K-lover61
UK
Big feels
This is a very moving story, funny one minute, infuriating the next.It shows an older generation, warts and all. The sexism toward women and changing culture toward older people is obvious and plays a pivotal part of the story.
Aging is different for everyone and the many facets of it are wrapped up, sometimes messily, here.
The saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, goes out the window in this story, especially for one quite awful character who gets a big wake up call. He redeems himself, but I could never like nor forgive him his past behaviour.
Lasting friendships through thick and thin, good and bad times, highs and lows, are heart warming. Misunderstandings, selfishness, only seeing ones own problems, all have consequences that are eloquently played out.
Seeing one's own grown up child treated so badly it causes anguish and anger, is a lesson that should be taught to everyone who's ever bullied or abused (whether mentally or physically) a partner themselves.... most people are someone's beloved child.
A poignant drama so worth watching. The cast were amazing. I loved it in a very strange way, as there were times I got really angry, but that's what a wonderfully acted drama draws out of me.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Family life and strife
Mini soap opera with laughs, cries and everything inbetween.Great cast and chatacters. So enjoyed the daily lives of the Song family. Watching characters grow and develop was a real pleasure. Great motivator for anyone whose lives have gone off track, finding themselves lacking confidence and feeling like failures.
My favourites in this were characters acted by Lee Jung-eun, Lee Sang-yeob, Lee Sang-yi and Ki Do-hoon.
I found it hard to like some characters, even after they'd acknowledged their own short comings, but then life is really like that - we can't like everyone!
Sometimes I found the story became a little silly, which detracted from what was overall a well written drama, with many laughs and realistic plots.
Song Da-he was a unique character, but her childish way of speaking did irritate me.
I wish the ending wasn't quite so abrupt, but this is one I would consider watching again.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
A frustrating guilty pleasure
There was a lot I liked and quite a bit I didn't. Plus points are a likeable cast of characters, played by decent actors, with not too many cheesey or clichéd moments and a female lead character that's not a wet weekend. The men that end up gravitating back around her, are all very different. I liked how she didn't see herself as a victim, was independent, yet had her weaknesses. Her mum is played by a favourite actress, whose character was so supportive. The young actress playing the daughter/granddaughter was excellent and it was refreshing to see a mature young character that wasn't selfish and overly needy or full of cuteness and little else.What I didn't like was the complete lack of communication, which became totally ridiculous. The initial misunderstandings were believable and understandable, but later, there were too many occasions when explanations were interrupted and never forced, even though the facts were crucial. Situations where the plain truth would have been most rational people's first and only response, were instead met with frustratingly weak and ridiculous ones instead, making things worst. This meant any empathy or sympathy with those characters just vanished.
That aside, there were quite moving moments and some funny ones, which are what made me enjoy it overall.
It's not one I would watch again through.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Ill thought-out storyline
Loved the cast, acting and accompanying music.Pace not bad, although it flagged a little around half-way.
What really let this drama down, was a poorly thought out ending. There really are gaping holes in it, which totally let down the entire story for me.
The relationship between 2 of the characters was ambiguous and I felt a little uncomfortable.
The character of Jin-gyum was so naive at times, about the cause and effect of time travelling and parallel universes. He really said and did some dumb things. Tae-yi could also be irritating, although she was pretty strong willed at times, whilst at others she's just stand there instead of assisting someone being throttled!
I also felt some characters were just there to fill out the cast, as they really served no other purpose.
It would have been so much better with a more plausible ending and it's not a drama I'd watch again.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
You'll cry with laughter and sadness
Filled with laughs and emotional scenes; a real roller coaster.Characters develop so well, from arrogant to humble, cold to warm and enemies to friends.
Family misunderstandings, painful memories, traumas, love and loss ~ this drama has it all.
Heo Im (Kim Nam-gil) was a real life physician who developed his own techniques of acupuncture and wrote journals on the practice. Whilst there is a comedic theme through the series, his legacy is not undermined, whilst the drama also balances the use by complimenting with modern medicine; both have their place.
I loved the cast of characters and there are other true ones, such as Japanese general, Sayaka, who was actually a Korean named Kim Chung-seon.
I loved every aspect of this drama and whilst it was occasionally a bit far fetched and melodramatic, overall it was a joy to watch.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Just Desserts
I was very pleasantly surprised by this off-the-wall Rom-Com drama, which was far better than I expected.Loved the foodie bits, apart from references to Sharks Fin Soup, which should be illegal due to the cruelty involved and birds nest soup ~ also damaging if wild.
Sound acting from a good cast; I loved Jang Hyuk's portrayal of a likeable gangster-come-loan-shark. Jung Ryeo-won is perfect as the somewhat ditzy but feisty and quietly confident love interest. Lee Jun-ho was the most lovable combination of serious yet cute chef, whose smile completely changed his face.
I particularly like the fact that the relationship aspects to this drama are more grown up than usual. There are few clichés and the female characters in this are all quite strong and opinionated, rather than doe eyed and dull.
The evolving friendships, loyalty and just desserts make for a funny, touching and rewarding watch.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
I enjoyed this series a great deal. I especially liked that, for a change, neither of the lead couple (Pete/Ae), used the "I'm not gay, I don't like men, I just like you" line, which is so overused in many BLs.The characters were pretty varied and included a straight couple, which was nice, as this makes it a more inclusive story, although being a BL series, of course the emphasis should be on the gay couples.
This is a fictional drama, not real life, but some of the characters were really unlikeable and their behaviour was not shown with either the consequences or reprisals, they should have faced...
Lemon, Can's sister; what a nosy, bitchy, controlling, unpleasant character. The crap this character made up about those around her, with no thought for the havoc it might cause in their lives, was really irritating. Considering Can is meant to be older, I found it really annoying that she seemed to have so much control over him.
Kengkla was another horrid character; a real sleaze. He basically low-key stalked Techno via the latter's equally shitty brother, who seemed to have no conscience or problem selling out his brother's body (basically) for personal gain. Awful. Kengkla only got the opportunity to bed Techno whilst he was drunk. Admittedly, Techno did kiss him back. However, the next morning, Kengkla made out it was Techno who took advantage of him! So uncomfortable and totally wrong to have left that part of the storyline without any reprisals on Kengkla - a season 2 much needed, if only to rectify that!
Let's not kid ourselves, even with an 18 cert, there will be underage, or older but immature/inexperienced/easily led viewers...as this is not a 'serious' drama, but a lighter hearted series, those kinds of issues need to be clarified as not being acceptable under any circumstances.
The ending in terms of Tin and Can's (very unfortunate names for English speakers ;) ) characters, was really frustrating. I felt so sorry for Tin, whose character developed well through the unfolding of his story. Last we see of him is bawling his eyes out in the shower. Nice.
Can had started to develop so well as a character too and again, we were left with him being so wonderfully open and honest with Tin, yet not seeing that taken any further. He was equally upset, as he knew he'd hurt Tin, even though it was not intentional.
A Season 2 is definitely needed, focussing on the characters that were secondary in Season 1. I don't think Pete and Ae's characters need any further development, as they were solid and very much together at the end of S1.
I would recommend watching this series and did enjoy it, as said at the beginning. These gripes are just my personal and humble opinions! I really hope there will be a follow-up series.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
I am surprised Kim Hye-sung has not gone on to do a lot more.
As for the issue of teenage pregnancy, it could not be made fluffier if they tried.
The idea of a 15-year old, handling such a big secret in this way, is ridiculous.
It was all just too fantastical for me and lacked substance.
The film was a mess really, not funny enough to be classed a comedy, not tense or emotional enough to be a melodrama and not deep enough to be a decent drama either. That was a main problem.
Either write it as a comedy, in which case keep it light, avoid the issue of abortion and make the main characters older by a couple of years.
Or, make it a serious piece of work on a difficult topic and have the characters go through what would be an incredibly traumatic experience for all concerned, in a realistic way. That would need more focus on the families and less on their peers doing strange musical type turns and behaving like their friends had just won a teen idol competition!
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Cha Eun-woo's character was nice to watch, as he opened up and grew with each episode.
Hwang In-youp's role was more consistent through the episodes and one that I liked the most. He wasn't fluffy or difficult and a lot more open and outspoken.
What I didn't like was what I felt to be a very superficial portrayal of how girls, especially, are judged on their appearance. Yes, it happens to guys too, but not as much.
I just felt that the whole issue was somewhat undermined. The bullies, as usual, seem to get away with it. It shouldn't be up to kids to sort out, but stopped in its tracks by teachers and the establishment. That's just never seen.
The bullying in this was horrible and her own family were no better. I really disliked the mother.
One character in a latter episode, suggested a dermatologist and I actually cheered! The character's biggest problem was actually her skin/complexion, which could have been treated, not her actual looks.
The angle of being outed for wearing makeup was also somewhat contrived, especially when the main ones harassing her, wore plenty themselves! No one thought to point that out though.
One thing it did show were more-unattractive-than-her peers, judging the looks of another. It has often occurred to me that it's not uncommon for the people that judge the looks of others, to be really quite ugly themselves... I wonder what they see when they look in the mirror?!
I also dislike violence against kids by adults and, again, this was shown with no real consequences for the perpetrator. That kind of suggests there's no way out in that situation and it therefore has to be accepted.
There were also several parts of the plot in the storyline that were simply glossed over, to me, rather than being concluded sufficiently.
I also don't find toilet humour that funny, especially when overdone and featuring in more than one scene. People throwing up on others and seemingly thinking that's acceptable, also puts me off; as does treating someone else's home and belongings as their own. Just not amusing to me at all.
Whilst the cast were great, the story just wasn't for me.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Not the average Legal drama
What a strong leading female character. Wow. Here's a woman who is smart, sassy, self made, knows what she wants and lives by her own rules. Arrogant to snobs, but underneath the money-grabbing facade beats a good heart.Her nemesis is in turn rich, corporate, from a good family, suave, unscrupulous, competitive, arrogant and blindly loyal.
When these two meet, sparks will fly and a few servings of humble pie will be consumed.
For a legal based drama this is so good. Full of high powered wheeling and dealing, with some very unsavoury characters totally lacking in morals.
It's clever, witty, grown up and only once was there a clichéd scene (I really thought I'd be spared someone dropping to their knees this time, but sadly no).
If you don't like the odd [realistic] swear word, an older strong female lead who puts most men that need to be, in their place and has no problem sleeping with a guy if she wants to; then you'll hate this.
If, like me, all the above appeal, you'll probably enjoy it as much as I did!
Joo Ji-hoon and Kim Hye-soo were perfectly cast and worked so well together.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Thrilling
A film that builds and gains momentum with every scene.I found the plot a little different, with some surprises. Through 'Dorothy', the relationships and personalities of the crew aboard The Victory develop and grow.
It's witty, action packed, emotional and very entertaining.
I loved the diverse nationalities of the cast and different languages, which sounded very natural; often a rarity in Korean productions ~ not one to watch dubbed. Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Seon-kyu and the wonderful little Park Ye-rin are excellent, as are the supporting actors bringing wonderful characters to life.
Excellent sfx, filming and direction give this a proper big budget feel.
Great viewing and worth watching more than once!
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
So disappointingly irritating.
Nice idea, but just way too childishly executed for me.The LF's character is far too irritating and the direction (or acting) is frustrating. She never gets to the point and there's far too much of her just talking, lamenting and noisily complaining ~ all unconvincingly.
The mother shouts and gets so physical, a lot, which also got on my nerves.
Scenes don't flow smoothly and I just couldn't get engaged with the story or characters at all, dropping at ep3.
The cat itself is gorgeous, but the voice they chose, just didn't suit it at all. A smooth, crooning, dignified style of voice would have worked better, rather than one more suited to an old streetwise moggy!
The LM is an actor I like and have seen in other, good dramas, where he has acted well, but he couldn't save this, unfortunately.
Just not for me.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Superb fantasy, thrills and feels!
I absolutely love this drama, from a fabulous cast, where not one was a weak link (including all the great supporting/small parts cast), to great writing and direction.Jung So-min is wonderful as the strong soul (Nakdu) in a weak body (Mu Deok), with a great dialect to boot. Lee Jae-wook partners her perfectly and keeps his character just the right side of entitled, a little resentful and rebellious; without being irritating at all.
Go Yun-jung was also gripping as the actual Naksu and a character I really liked as her story unfolded. Mistreated, lied to and manipulated to become a deadly assassin.
Arin, as Jin Cho-yeon, was suitably spoilt and brattish, but her character matured a fair bit as the drama played out. I was very pleased with one aspect of her character's life, as I liked the character concerned.
I loved Hwang Min Hyun as Seo Yul, too ~ I was really torn about his character... if/when you watch, you might see why.
Some of my favourite interactions were actually between Naksu (as Mu Deok) and the Prince, Go Won (Shin Seung-Ho). She knew exactly how to handle him, but it was most enjoyable when she pushed her luck! He definitely has a (large) soft spot for her.
The pace of this drama is exactly how I like it; there are action scenes, light hearted banter and amusing moments, sadness and intrigue. Whilst main characters talk, ponder and reflect, it never felt slow or drawn out to me. In more complex plots, knowing where a character's actions are coming from and what motivates them, all add to understanding the story.
There are flashbacks, but well timed and enhancing the plot, rather than confusing it, which can sometimes happen.
The music fits well too, without overpowering scenes or being mismatched. I absolutely love Car, The Garden's song, 'Scars Leave Beautiful Trace'.
I love fantasy, romance and action, with humour to balance. Whilst the romance side is relatively low key, it is there and, for me, the level fits perfectly within the story.
A lot of people have complained and written unpleasant things about Jung So-min not being the lead in S2.... I find this both annoying and weird.
I am a very big fan of JSM ~ but she has not been replaced, or written out, so why the backlash?
Her actual character was never Naksu, but Mu Deok, whose body Naksu inhabited for S1.
If Jang Uk fell in love with Naksu for her personality and drive, then he does not love the body, but the soul.
If the actresses switching again is necessary for the story to continue and to be plausible, then so be it.
The actresses returning to their original characters, was always going to be a possibility.
I admit I shall miss JSM in the LFM role, but, I am excited for the story's conclusion and hope it is a huge success for the entire cast and crew.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Messy
March 2024Time travel and solar event drama that, once started, I realised I'd actually watched before, but forgot about. So watched again and realised why, sadly.
It has a few exciting moments, but most of the roles, including the leads, are pretty bland really.
The acting is fine and I liked Jim Ah-joong a lot and her police detective character, Jung Sae-byuk, a straight forward, no nonsense, sensible woman, superior to all her male colleagues, yet not arrogant, although she could act that way if necessary.
Keo Sang-joon gave a good performance too; in fact there was no poor acting, just disappointing characters, as mentioned.
The plot is quite clever, but gets very confusing the more episodes into the story we get. All kinds of stuff happens and cracks in the plot start to show, when some characters remember things, whilst others don't. Logically, any changes made to the past should impact the future, not just in ways that are obvious, but in relation to countless butterfly effects.
However, there seemed to be no rules or consequences. The parameters kept changing and it just got too messy for me.
It wasn't a bad watch overall, but there were lots of unanswered questions and no real conclusion. It felt like a S2 is a fairly good possibility. I'd watch if that happened, but it's not something I'm bothered about really. It wasn't quite gripping enough for me and became too convoluted.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Too much story for too few episodes
Feb 2024The story pretty much takes us straight into the mood of this gritty and dark drama, which is heavy, unsettling and pretty dreary.
There are no particularly nice characters at all.
Detective Choi Seong Jun is probably the only one I found ok, but his reaction to something in his past and lack of doing anything about it, knocked him down in my eyes, too.
There is zero humour in this, at all.
The creepy events that the death of the owner of land with a family burial site on it, sets in motion, are really mysterious.
There are gripping scenes and the feelings of threat rarely let up. It's not as violent as some recent dramas, by far, yet it still manages to shock at times.
The final reveal of the cause of the events following Yoon Seo-ha's inheritance, are a real twist.
I found her central character very hard to like. Some of her actions should have had consequences and her personality was so fake, just like her patience, which was actually supressed anger hidden behind a sycophantic lifeless smile. She stands up to her slimy husband, but not to someone she works for, who basically uses her.
Supposedly intelligent, yet her utter cluelessness and trust in people most of us would see as totally dodgy, was eye rolling.
I also got irritated by the character's stunted and emotionless response to things, which just wasn't believable.
Then there's the police unit tasked with solving the strange goings on, which like in EVERY other K-drama, it seems, cannot be totally effective.
There's a lazy does nothing but approve stuff Chief and an inept Police Captain, who has tunnel vision and history with Seong-jun. This creates additional tension to an already fraught relationship between the two and does nothing for the investigation either. I found it really frustrating.
Another plot line involving Seong-jun was unnecessary in its depth and only a vehicle for the main story. It just wasted time.
A lot (too much really), was crammed into 6 episodes, all less than 1 hour long. The story was told and concluded, but consequently lacked substance.
Overall it was an OK watch and pretty clever, but I was far from blown away.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
