Mssankacoffee
The Bahamas
This drama had the makings of a really good watch. The cast was gorgeous, the acting was really good and the chemistry between the two leads was the best I have seen in a while. The leads were adorable, and you really believed their love story.
BUT….even with all that going for it this drama could not be saved. The writer seemed like a teenager going through anx and the producers must have been desperate to even produce such rubbish. Yes I am being vitriolic because I am so disappointed that the potential was not realized.
This drama is ‘cliche heaven’ because every cliche in drama land that was created and died came here. The Queen of 'Noble Idiots' was the leading female character, and though I loved her to bits I could not stand her overly kind, self-sacrificing and forgiving nature, especially given that she really wasn’t a push over, she was just too nice.
The balance between obstacles and triumphs which the lead couple go through was way out of balance in the negative therefore you got tired of seeing them go through problem after problem with no decent solution.
Too farcical and nonsensical.
This drama started dragging early and you knew this when you saw the same mess repeating itself early on probably around episode 10. I kept thinking how many times can you play the same trick on the same people and they still not catch on they are being used and abused and used and abused again!!!!
The chickens started coming home to roost around episode 37, however even that was a disappointment because those chickens came home but the eggs never cracked until the final episode 41!!! Any revelations was only partial and just a tease so it dragged to the final episode!! I could not believe it! So here is my advice…..DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME AND ENERGY ON THIS DRAMA or else you will be knocked out by twin brothers FRUSTRATION AND VEXATION. As you can see I still have not blown off enough steam from my anger and frustration as I am writing this review to help this cause.
How come I kept watching and how did I make it through to the end? Through sheer disbelief that I was watching such stupidness and pride would not allow me to accept that the drama was not going to improve. WHY? Because while the storyline was like a used up hag, with some creativity and a bit of ingenuity they could have pulled it off, after all it had a great cast, so I was hopeful.
Any way ALL IS WELL because its well ENDED! OVER AND DONE! HALLELUJAH!! Not to be repeated this watch BUT I will watch the lead couple again in anything. They were particularly adoring and endearing to me in this drama, so if you like good chemistry, beautiful cast and can sit through the rubbish story and plot then you can enjoy this.
So in summary my ratings are: Story 5, Acting 9, Music 5, Re-watch 0. My overall rating is 6 but I am giving an extra point to the actors so an overall 7.
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The drama revolves around relationships; there is not much that happens in this drama other than the interrelations between the various characters, especially between the parents and children amongst themselves, and with each other. There is no crime to solve or mission to accomplish, nor is there a lot of comedy. There are two parallel and similar stories: the early and lasting love of the two parents who met in their youth, separated, married different people but meet again 30 years after; and then there is the strong budding love between their children.
In my opinion the major issue was the writing and editing. The two central story lines competed with each other, and the writing was lazy, when it needed to be creative and interesting given the task of the central plot. This was evident when the story started to really drag out and then seemed to stall, and you got bored because of repetition of theme, ideas and frustration that the story wasn't going anywhere.
The pace was too slow, and even the dialogue seemed to be delivered with deliberate pauses and almost monotone. By the end I felt 20 episodes of what? Far too long it could have been completed in 12- 15 episodes; this probably owing to those 4 to 5 episodes where it felt like the drama had stalled.
The four lead actors did a very good job in portraying their roles, to be expected from veteran actors Jeong Jin Yeong and Lee Mi Sook, and the wonderful Jang Geun Suk. JGS and YA played role of the parents when they were young in the 70s and the role of their off springs 30 years later, and were very believable and strong performances. I was impressed watching Im Yoon Ah, and the supporting actors did well and delivered decent performances.
The music was an interesting mix of indie, cool jazz and some quirky music which seemed to fit the movie, in most parts; nothing stood out for me.
What was good? The concept was interesting, the recreation of 70's look and feel was well done and effective in distinguishing the two time periods; the acting was good, and the portrayal of the two relationships was also very good. Jang Geun Suk and Yoon Ah had good chemistry, looked great individually and as a couple so the eye candy helped.
I watched this on Viki.com, where you have viewers post their comments during he drama. This was one of the most packed commentary from start to finish, and it was interesting to see that there was a general sense that it was good and interesting to begin with then got stale and boring as it progressed. Many viewers were torn between their loyalties to the young couple and the parents, as main protagonists and this lead to frustration with the drama. There should have been one central story which is supported by the sub plots, characters etc.
What saved this drama for me, was the Jang Geong Suk and Im Yoon Ah! I loved their characters and story, that's why I was generous with my rating. If you don't like 'relationship' dramas then this drama is not for you. If you like fast paced dramas or action avoid this.
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'Never Give Up Dodo, shows how love makes us foolish and sometimes drives us crazy from the many challenges to relationships; but if we persist and get it right, we will be happy and fulfilled. That is the core message of the drama. It is an intelligent, adult satire on love, relationships and to a small degree on marriage.
The use of humor and satire to highlight a more serious message is brilliant and very well done. There are many 'laugh out loud' moments, and scenes where you are compelled to say 'what the hell…!!! ^_^' . Though we laugh in jest, we are aware of the underlying message of love, trust, respect for your partner or lover, and his/her family. I liked the use of satire to deliver the message, because if you can see the ridiculous, then you understand what's sensible. If you can see what is rational then there is hope for finding the answer.
I liked that there is a right balance of mockery, and a good use of 'Greek chorus' (group of minor characters mimicking lines to comment to the audience) in this drama, which added to the humour.
Of particular note is the frank treatment of issues including the sexual innuendoes and inferences, as 'sex' can often make or break relationships and this drama acknowledges that.
We can connect with this drama because some of these situations, although exaggerated, we have experienced to some degree, so it's relatable. We recall those moments in our lives when we did something equally as petty, or scheming and at the time it was justified, but watching it in the drama it is seen for what it is, petty or foolish.
The two main actors Gau Godfrey and Yin Hang, are both very attractive, have good chemistry and do a credible job in delivering their comic faces and roles. They are also well supported by the other actors all of whom delivered strong performances. The cast for this show were for the most part very attractive, lots of eye candy.
Excellent to watch with a lover, partner or good friends because it is hilariously funny but with an underlying message about relationships and commitment. It may seem weird or silly to some people (based on comments posted) but you must bear in mind, this narrative is satirical in nature so it will not follow the usual rules of sense and sensibility, and it is actually quite cleaver. Highly recommended, sit back with snacks and enjoy.
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One of the big pluses for me was it was a 'fantasy/romance' so the time travel element kept my interest and kept you engaged in the drama. The clever writing also helped to dispense with certain awkward adjustments in time travel movies by making the lead male very intelligent and highly adaptable.
One of the things I really liked about this drama was the easy relationship and intimacy between the two leads....there is a lot, and I mean 'a lot' of kissing between the male and female leads as well as skinship which, is not usual from what I have seen of KDramas. They looked very natural and believable as a couple so you were involved with their romance as it developed. You cried when they cried, laughed when they did and really shared their moments. This couple have lots of chemistry between them which worked well for them in the drama; at some points you wondered whether the acting had stopped and reality took over in the tender moments..that's how good it was.
The secondary characters were very good supporting actors in carrying out their roles and providing some comic relief. There were times though when I wanted to absolutely strangle Jee Hin's Manager for her high handedness. The pacing of this movie is adequate enough for a romance comedy and in fact I felt it moved quite quickly. The directing was of a very high quality and I shall be looking for other projects by the writers and director for this drama.
This drama is worth watching if only to see the chemistry and the romance between the two leads. No wonder they fell in love, who wouldn't with the amount of trust and closeness that has to be invested in the roles to pull them off the way they did. But it is more than the chemistry between the two and I highly recommend it. I intend to rewatch in the future.
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Kaneko Misuzu Monogatari - minna chigatte, minna ii
5 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
I've just completed watching this movie, and as I write I am crying….this movie was beautiful, sad and well worth watching. This is about the life of the poet Kaneko Teru, from her late teens through her adult life; it portrays her dreams, challenges, her love of poetry and how she protects the people she cares about. We watch her grow from idealistic young woman who, too early, has to mature due to harsh realities of life but she still retains a sense of 'innocence'. That she did not become embittered, and/or self-pitying speaks to her strength of character and thus you come to admire her.
This is a very well written, acted and directed piece of work. It is mature in its portrayal of this woman who because of love consequently makes a decision which profoundly affects her life. I was very impressed with Ueko Aya's acting in the role of Kaneko as she got all the nuances, in my view, and made this sensitive yet strong and beautiful character come to life. All of the actors in this movie gave excellent performances. The characters were so well written that you still were able to sympathize with 'less than likable' characters.
The setting is in the 1920s, and the look and feel is very authentic to that time period, even though the scenes do not change much.
The 'romance' is not central but it is a catalyst; so if you're looking for the traditional love story this is not it. This movie is a sad 'slice of life' but you come to admire the sensitivity of a poet who still is able to dream and write such pure work despite the challenges of her life, and this is where you find optimism and redemption from the injustice in the movie. The pace is a bit fast but given the scope of what has to be covered in the 1 hour and 58 minutes, I think it is fine, especially as the quality of the movies was not affected.
This is a breath of fresh air, amongst the plethora of rehashed dramas and movies in KDrama. A very good watch.
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Invincible Lee Pyung Kang
4 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
The story was not original, but it was written well enough and focused on relationships, so it kept my interest. I think what added to it was the interplay between their past lives and the current lives; making comparisons between what the relationships were like then amongst the same group of people and what they are with the present time. The one or two flaws were mainly around character development of the Director Je, her son and Ja Rak.
The acting was very well done, with special mention to the child actress who played Lee Pyung Ohn and did so with panache. There is a lot of cheese but it's good cheese and a fair amount of slapstick. The sincere moments were touching and you cried when it got emotional. The comedic parts were hilarious. What I really enjoyed was the strong female characters in this drama and in particular the lead female character who was spunky, independent, loving and smart. I also liked the character development of the male lead, which was gradual and realistic because while he had matured quite a bit by the end, there were still some of the 'fun kid' in him left which was by this stage a part of his personality.
The music was good, a mix of Korean hip hop with ballads and some orchestra. Nothing really special but complemented the drama.
What I did not like? It was a tiny bit slow towards the middle but it picked up after a bit. I did not like the character development as mentioned above with three of the secondary characters as it just did not make any logical sense.
This drama is about family, relationships, feel good, root for the under dog and hate his detractors kind of experience. If you have watched a really sad or intense drama/movie, this is a perfect picker upper, because it will charm you make you laugh and lighten the mood. Very good drama which reminded me of 'Wild Romance' and 'Protect The Boss'. I would re-watch it.
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Arang and the Magistrate
9 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
The Magistrate, Eun Oh, played by Lee Jun Ki had everything going for him. He was gorgeous, brilliant and a master fighter. Sounds like over the top descriptions but they are apt, and when you watch this drama you will see they fit him perfectly. Lee Jun Ki was fantastic in this role; he played it with credibility and sensitivity, and was totally believable.
The other secondary characters were also very interesting and well developed. The writing for this drama was very good, as the story kept you hooked and had a number of surprising devlopments. It kept you guessing at 'who' was Arang's killer. It was also very well paced so you didn't have a lot of those moments where 'nothing' happens and you got anxious for the plot to advance. The writers made every moment count in that something interesting happened or there was a revelation of some sort .
The music score and sound track for this drama was outstanding! It was a lesson in how to lead the audience to understand the mood of the scene...they were spot on with the music. Most impressive was the flawless blending of the orchestra musical score with the contemporary rap or romantic ballad;
All the actors for this drama put on a superb performance; I feel I must single out in addition to Shin Min Ah and Lee Jun Ki, the actress who played the Magistrate's mother 'Kang Moon Young'. She did an outstanding job in portraying two different characters.
Finally there was a really good mix of humour, drama, mystery and horror all rolled into this one story, and the director very expertly phased them effectively.
What were the bad points? There were none of any consequence because overall this was a very good drama which was well written and brilliantly made. BEST ENDING EVER! I would recommend watching this as well as re-watching it.
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The story is basically about two police officers: Chen Zai Tian originally from the 'NDPD' is assigned to the 'SDPD' and partnered with Wu Ying Xiong; they are opposite in personality. Chen is a bit of a flake, flirts, always hitting on hot chicks, and doesn't take much of anything too seriously. The other is serious, somewhat strict but very dedicated to stopping crime and fighting for justice. They are both pulled into a series of criminal events happening around them, which lead to a lot of people being killed as they try to solve these cases. There is a little of everything petty theft, murder, espionage, terrorists, corruption, all the usual spices. The drama relies on fast pace action and surprising revelations to keep you hooked. Great kick ass fighting scenes!
The acting was solid for the most part, although I thought Zhou Vic's early portrayal of his character seemed almost like a caricature of Capt. Jack Sparrow, but after a turn of events the character seemed to calm down and Vic's performance was better. I particularly liked the bromance and development of the two main protagonists; as the events took their toll on their lives it changed them fundamentally. The character of Chen Lin, played by Chen Ivy was selfish, self-centered and silly on occasion with a tendency to be whiney so she was annoying. There are some interesting secondary characters who develop during the investigation, and others who leave you thinking 'what the hell?'. Also some odd 360 degree changes in some characters which was nonsensical.
The 'love interests' amongst the characters, is not 'romance' but more like 'instant crushes' which change at the drop of a hat. The unnecessary romance story line was all over the place and a hot mess. It did not contribute to the drama, because it was a distraction and quite confusing to watch the so called 'romantic relationships' played out like 'musical chairs. Watch it and you will see what I mean.
The plot though good was convoluted; too many different characters and sub plots, were introduced without much explanation. While it made for good suspense it also lead to a lack of coherence in the drama. You also had supposedly smart characters doing things which instinctively they shouldn't. In one episode a heroic officer looks surprised when confronted by the villain as they are escaping. The villain points to the ceiling and says to the heroic police, "What is that? (pointing to the camera in the ceiling, and with a sweep of his hand)…The cameras are everywhere. This is not the backyard of your house!" (Sorry but that was priceless). Thanks to the script, I did not have to yell at the screen out of annoyance for such stupidity because the villain did it for me.
These are just minor irritants, and not enough to dismiss watching this. Black and White is a well made, exciting, formula crime drama with good action and suspense, a good cast and lots of pretty people (there are NO ugly young police or agents in this drama); it will keep you interested. A good watch.
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Mary Stayed Out All Night
2 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
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