-character. Characters who, for the whole 19 episodes, were meticulous planners, consistently exercised sound judgment, who were always two-steps ahead, were suddenly brash and short cited. Okay, so no one's perfect all the time, of course characters will sometimes make mistakes and act unusually, however, a majority of these characters all making these oversights at the same time? Idk. Moving on, I also felt the ending was rushed/incomplete and lacked closure, for frankly, all of the characters. Everything was kept up until the last minute, last second really, which to me, is a double edged sword. On one hand I completely agree that this was one of the charms of Cruel City, the fact that they do not drag things out and that episodes are kept consistently fast paced and forward driving. However, being that this was the last episode, I think they should’ve made an exception to that pattern. I felt a twinge of bitterness lingering at the end; it seemed like they cut everything off while I still hadn’t had a chance to finish processing my emotions resulting from some highly climactic scenes. My other “beef” with Cruel City comes in the last episode as well. The revenge theme in this drama was sought after so hard by so many characters in this drama, it is unarguably an essential ingredient in each episode, but then at the end of it all, when revenge should’ve been the sweetest, it felt so unfinished and lackluster. In lieu of the name “Cruel City” I would be a fool if I believed everything would end perfectly, wrapped with a big red bow on top, but the final climactic moment seemed unpolished.
I would say that you have to be a fan of action, crime and suspense to love this KDrama, but I do not typically prefer those genres myself and I loved this. The romance in this is also pretty steamy which of course I didn’t mind. This is the type of drama to exhaust you but I mean that in the BEST sense. It is captivating and compelling and after each episode I felt like I had been holding my breath for too long as my heart would just be racing. Yes I would 100% recommend this drama. If it's not your usual genre, just keep yourself open. Despite my reservations, it's now one of my favorites, and I'm sure it will remain in my head and my heart (cheesy I know) for a long time.
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Kim So Hyun as Kim Hyun Ji was adorable. She really was. Her character was full of energy and spunk and I felt like she was really strong in her role as leading lady. I also enjoyed watching Taecyeon (Park Bong Pal) on screen but it felt like he was holding back a little, and not as strong in his role as the main lead should be. But I still found him entertaining and I cheered him on while watching. As a couple Hyun Ji and Bong Pal had really good chemistry and they had such a cute puppy love kind of relationship! I really liked their scenes together and found myself grinning a lot while watching. I could feel how much fun they had filming while watching.
I also loved Kang Ki Young as Cheon Sang and Lee David as In Rang. I love Kang Ki Young, he is seriously one of the funniest actors that I've seen in kdramas and he and Lee David really carried this drama for me in a lot of ways. Ki Young just knows how to really let loose and is not afraid of being over the top with his characters. His acting is really natural despite him acting so extra. Cheon Sang's interactions with In Rang were super funny and their friendship was so goofy and fun to watch. Lee David I was impressed with as well. I've never seen him in this kind of comedic role but he made his character was really adorkable and lovable! Cheon Sang and Lee David were my favorite characters in this whole drama.
So for the things I didn't like: The flipping Monk!!!! There's also a lot of the annoying kdrama cliches in this and I mean the frustrating kind. *Spoilers* As in the parent figure overstepping their boundaries and controlling the main leads life and the classic I'm gonna break up with you and lie about why because it's for your own good. It was just unnecessary drama and kind of soured the whole cute fun-loving vibe that this drama was succeeding at. There are also a lot of plot holes in this drama, so you have to just acknowledge that there are and move on. I also feel like this drama starts off really slow, and I personally didn't really get into it until episode 7 and that's almost halfway through. It didn't help that I'd watched Oh My Ghostess before this (it's impossible not to compare them), so the fact that I've seen that and loved it, I just kept finding myself comparing some really similar plot points and just finding this to be not as well done. The villain in this wasn't well written and smart either. Yes he was creepy, but that's about it.
So, if you like the whole ghosts genre, light romance, or action and comedy then you'll probably like this. I did enjoy the watch overall, but it took me a while to get into it and I can't say it set itself apart as anything original.
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I'm writing this review after having watched this a second time (although this time through I fast-forwarded through most of it). I didn't have an account on MDL when I watched it the first time but now that I've watched it again I really want to share my feelings on it.
To me what makes this drama worth watching is definitely IU and Jo Jung Suk, their chemistry was spectacular. Do not let the age gap scare you, because their romance is just so pure! I shipped them so hard and they're one of my favorite kdrama couples. Joon Ho is so sweet and clumsy. Even though he acts tough, he makes a fool out of himself so many times which makes him such an endearing character, not to mention the amount he cares for Soon Shin. Joon Ho supports and cheers for Soon Shin when everyone else in her life bosses her around and treats her like crap. He's the only one who truly cares about what her desires are and knows her better than she seems to know herself. He supports her and chases after her in front of all obstacles.
Soon Shin is sensitive and naive. I wouldn't call her a "strong female lead" but she perseveres through so many obstacles and even if she falls down for a bit, she always gets back up. Her resilience is inspiring. IU did a wonderful job. Of course it did kind of drive me crazy just how naive they make her character. There were also many times when I just wanted her to confront her family, or people who were putting her down and just go all out but I really did enjoy her character and enjoyed watching her grow. That's one of the reason's I love Joon Ho so much though, because he brings out the best of Soon Shin. He encourages her to be brave and go for what she wants despite the disapproval of others. She's her best self when she's with him and I love that she brings out his playful side. Their relationship is so fun and innocent and because it was so hard fought, it made me love them all the more. Their scenes together were easily my favorite scenes. I don't think I've ever rooted for a couple more than I rooted for Joon Ho and Soon Shin. In fact, my biggest regret of the whole drama was that they didn't get enough scenes!!! Sometimes they would barely even show up together in an episode and there was definitely enough time for them to have more scenes because this dramas 50 episodes long!
Ugh, anyway. I also liked Jin Wook played by Jung Woo. He was super goofy and entertaining and his relationship with Hye Sin played by Son Tae Young was one of the other good things about this drama. Chan Woo and Yoo Shin were okay but their relationship wasn't as interesting to me. Oh and I also loved In Sung by Lee Ji Hoon. I loved the tiny bits of comedy he added and his interactions with Joon Ho were funny^^ Young Hoon or the restaurant manager played by Lee Ji Hoon ( the other Lee Ji Hoon) was another calming and stable character in a drama full of so many nuts characters, so he was a nice addition.
This drama is definitely has the melodrama thing going for it though and it's one of those dramas that's fullllll of unnecessary misunderstandings. The kind of misunderstandings that can be cured by literally a sentence. The second time through I pretty much fast-forwarded through scenes that weren't of the main couple or certain characters I liked, because honestly this drama drags out misunderstandings like nobody's business. You definitely have to be able to tolerate psycho characters or let yourself scream at them. So that leads me to my biggest problem with this drama. And yes it has to do with this dramas length. The Mom and Grandma get waaaaaaay too much screen time and are in no way "a joy" to watch. Also, many of the conflicts in this drama were simply unnecessary and the misunderstandings didn't add to the drama but took away from it. While watching I had the feeling that the writers just enjoyed putting us through misery because of all the times I wanted to pull my hair out. I also hated that the writers sometimes made certain characters too insane. There were many characters that the writers made unrealistically terrible for a period of like 10 episodes or sometimes more. Like I hated Yoo Shin for the first 10 episodes and I hated the mom for like 15 episodes in the middle and oh the grandma... don't even get me started. Then there were some characters that were just psycho the whole time *cough* Yun Ah.
So the value in this KDrama defintely lies in the main couple's relationship and chemistry. If they got more screen time and other characters less, well the whole drama would have been significantly better. My opinion on this overall is that there weren't enough moments where the characters were allowed to have fun or be happy and there were way too many things dragged out/over dramatized. But my love for certain characters in this drama really made it worth watching and that's saying a lot considering it's 50 episodes. So I suggest you watch it! But only if you're into romance and super cute couples or if you are a fan of IU or Jo Jung Suk. Seriously IU and Jo Jung Suk, ugh so adorable. I shed tears while watching, screamed while watching, but also squealed and grinned so wide while watching. And I can say that after finishing this the second time, I genuinely feel sad.
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I'll begin with the cast because they have so much to do with this drama's success. Park Bo Young clearly does a hell of a job in this one. Not only does she portray one character so well, but two. The way she switches between characters is exceptional. She easily made it onto my favorite actors list. I love the energy that she played Soon Ae with and she's so cute that even when her character was being super over the top she was super lovable. Yet, she could become the painfully shy Bong Sun the very next moment and just make you wanna shake life into her. Kim Seul Gi I had seen in Flower Boy Next Door before this but she had such a small role in that I really had no idea what she was capable of but man she's impressive. Her character Shin Soon Ae, had me crying on so many occasions and her character's bubbly persona, even when she was being mischievous, was fun and eye catching. I felt for her character so deeply and a large part of that is because of her powerful acting. Now to Jo Jung Suk. Okay, well I'm a huge fan of his so of course I love him, but I'm a fan because he's an amazing actor. His character, Kang Sun Woo, is insecure while also being full of himself but also has a lot of integrity and passion. Jo Jung Suk portrays his boyishly immature and admirable charismatic character perfectly and even when other cute distractions arise aka Cordon ;), he still shines and I always looked forward to his presence. But that's the great thing about this drama, I couldn't wait to see all the characters. The kitchen crew omg don't even get me started. So funny. And funny in a natural way. I didn't feel like they were trying to make me to laugh, but rather that they were just being goofs all on their own and I just happened to witness it. Min Soo (Sous Chef) was an amazing supporting character and Kang Ki Young played him masterfully. Cordon, played by Kwak Si Yang, is another character that really intrigued me. I liked that he never actually became a "second male lead" but that he was just an extra sweetie and solid voice of reason and stability when other characters got too crazy. XD Instead of taking away from the funniness and antics of some of the other supporting characters, he just added to their funniness by being so level headed and darn sexy. Im Joo Won also did his character Seung Jae justice and he had me legitimately scared sometimes. All the cast was amazing but I won't mention them all as that would take all day.
The story: I loved the story. The characters are developed very well. Even if you don't like some of the characters at the beginning, the writers do a wonderful job of not suddenly, but consistently integrating the backstories and character growth in a timely fashion in where you don't feel overwhelmed. The writing and directing are well done. The pacing throughout the whole drama is kept very well and everything is presented at the perfect time. Therefore, you don't get too confused with too much information and you don't get bored from a lack of information. There's always something going on and any side stories and backstories are snuck in so naturally that I wasn't ever like, oh great, or, here we go again. I enjoyed every scene while watching it and even if I always looked forward to the main characters scenes, I never wished for other scenes to be cut short. What I think is done exceptionally well is the combination of genres. The romance and comedy go great together but even when this drama goes down very dark roads, it fits so well. Most importantly though, this drama never got boring and never dragged. I was also thoroughly invested in this drama until the last moment in which I cried cause it was so beautiful. Also, the supernatural spin in this was the perfect twist. I like when dramas have that one little twist that makes them unique and the ghost possession creates much excitement and intriguing conflict. If you're scared away because for some reason you didn't like other dramas with the supernatural tag or with ghosts, then don't be. This drama is unique in it's take. This show also makes cooking seem like a lot of fun and I've never even liked cooking cause I'm lazy as heck.
Music: I always find orchestrated music very emotion evoking and the instrumentals in this drama are so lovely and intense. The music is what really pulled the emotions out of me alongside the impeccable acting etc. I still listen to the music tracks in this drama and I've watched it three times. Oh and Jo Jung Suk's song in this is ahhhhh! <3
To me, the very few amount of flaws this drama has aren't worth mentioning and even at my most objective I don't think I would give it lower than a 9. A good drama is a good drama and that's just what this is.
Overall, you should watch this! This drama impacted me on an emotional level in many areas (laughter, crying, fear, excitement) and if you like romance and comedy, regardless of ghosts and the supernatural, you'll probably love this. At least I did.
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Part of the reason I love this drama so much is the fact that it revolves around college students at a University and currently going through college myself, I found this quite intriguing. What I also love about this drama is the array of characters it revolves around. Hong Seol does not have the spunky & fearless personality that I (and I think many others), tend to look for in a female lead. She has, in my opinion, a refreshingly new personality that sets her apart from all of the other main female leads I've seen before. My main concern whenever watching a new kdrama is that the main female lead will either be super over the top obnoxious or a spineless doormat. I would describe Hong Seol as an introvert who although dislikes being the center of attention, is still able to confront the people in her life who need to be confronted while also being the most supportive, thoughtful, and kind friend to those she cares about. She's not bold and fearless, but she is smart and assertive. I loved watch her relationships unfold with both Yoo Jung and Baek In Ho as she was able to enrich each of their lives with her caring nature. I love how Kim Go Eun played her.
Yoo Jung (actor Park Hae Jin) was a hard character for me to like, at least the first time I watched this (this is the 2nd time watching it through). The reason being, I don't feel his character is explained as well as he should be. But then again, I feel like the mystery that surrounds his character is supposed to be a part of the allure. I only wish towards the end of the drama they would give a bit more explanation as to why his actions were sometimes so harsh. There was a specific flashback scene with Baek In Ho that was a huge turning point in their relationship where I thought Yoo Jung significantly crossed the line of humanity and they never addressed it concretely enough for me to understand why it was something to be understood. Yoo Jung is an interesting character though and I did find him difficult to try and figure out but for the most part I think I did. He was constantly judged and treated as if he was someone to be pitied for being what others labeled as "abnormal." He was taken advantage of throughout his growing years all for the sake of his father's reputation; I can understand how that would mess with your psyche. Especially if it meant finding out that those closest to you looked at you strangely. I just wish the writers would have put a bit more emphasis on the ways he was hurt/how he was hurting in certain parts later on in the drama since he appeared unnecessarily cold (specifically towards one individual).
Baek. In. Ho. Easily my favorite character in this drama, the all-star champ of Cheese in the Trap in my opinion. (Hats off to you Seo Kang Joon). Heart completely torn out for his character. I don't think there was ever a moment in this entire drama where I was ever not rooting for him. He defended those closest to him. He chose to better himself and the people around him. He accepted the hard life he was given and ran with it. He lost so much, his dreams, his friends and family, his home and way of living and yet was able to come back as a stronger, kinder person. His relationship with Hong Seol is one of my favorite relationships in a kdrama. Their friendship is one where they are able to see when the other is hurting and know whether to distract the other, or to get the other to a place where they are able to share their burden. Baek In Ho is able to cheer Hong Seol up and pester her just enough so that she can forget her troubles and see the light in all of it. He encourages her and respects her opinions. The writers literally made me sympathize with Baek In Ho so much and I think this is what makes me love and hate this drama. Baek In Ho is a character that to me is written perfectly, while Yoo Jung almost seems to have been left incomplete and I just am unable to see how I'm supposed to root for Yoo Jung when Baek In Ho genuinely seems like a better person than Yoo Jung. I one could argue that Yoo Jung needs Hong Seol more because he is someone who is a little harder to love and forgive and it would be harder for Yoo Jung to find someone else who could see the good in him. Regardless, I wish the writers would have given a little more closure for all the characters in the last episode but specifically Baek In Ho because I feel like the amount of hardships he had to go through should've justified a better ending for his character's story.
Cheese in the Trap was written with some excellent characters and has stellar actors to back it up. The dynamics between the characters is believable and the story-line is fresh. The story revolves around university life, describing the hardships and stress that's piled onto college students. The ability for a college student to relate to this drama for is pretty high, at least it was for me.
Kdrama OSTs rarely disappoint me and in this one they do not. I listen to the instrumentals purely to be transported back into the vibe that is Cheese in the Trap.
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Am I glad I picked it back up? Yes, although I can't agree that every episode is a masterpiece.
Obviously this drama is beautiful and it has a unique spin of nostalgia in it and anyone who watches it I'm sure can attest to that. Easily my most favorite parts of this drama were those that took place in the past. Sometimes I found myself just waiting for the flashbacks to happen because I knew I would love them. It was exciting seeing the past unfold and inspiring seeing a group of friends so passionately and fearlessly fighting for their independence.
Unfortunately here's the flip side of loving the past story line so much. No matter how hard I tried, I could not make myself love the present story line nearly as much. There was so much more weight and meaning in the past story line that just wasn't there in the present. Although that may have been the point in order to give the watcher a break and/or to show how much times have changed, the balance just felt off for me. I couldn't engage in the present until much later on in the episode progression. For one, I really just disliked Se Ju as a character for a solid chunk of the first episodes. He was sporadically angry in a way that was annoying when I think it was supposed to be funny. Jeon Seol I felt really disconnected to for quite a while (although in the end I loved her) and Yoo Jin Oh was just a catalyst for Se Ju's emotional outbursts. I do feel that things went uphill at a certain point, I just wish it would've went uphill sooner and faster than it seemed to.
Although I came to love and care about each of the main cast, Yoo Jin Oh I rooted for the most. His character's journey I found the most special. His battle between his emotions and obligations brought tears to my eyes and had me questioning my own strength. I commend Yoo Ah In, Im Soo Jung and Go Kyung Pyo's acting but I was specifically impressed with Kwak Shi Yang. I had no idea he was so capable.
The music, oh my god, the music! Every track is so purely breathtaking. The most emotional scenes are perfectly topped with some of the best tracks I've heard. The music added so much to Chicago Typewriter and it just wouldn't have been the same without that aspect.
I'm still unsure if 8.5 is the right rating for Chicago Typewriter because I was so torn in loving some moments and finding others to be pretty lack luster. I just feel like the present time story paled immensely to the past which made it boring for me at times. I will agree that Chicago Typewriter is well done and deserves a watch but these are just my own conflicting thoughts on why I couldn't give it a 10.
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Starts out well, but loses it's way
Strongest Deliveryman I remember seeing all over my recommended on my streaming services when it first came out years ago and I am only now having watched it after having been stuck on Kim Seon Ho in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.To me the strongest elements of this drama were prevalent in the first half or so, the comedy and dialogue was fun and entertaining and it was interesting seeing how the characters meshed with each other. It wasn't clear where relationships would end up and how people would come together and over the first few episodes, seeing characters come to understand each other and see the value in each other was a hopeful set up. However, as things went on the lost potential became clear.
I would argue that Kang Soo & Jin Gyu's relationship was a large element laying the framework to the drama's first big conflict, their relationship sparked a lot of intrigue and seemed to indicate that it would be a steady constant throughout. They started out immediately butting heads coming from two completely different backgrounds, to becoming quick friends with a mutual respect learned on the job, to feelings of betrayal and desperation. Their budding bromance was special & heartwarming, making the inevitable conflict all the more heart wrenching and exciting. It seemed clear they both had things to learn from the other and yet once that first major conflict between them was resolved they slowly had less and less scenes together. I understand that the storyline shifted, but there was a lot lost when there ought not to have been. I also am a sucker for a good bromance, so to see that this potential was there and that both characters had a really fun banter, well it was more than disappointing that the writer's left this unexplored. All in all the relationship between the two felt like a great set up with little pay off.
Kang Soo & Jin Gyu's interactions weren't the only ones that seemed to have a great foundation to only be abandoned later. Dan Ah & Jin Gyu as well had an interesting dynamic and meaningful relationship which was tossed to the sidelines later. I mean Dan Ah literally saved Jin Gyu's life and witnessed him at some of his most vulnerable points, she even defended him when no one else would. And then flip was switched and suddenly she no longer had a care or worry for the struggling, emotionally damaged human that suffered through some really horrible familial abuse and suicide.
At a certain point the writer's seemed to want to completely shift the audience's attention and care to the romance between Kang Soo & Dan Ah, but beyond their playful banter I found their romantic relationship forced and quite honestly uncomfortable to watch. The chemistry for me wasn't there and to make things worse their dialogue became so cliched and shallow that I started to cringe every scene they had together. Needless to say it wasn't a good thing when the attention shifted to spotlight their relationship.
Alongside the increased screen time for Kang Soo and Dan Ah's relationship meant the lessening of screen time for our other main leads. This was odd to me for a couple of reasons. One, Jin Gyu's character was raw and his struggles real and begged sympathy from the audience, thus making every emotional break through his character had quite impactful. He went through some extremely difficult life hurdles only to continue to surprise us with a renewed verve and hope for living a good life despite all of his past trauma and regrets. All of that growth coming with little to no support from anyone else. Also, considering he was nearly beaten to death seemingly on multiple occasions by his father, couldn't his character have had more justice then him just having the ability to walk out on his father's offer to join the company? It just seemed like he had too much of a stake in the beginning of the drama for the writer's to drop him off at the half way point as just the remaining love interest for Ji Yoon and then to have no major scenes any time after. (Don't get me wrong, as a couple Jin Gyu & Ji Yoon were surprisingly cute & believable together). This brings me to Ji Yoon, who I found super annoying in the beginning but once the writer's shifted her direction onto Jin Gyu she seemed to mature leaps and bounds and her puppy love and endless support and care for him seemed so genuine. Some of her scenes with him were so outlandishly hilarious but made her seem like a real person for how weird and raw they were. Her character, like Jin Gyu's, seemed like she could've become much more integral to the plotline or at least have had more screen time as she had to make some pretty difficult life choices herself, like completely emancipating herself from her parents and starting her own career.
Overall, this was enjoyable, but I felt a lot of potential lost and I feel like the message was also muddled a few times between a disconnected romance and imbalance of character development and storyline.
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BUT what makes this worth watching is some of the cast members. *ahem* Ryu Joon Yeol
Cast: Ryu Joon Yeol as Je Soo Ho is BEYOND adorable. Of course I’m superficial and initially I was unsure about him but he was amazing. I liked him almost immediately. I loved the way he played his character. Ryu Joon Yeol made Je Soo Ho into a really unique male lead and that made him the most refreshing part of Lucky Romance. Watching him fall in love was the cutest thing and it made me sooo jealous of Shim Bo Nui. Ryu Joon Yeol is what makes this drama worth watching. Also, his smile is cuteness overload!!
My other two favorites were Hang Ryang Ha by Jung Sang Hoon and Dal Nim by Lee Cho Hee. Ryang Ha was the perrrfect comic relief. He was so hilarious and I loved his relationship with Je Soo Ho. I love a good bromance. I wish he had had more screen time because his scenes were always a highlight for me. That brings me to Dal Nim who is also super adorable! I feel like her character would have been the annoying supporting character if not played by Lee Cho Hee. She made Dal Nim so precious and I just wanted to be best friends with her and protect her from the world. Together they were super precious.
Shim Bo Nui… I don’t know, it’s not that I minded her character all the time but there were whole episodes were I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. She was super cute with Je Soo Ho when she wasn’t being an idiot. I just couldn’t handle that she was a constant worrier and was always needing to be talked back into reality. Maybe it drove me crazy because I’m that way but I could not handle how dumb she was. The writers made her character almost seem mentally ill with how far they took the whole bad luck thing. Je Soo Ho basically became her babysitter and was constantly having to drag her back to reality. Hwang Jung Eum did her best to portray her as likeable but Bo Nui was just too unstable.
Plot: I don’t really need to go into detail but basically the plot is not very original. There isn’t really anything that sets it apart as being unique besides a few well written characters. It definitely starts out slow as many of the reviews mention and it quickly picks up momentum as the main couple’s relationship progresses. I could not handle the last couple episodes though as they revolve around Bo Nui being sooo stupid. Ugh, I’m sorry but I just don’t have the patience for stupid characters. And that last kiss though I have some serious beef with that!
I would recommend this if you like romance and super cute male leads. Just be aware that this is a pretty basic kdrama and it definitely has it’s frustrating cliche moments. Also, the first couple and last couple episodes are not that great.
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