Parthivi
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An incomplete story in other drama, completed here
Ok let me start here by saying that in K-Drama, I love myself a misunderstood, cold, dark sometimes sociopathic male leads. This trope is something that is extremely rare to find. A lot of such tropes work by rarely involving a romantic track. My second last show that had a similar premise was "He is Psychometric" from which I was extremely disappointed.Spoiler Alert(He is Psychometric)
Both shows had a character with an internal conflict of considering yourself a monster and not deserving of love, being diagnosed with heavy mental disorders, denying all sorts of affection from others because the character considered themselves that broken. I was heartbroken in that show because the romance track could never blossom and the character in the end was not able to redeem himself. I was so frustrated with the ending of that storyline that I am still pissed off months after finishing it.
End of Spoiler.
I rarely show an interest in a show about a married couple. But this show kept me hooked for this freaking amazing family. It corrected all the problems I had with "He is Psychometric". Showed real, emotional and amazing growth in the characters. And I was extremely satisfied while watching this.
Le Jun Ki is phenomenal. His eyes can show a range of emotions without even speaking anything. For the first few episodes, I felt he was miscast because he was never looking scary enough for a psychopath. But he acting was just perfect since he had to act someone misunderstood to be a psychopath. Moon Che Won again was phenomenal as our female lead. Remembering her as the fiesty one in Innocent Man, I knew she would have that maturity and just enough bad-ass-ness to conquer as Ji Won, the amazing wife and a cop.
I thought some supporting storylines got boring by the end, but anyways I still enjoyed all the characters journey. I have to say Ji won had the best Office Colleagues who supported her in so many ways. They were extremely underrated. Hae Soo and Repoter Kim was sweet, funny and bittersweet. Reporter Kim was hilarious. And the guy to played the OG Baek Hae Soon was also amazing. Starting his introduction as childlike and innocent turning into psychotic, he was amazing.
PS: Special mention to the actress who played the kid, Eun Ha. Man that little girl is a doll and such an natural performance that your heart will melt everytime she is on screen.
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This whole cycle is repeated in every 2-3 episode interval. This is what gets irritating. Now for a family audience who watch this on a TV, its still ok. But for binge watching, its horrible.
What I like about this is the music which is really great specially the song "Fate". I like Song Hye Kyo and sometimes even Rain though he gets on my nerves. It feels as if kids/teenagers are running the house. I like cohabitation/marriage stories, but this show doesn't really develop any element of cohabitation stories ( e.g. sexual tension)
Anyways I could recommend this to pre-teens, and early teenagers but not to adults.
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I loved the "game over" kiss. That is one of the best ones I have seen in my K-drama watching history. I also eagerly waited for our hero to fall for our heroine. The wait did not disappoint me. I was rewarded with angst filled episodes and a "game-over" kiss.
The story could be argued to be weak. Why didn't Ga In further question Jin Ho about his motivations? Anyways Director Choi was my favourite. It is rare in dramas to portray someone like his character in such a mature light. Overall this drama gave me a really happy feeling for a long time.
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Where exactly did it fell?? Could be because of the irritating sub-plots like the Parents' story arc, Tae Hee's irritating friend, and because instead of dark, we got mushy, characters whining over stupid stuff. Instead of tragedy the the original source material, we got forced happy ending (with very little tragedy).
Acting wise I think Joy was a little mediocre. Moon Ga Young stood out for me. She was literally the Queen with her eyes and her beauty. Actually the Trio were great in the beginning. The Piano music was brilliant sometimes and suited the dark heavy scenes. Rest of the music was Ok, Ok.
Could have been great. Felt Meh. Rooted for Soo Ji and Se Jo throughout.
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The irony of Deconstructing a trope only to be Reconstructed again
So did the writers never realize that in the second half of the show they are doing exactly what they were making fun of? So let's begin shall we:1) Love Triangles, where it is painfully obvious who the main lead is - check
2) FL crying because she will die soon and be separated from her Love Interest- check
3) "Extra" characters with rubbish plotlines - check
So let's begin with why I loved the show. I was about to give this show a 7.5 overall score, but the show was so addictive and intriguing at the beginning that I ended up binging and completing it within 2 days, that too on a working Wednesday. The show has a lot of amazing things to boast about, the music, the screenplay, the acting, etc.
Right at the beginning, we are introduced to a very interesting concept, where we find that our FL is an extra in someone else's novel. What I loved about the show initially, how the characters were self-aware of the romantic tropes and cliches often found in such types of novels. My favorite part of the show was obviously the parody of Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flower/Meteor Garden. As someone who has literally seen almost all the versions of that material, it was hilarious to me to see the subversion of the many plotlines of that story. I mean my favorite were the self-aware Do Hwa and Ju-Da. I mean lovers of the Korean BOF will know how strong the second lead syndrome was, even though I preferred the original pairing.
Another thing I loved about the show's premise initially was the existential questions about fate and destiny and choosing to change fate. It also played with the narratives about what if the writer wants two characters to be together, but the characters themselves are not into it. Like how many readers or viewers ship the second lead with the main girl.
So episodes 1- 10 are golden, and I might even rewatch them. But by God, the second half is so draggy, cheesy, and repetitive as mentioned by so many reviewers that it breaks my heart of what could have been the potential. I binged till the end because I waited for many of my answers to be resolved. If we are doing world-building, I don't care about the romantic plot as much as I care for answers for the world. Ok, let's take an example of Goblin episode 12, where it gives the biggest plot twist of the show. Or Sword Art Online 1st season. I wanted something like that to happen to understand why it is happening the way it is happening. But alas it never came as it was never the point. The show in fact made me indifferent to the characters as I realized that they would always be stuck in this never-ending cycle of rinse and repeat. All these things really made me frustrated because there was never a proper resolution at least to me.
The FL actress Kim Hye Yoon was there in Sky Castle as well and her acting was very well suited to the character she played on that show. While I agree she is a good actress, she did the same variation here which made her character really annoying especially in the second half where she is trying to be aegyo. Rowoon really made me swoon with his innocent characterization, it really suited him. Lee Jae Wook as Beak Kyung really stood out to be and in fact, I was rooting for him far more than the main couple sometimes (till obviously he tried to kill the FL in the 14th episode but doesn't because why not).
Overall, I just wished I had more closure which makes me really angry, but overall I really enjoyed the concept.
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Flavor of youth, freedom and victory of the underdogs
You know it's a great show when Park Seo Joon decides he wants to inspire the youth, by chasing his ambitions be it Fight For My Way, or Itaewon Class. The feelings I experienced this show while the second wave of the pandemic was going on in my country cannot be explained. I loved episodes 1-13, but the last 3 episodes can just go to hell. While I did love the show, I will not shy away from talking about the things that bothered me in this show as well.Let's talk about the Characters and their arcs.
Park Se Royi - He is one of the best male protagonist in any K-Drama I've ever seen. Never have I seen a male protagonist protecting his values and his morals in such a way and him being challenged for them was highly intriguing. We see his journey and his ups and down and it is his journey that makes my heart melt. His relationship with his father was amazing and really tugs my heart. Park Seo Joon knocks it off with his superb acting.
I love other characters as well. Lee Joo-young as Hyun Yi and her representation is historic in K-Drama history. Even her arc was done very sensitively. I liked how they never overdid Seung-kwon's character as well. Toni's arc was kind of hit or miss for me. But amazed to see the representation.
I'll talk about my controversial opinion on some of the characters here now.
Geun-soo - Started off as a really good character, but his character just took a random U-turn after episode 10 or something. He became randomly vindictive for a "crush". And don't even get me started on how he outed Hyun Yi while they were such amazing friends. I really liked him though.
Soo Ah and Yi Seo - Ok hear me out. These two really switched positions by the end of the show for me. I hated Soo Ah in the beginning for her selfish ambitious which to me seemed preposterous. Like honey it's not really difficult to switch jobs. I loved Yi Seo in the beginning because again after IOTNBO, she is the only other APD diagnosed FL I have seen in any drama. She stood up for not only herself but for Seroyi as well, and it seemed appropriate that she is what Seroyi needed in his life to balance his principles.
But but but, by the end I realised how toxic Yi Seo is. She made so many questionable decisions throughout, and clung to Seroyi too much while being toxic to other characters. Also it was because of her Seroyi had to bend his principles (which I'll come to later). On the other hand, Soo Ah literally came out as the winner in the end for me. She single handedly brought down the main villain of the show which even the protagonist was not able to do. She also took her revenge in a much more practical and less headstrong way. She was the GOAT
About the villains - Jang Dae-hee was an amazing villain and amazing acting by the actor. Didn't care much about Geun-won though. He had his moments but the writing was limited for his character.
Romance - While Soo Ah did redeem herself by the end, she definitely wasn't deserving of Park Seroyi inspite of their wonderful chemistry. She kept him on the hook for too long. And I loved how Seroyi just let her be and never held her against her ambitions. And while Yi-Seo is definitely great for Seroyi I was really uncomfortable with the age difference and the lack of chemistry between the leads. Plus the insta love in the last 3 episodes really ruined things for me. They were so great before that as colleagues and business partners.
Also I'm not sure that I understand why Seroyi HAD to bend the knee in the end. Was it to show his love for Yi-Seo, then why didn't he did it for his father?? Anyways if someone know then please comment. Overall I loved the show except the last 3 episodes and the music and the OST was absolutely amazing and gave me all the youthful rebellious feels.
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Each episode brings a different type of challenge. The show does a good job of having a balance with the episodic stories and the main conflict. While all the episodic stories matures our characters, these stories help our leads in to wrap up the main conflict of the show in a neat manner.
The only drawback is the amnesia cliché and the drag around episode 13-15. Even then it is highly recommended to everyone.
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Delightful Girl, Choon Hyang
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Obviously being from the early 2000's the show is overly dramatic at times. Too much drama means the leads are meeting and separating a lot. Both are second leads are way to elder to our main couple. One is a cougar, while the other is pedophile (not really but they have huge age difference). This show follows a lot of dramatic turn of events, but I guess that is what made me stick to drama. Recommendable to all Hong-Sisters' fans.
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The episodes flowed like a breeze. I did not find any major hassle for our characters. Ok maybe the coach was a little too biased. It felt like High School Musical of Korea. It felt cute and giddy, like a summer romance. . The drummer was the most adorable I have even seen. He was literally so cute. Even the narcissistic Princess changed for the better.
For me the show ended in Episode-13. The last two episodes were such angst ridden episodes that it destroyed the continuity and the breezy feeling of the show.
I loved the music in this one. I feel like jumping out and dancing while listening to the title track. All of them performed really well. I feel most of the trouble makers got redemption arcs. Basically I loved this and would recommend this as nice and breezy, a summer rom-com.
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You Who Came from the Stars
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The villian's character is well done. Equally creepy and scary. This drama also introduced me to Park Hye Jin. Anyways because people love it so much and I'm in the minority, I would say watch it then judge.
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I love almost everything about this drama. I loved Lee Min Ho in this. He looked quite better than his BOF Days. I also like the chemistry between Min Ho and Park Young Min. This series used the Batman trope, which is one of my favorite tropes in drama world. A guy who is nerd/arrogant in front but actually kicks ass behind? Me likey. Kim Na Na is again not the damsel in distress but actually bad-ass. I think Na Na is one of my favorite drama heroines. She will be vulnerable, but when the time comes, she will do whatever it takes to help you.
The character of Jin Pyo as Lee Min Ho's adoptee father was a strong one. He was a grey character who thought what he did was right yet his revenge went too far. Even the Prosecutor Kim Young-Joo's character was a good one.
The song "Suddenly" is really good. "Cupid" is another bubble gum pop that sticks. The screenplay dragged the last half of the drama. The last half dragged so much that the last episode seemed to be rushed. Because of this, I felt we a had shitty finale not really closing all the threads and giving an unsatisfactory ending. But even then I loved this series very much.
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It's Okay to Not Be Okay
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Its okay for the show to be okay
So I believe everything is perfect about the show. From the production to the music, acting, cinematography, characters, art design, story (well almost). As other reviewers have already mentioned how this is a character-driven drama and mostly focuses on the healing of the 3 main characters among other patients in the hospital.There are a lot of things I loved about this drama. I loved the focus on mental health awareness. There were a lot of side characters whose story was really beautiful and it made me tear up a bit. The show respects all its patients and takes great care of them. Some of them were healed and some of them obviously were in progress.
I loved the writing aspect of the show. The storybook concept was beautifully crafted with the inner lives of our leads and other patients, so it gives a second layer of storytelling to help us understand their struggles. The art again was very well done.
I loved the acting in the show. the actor who played Sang Tae was amazing. Our main romantic leads also had amazing chemistry and the female lead was a revelation to me. I usually don't like KSH, but I really liked him here.
Now let's talk about characters and their development. The best development was obviously among the 2 brothers. their relationship really evolved during the show to not only make them less co-dependent but to value each other more as people and as family. I loved Ju-Ri's mom and other side characters specially Jae-Su Gang Tae's friend and MY's colleagues. Even Ju-Ri and the manager's brief romance was cute. I was a little disappointed was with our female lead whom I found kind of irritating. Because of her personality disorder, every time she would do something chaotic, the viewers will have to rationalize that behavior (its clever writing to excuse her behavior though). Also, I wanted to understand how her APD works but that plot was soon forgotten in the later episodes. I predicted her mom plot in EP-10 itself, but that itself was extremely undercooked.
I totally understand the writer's perspective that MY's craziness was required for Gang Tae to help him release his pent-up frustration and she might be good for him overall. but as a viewer watching MY harass Gang-Tae was uncomfortable to watch. It is why I've left many dramas like Oh My Ghostess.
So while everything was amazing on paper, I seriously could get myself to care about any of the main characters. The plot in itself was extremely draggy, and I myself wanted to drop the show many times. Even the romance could not get me hooked as I was not invested in the romance. Also, like another reviewer mentioned I have a low tolerance for self-loathing and pity so while it can a great drama for others, for me it was meh. But yes I completely appreciate the team behind the show.
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When I started this drama, I was fairly new to the K-drama world. But I was still annoyed at all the soap cliches that this story had used. What made this story stick to me even today is the emotional quotient. I have a soft spot for cinderella-esqe stories. Arrogant boy falling for the feisty newbie? Yup I'm sold. Again it was hilarious in some parts, frustating at many others. It was a ride watching the two kids finally be together.
Because of this drama, I referred the original source material. I even saw the anime, Hana Yori Dango. The Korean drama pretty much dumbed down many things for family viewing. I actually like the anime. If they could have showed that kind of maturity for this one as well, I believe the drama could have been better.
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I wish I didn't feel so incomplete
Loved the story and acting, but I still have an unsatisfactory feeling by the end.Ok so starting of, I would like to credit the writers for an extremely well written story. No last minute cut aways, everything made sense, if we watched till the end. The happy moments were happy, the side characters had an amazing character development, and the emotional moments really stood out during conflict scenes without seeming forced. The number of allegories, metaphors, that have been distributed in the show are tremendous. The mask poster, the two birds in a cage, the painting in Seung Mo's room, the little prince, the foreshadowing, the Red-Herrings, it's a whole package and gave the viewers enough to make their theories on their own.
Now talking about the show in the general which seems to a have split genre. The first half of the show is a regular, cutesy procedural drama, while on the other hand the second half takes a complete 180° Turn, going in a very dark storytelling and "Stranger/Secret Forest"-isk twist. I was not prepared for so much emotional trauma. The last 4 episodes are extremely heavy. Also I am extremely heartbroken because of the fate of a few characters. (Seung Mo and Ji Soo)
I would like to appreciate all the actors who have given such amazing performances in this show, especially Kim Kwan who played Seung Mo with so much intensity. Also a big appreciation to both the leads as first timers.
Would recommend this show to someone who is interested in Procedural drama or criminal psychology.
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What really made me watch the show were the interesting storylines and the secondary characters. Sua, the second lead, Mi Rae's best friend, the class rep, their seniors, all of them had really interesting stories. I personally loved Sua's story. Very rarely you get to see such 3 dimensional antagonists.
What I don't like is the exact same reason. The secondary characters were so great that I felt least interested in the main leads. The main guy, never had a personality apart from being "Good Looking". His other moods were - Emo, brooding, or getting angry whenever our girl talked to any other guy.
I liked our main girl Mi Rae, she was still relatable and I understand that the whole point of the show was to develop a certain feeling of self love and show that as character development. But seeing her act stupidly, and wide eyed really made me cringe and skip forward a lot. They were seriously bland for most of it. If you make me least interested in the main leads then what is the point of the drama?
Some of the college scenes were nice, but I still felt that inspite of having progressive themes, the attractive male lead was shoved in our face. Anyways all the points is mostly for story and deducted for acting. Plus 1 for Sua.
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