Polyar
The Uncanny Counter Season 2: Counter Punch
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A Disappointing Follow up to a Alright First Season
I had my problems with the first season of Uncanny Counter due to various reasons but it finished off strong towards the end. That had given me the wish for more of the story and the whole universe surrounding the concept of Counters. And somehow my wish was granted, a second season was announced with the entire cast which I loved, would be returning. I don't know if the wish and the hype for a second season led to this being a disappointment but throughout the entire season something always felt off about this drama.The one major issue the second season had was its failure to commit to a specific tone. Going from a super violent scene to a goofy fight in a barn filled with poop gave me whiplash trying to figure out what the writers were trying to establish with the second season. The first season was able to perfectly keep in sync serious and comedic bits throughout it's run but the second season failed to follow the formula that it's predecessor set. Another problem was the new counter that was introduced.
When it was announced that the cast was adding another counter to the team I actually thought it was going to be a great idea. However they completely dropped the ball with Yoo In Soo's character Jeok Bong. With the season being cut to only 12 episodes compared to the first's 16 episodes, leaving his introduction until the season episode was a horrible idea. On top of that, the drama spent too much of the time on him being an annoying crying fool all the way up until around Episode 9. I understand they wanted to introduce a totally different personality to the Counter team but they spent far too much time on establishing that he's a bumbling fool and only gave his character a chance to shine toward the very end with 3 episodes to go.
The one good thing the second season had over the first was it's villain cast. The Evil Spirits group lead by Kang Ki Young's character Hwang Pil Gwang was absolutely fantastic. Kang Ki Young played a fantastic villain, I looked forward to each scene he was in as well as his accomplices, Gelly and Wong. Jin Seon Kyu did a perfect role in portraying a fallen hero/anti-hero/villain with his portrayal of Ma Ju Seok. His ability to show the conflict inside of the character was top tier drama acting, I really hope he get's more main roles in his future because he definitely deserve it after this wonderful performance.
There really isn't much else to say about this disappointing second season, after hoping for a second season with the first, I truly hope this is the final for the Uncanny Counter's series. I love the characters and everything about the concept, but the writer's have shown they didn't care for their own work that they established themselves.
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Started Off Great but finished extremely Underwhelming
Be Melodramatic set is self up pretty strong within the very first few episodes introducing a wide range of unique characters, with a large main cast and even larger supporting cast. Early on the drama does a great job in setting a boundary between both the main cast and supporting cast in terms of screen time, however later on this boundary becomes irrelevant and the supporting cast overshadows the main cast's story.The casting and characters for the drama was perfect, every single casting was spot on for each character's individual personalities and each cast member interacted perfectly with each other allowing for a more natural feeling. Chun Woo-hee put on one of the funniest lead role performances I have seen, I always looked forward to the next scene she was involved in. Jeon Yeo-been was great as always. Han Ji-eun, Ahn Jae-hong, and Gong Myung all also did fantastic with their roles. The concept of Han Joon-woo's character, Hong Dae being dead but still getting regular screentime through Lee Eun-jung's "hallucinations" was a really smart idea which was executed pretty well.
The supporting casting was great but it was a major hinderance later on during the drama with some of the supporting cast's romance taking over a quite large amount of screentime. There was no need for both Baek Ji-won and Jung Seung-kil's characters to get that much screentime for their romance toward the end, especially when the large main cast has to resolve their own conflicts, romances, etc.
The biggest issue which dragged this show down heavily from being a great drama was its complete mess that it devolved into midway through the series. There was far too many plot lines ongoing and too many relationships being developed which causes quite a few bits of whiplash. Another big issue was the drama spent too much time developing the relationship between Han Joo and Jae Hoon only for them in the very last episode not end up together. Han Joo going with some random guy and Jae Hoon going back to his abusive cheating ex girlfriend. Not only that but Han Joo insults Jae Hoon claiming that he was the problem in the relationship with his ex girlfriend. That left a seriously bad taste in my mouth and an almost slap to my face for the time wasted being invested in the big pay out.
One concept I did like about the ending was how Jin Joo and Beom Soo writing their final parts of the script reflecting their real life friends. Overall the story that started off so strong ended so very underwhelming and almost disappointing. The OST for the drama was great, with Your Shampoo Scent in the Flowers by Jang Beom June being an instant favorite of mine. The production quality was standard and didn't really wow me in particular.
Wish this drama followed through with the way it started it off, but unfortunately it did not. If you like dramas centered around best friends then Be Melodramatic is drama you should watch but with low expectations.
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An Open Ended Mess of a Story that Disappoints
I was looking forward to watching this drama from all the trailers and teasers I had seen plus it also staring Suzy who is one of my all time favorite idols so I was instantly drawn into it. The drama started off so strong with excellent character introductions and development, the characters felt real and relatable with each conversation and scene feeling natural. The development between the relationships felt perfectly timed and with roadblocks being resolved quickly. All of this was up until Episode 7, that was when the writing and the characters became a complete mess. Each decision the leads made felt like a slap to the face in everything that was established in the first six episodes. Everything the writers were building up to that point they just tossed into the garbage and forgot about it from there. In some instances, the characters felt completely different from the ones the drama started off with initially.Open Ended endings when done correctly are a fantastic however this one was not done correctly, it was done so poor that it requires the viewer to go back and watch the drama or look up on the internet about what actually happened. Having invested time into these characters and their story only for it to end on the most flat open ended endings I have ever seen out of any media I have ever watched or played. To put it plainly, it was like buying a scratch off lottery ticket and instead of it saying "You Win or You Lose" it instead told you "You maybe won or You maybe lost". This drama's story required a defined and resolute ending to its story, this was not a science fiction drama that could have questions left unanswered nor some cop drama which left an investigation's potential culprit a mystery. I could have overlooked all of the mistakes and mess that was made during Episodes 7, 8, and 9 if the ending was not some vague nonsensical mess that required a re-watch of previous scenes or a web search to have it be resolved.
One of the best thing about the drama is the cast it had. Suzy knocked it out of the park with her performance as the titular character Doona. she played the role of the fallen out of grace idol that was a complete mess perfectly. Yang Se Jong as Won Jun was great as well, his problems of having to help Doona put the pieces of herself back together throughout their relationship and having to bare the burden of giving up everything for her felt very relatable. Ha Young as Jin Ju was a great secondary love interest that in my honest opinion, was the much better choice for Won Jun in all honestly. The rest of the supporting cast was great as well, they really did a great job in contributing to the story. One minor disappointing thing was that the drama never revealed the relationship of Doona and Won Jun to Won Jun's bestfriend Su Jin who was Doona's biggest fan. It was a missed opportunity, which the drama had several of those unfortunately.
The soundtrack itself was solid with it being an all around great OST, there isn't really any stand out tracks other than Ordinary Days which itself was performed by Suzy and Daylight by BIG Naughty. The cinematography was perfect, everything about the drama's production was high quality. Also excellent job in being able to show the emotions of the characters through camera shot styles, its rare seeing a drama being able to do that.
All around, I wish this drama didn't throw away all the great work in started with in the first six episodes. Had they continued with that pace, this drama had the potentials to be one of the greatest drama's of all time but unfortunately the drama self sabotaged itself leaving myself and many more viewers disappointed and unfulfilled.
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A Drama That Forgets Who Their Characters Are
I had really high hopes for this drama starting off with the tone it set very early on. It truly captured the feeling of the late 90s in Korea right from the start while doing an excellent job in tying it all together with real world events specifically the IMF Crisis. Despite the story basically spoiling the ending with the present day being the first thing that was introduced. The way the drama used the journal of Hee Do being read by her daughter in the present day as the way the plot is moved along. The story itself is the average coming of age story and first love with that unique 90s touch to it. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the dynamics of the entire cast which fit perfectly together. The friendships, the rivalry, and the way they were able to grow together was excellent, up until a specific point.This drama fell into a complete rut towards the end the series around Episode 12 when the characters who have had set personalities and motivations became completely different, almost as if the writer forgot who they were or realized that they wanted a different ending so they made the switch. The most notable change in character was the male lead, Yi Jin. He became unnecessarily depressive, nihilistic, and self destructive making brash choices which made zero sense considering past episodes and how he felt. There were two motives for the male lead, to reunite his family and his love for Hee Do, the later was completely forgotten about, even flat out abandoned with his move to New York. Every single choice the he made was completely self destructive which drove a wedge between him and Hee Do. Hee Do's character wasn't damaged as badly as Yi Jin was but the change for her was a complete let off, her main personality was that she was up front and unafraid to say what she wanted and be who she wanted. But around that same time Yi Jin changed, she became timid and afraid to speak her mind.
It's like the drama corned itself into forcing the break up of the two leads with the present day being the first thing that was set in stone and had to force in reasons for the two to break up. Even during the break up it was clear that both leads loved each other still and yet still continued with the break up. Even more salt in the wounds, it is implied that Hee Do herself in 2009 and Hee Do in 2022 did not seem at all happy with her marriage to the unmentioned husband, even mentioning that the husband is away as well which caused her to break up with Yi Jin. All of this took the drama from a solid 9/10 for me all the way down to a 7/10.
Outside of Episodes 12-16, the cast did a fantastic job with their roles with Kim Tae-Ri doing a wonderful job as the female lead. I had never seen anything before with her, but her portrayal of Hee Do made me an instant fan of hers. This was my third drama I have watched with Nam Joo-hyuk being the male lead and outside of the writing done to his character toward the end, this definitely was the best acting he has done so far. I'm a huge WJSN fan so I may be biased when it comes to saying this but Bona was perfect with her portrayal of Yu Rim, the ability of her to switch from the cold rival of Hee Do to her best friend was great. The rest of the cast contributed greatly to the story allowing for great side stories which gave a great look into more unique issues that different teens face growing up.
The OST was perfect with the entire album being so enjoyable. Especially the opening themes and closing credits. Plus whoever did the design of the opening and closing credits deserves a raise. They are the greatest I have ever seen from any drama. The cinematography was extremely high quality and well done.
Overall, the drama felt disappointing on the finish and left me feeling rather empty. It's one of those dramas where I would warn before watching to somebody.
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A Drama with a Great Premise that fails to Deliver
Behind Your Touch really caught my eye from the trailers I had seen of it and the lighthearted goofy tone it had promised really enthralled me. It did a fantastic job early on in the drama but it later failed on that premise going down a much darker tone while focusing too much on the main plotline's twists and the twists of the twists. With the cast it had, I expected much more but because of the writing's focus too much on the plotline twist, their performances were overshadowed by trying to deliver the twists.The cast itself was perfect, every single actor and actress played their roles perfectly from the main cast to the supporting cast. Han Ji-min, Lee Min-ki, and Suho all did fantastic jobs with their main roles leaving nothing but the best performances. The supporting cast was also perfect, especially Kim Yong Myung the guy that called Ok Hui unnie always and dated her. He is probably one of my favorite recurring characters out of all of the dramas I have ever watched. I always looked forward to seeing him in a scene.
The story itself started out really great with its lighthearted tone with in the first few episodes which had spots of dark plot points here and there which was fine. But the drama quickly turned into an unnecessarily dark and violent plot. The story itself as well relies heavily on the major plot point of who the serial killer is leaving only slight hints here and there. I myself predicted the Shaman being the serial killer correctly but there could have been a bit more hints. The reveal for the serial killer was actually pretty well delivered I have to say though. Because of all of that the drama fails to establish proper relationships between the characters which the drama desperately needed. Outside of the investigation work, the two leads only interact about their own personal lives very little .
The drama itself however did deliver on the whole psychometric powers concept pretty well with how they use the powers and the funny consequence of using it too much. The music itself in the drama was pretty forgetful outside of the opening theme and the cinematography for the drama was solid. Overall, it's an okay drama that flip flops on concepts which personally for me disappointed because I would have liked it if the drama committed to one concept.
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A Good Drama that with some flaws
Start-Up is a a really interest drama that across the board that plays well into the concept of start up tech companies and the different troubles and trials that they face, that special unique concept was enough for me to start up this drama. It starts off pretty well with the drama moving along the story pretty well at a good pace but quite a few issues arise in the middle of the drama which really hamper the overall story of the drama.The very first episode does a great job in establishing the entire drama's main cast backstories like Dal Mi, In Jae, Do San, and Ji Pyung which allows you to get to know each character's personally. The following first few episodes do a great job in building upon those characters while introducing new characters. However the drama suffers from a really bad midseason slump where some episodes seem to drag on and some characters make some quite annoying decisions. However the show is able to regain its focus in the last two episodes which help put things back together which finish off the drama in a good way.
The two main characters, Dal Mi and Do San were portrayed perfectly by Suzy and Nam Joo Hyuk, with Nam Joo Hyuk putting on an absolutely fantastic performance, probably one of the best performances I have seen from a male lead ever. However Ji Pyung's character despite how much the drama tries to make the viewer sympathize with him, all the actions and the way he acts comes off completely sociopathic some times. Han Na plays a perfect ice cold business woman with her character In Jae, with her character growing immensely at the end, its a shame the drama didn't have more scenes with In Jae. The rest of the cast was great with the Samsan Tech crew all being portrayed perfectly. Also I very special mention for Kim Hae Sook, she did a perfect job with her portrayal of her character's disability, as someone who also has a grandmother who has lost a good portion of her eyesight, the portrayal was spot on.
The cinematography was great, the production did really fantastic job all around with the presentation of the drama. The locations were perfect and felt just right for the story. The soundtrack itself was great with the theme song being easily one of the best drama theme songs ever in my opinion. Future by Red Velvet was a fantastic song and the rest of the OST was great as well.
Overall, a good drama that I would recommend people to watch but warn about the midseason slump.
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A Surprisingly Fantastic Drama
I came along this drama by accident just looking for my next drama after I had finished Summer Strike, not expecting much after I had just watched such a perfect drama I was instantly drawn into this drama with the special dynamic the two lead characters had. This drama did a fantastic job in showing the development of Min Kyung and Hwi Oh's relationship and how they both navigated their two own personal problems. However there are some odd spots here and there that really hinder the overall main story and in the very final episode it turns everything it to a sort of rollercoaster of events which does cause some sort of whiplash.The drama shows why sometimes short and sweet is the best way to go, it is an absolutely easy watch and it doesn't waste the viewers time with throwing in random nonsensical plots that drag out the story longer than it should. The casting of the show was perfect, Oh Yeon Seo and Jung Woo were perfect together as the leads and the entire supporting cast from everyone involved in the apartment to the part timer. It's just one of those dramas were the cast perfectly clicks.
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A Soulless Trainwreck that Wastes Viewers Time
This is quite possibly the worst drama I have ever had the misfortune of watching. Normally I'd write an indepth review but this drama wasted enough of my time as is with it's nonsensical garbage plot that was completely all over the place. From murder to domestic violence to sexual assault it seemed like the writer wanted to throw in as much shocking plotlines in a story that could have just been a normal coming of age story. It's a completely emotionally flat drams that sucks the life out of you.Outside of the horrible script and plot the only saving grace for this drama is the cast, they really did a solid job in navigating this mess of a drama.
I held on for so long with this drama and it continued to disappoint even more so than the previous episode.
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Convenience Store Saet Byul
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A Drama So Great that it was my first ever Rewatch!
This drama is the complete package when it comes to romantic-comedy dramas. First off the drama expertly paces itself with the highs and lows which make the viewer really enjoy the happy and funny moments alongside really feeling the sadness of the low points. The development of both Dae Hyun and Saet Byul's relationship throughout the drama was fantastic, the way they grow on each other overtime feels so natural, likewise with Saet Byul being accepted into Dae Hyun's family especially with Dae Hyun's mother.The casting choices for all the characters were so spot and they instantly clicked together, they all interact so well with each especially the secondary romance between Dal Sik and Geum Bi. Everytime those two had a scene I couldn't help but laugh, Dal Sik alone is probably one of my favorite support characters out of every single drama I've watched. He's so incredibly memorable, likewise with many of the other support characters.
The soundtrack for the drama is an instant classic from songs from Kang Daniel, April, Kim Tae Woo, Rothy, and Colde which were instantly put into all of my playlists after I had finished my first watch. Even the OST is fantastic, it fit every single scene perfectly. This drama definitely is worth a watch, a re-watch, and even more. It just leaves you with this happy, fulfilled feeling after watching the whole series!
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Extraordinary Attorney Woo
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A Drama that Leaves the Viewer with a sense of Fulfillment
Extraordinary Attorney Woo has been a drama that I have been putting off watching for a long time and I am incredibly disappointed in myself for not watching this wonderful drama much sooner! The drama immediately establishes itself perfectly by introducing all the characters and their wide arrange of personalities. The story itself revolves around the titular character Woo Young Woo, Korea's first Autistic Attorney, who immediately became one of my favorite female lead characters with her cute, charming, shy personality. Each episode revolved around a "Case of the Week" style story telling with the attorneys of Hanbada Law Firm taking on various cases involving different situations and different character interactions with a wide arrange of conflicts and new friendships being formed. The drama also has a main overarching story revolving around Woo Young Woo being the secret child of the head of Hanbada's rival lawfirm Taesan and Minister of Justice candidate, Tae Soo Mi. The secondary overarching story was Woo Young Woo's relationship with Lee Jun Ho, a charming and kind litigator who works at Hanbada. He quickly establishes himself as the kind and caring male lead who genuinely cares for Woo Young Woo and who loves Woo Young Woo for who she, even despite his judgmental friends. The story itself is consistent throughout and it never once disappointed me, I was always thoroughly entertained however two things disappointed me was that it feel into the one episode break up trope which many K-Drama's fall into and that some cases' outcomes aren't directly mentioned so you have to judge based around how the closing arguments were for those cases. Although that wasn't enough for me to minus points off.The cast itself was perfect with Woo Young Woo being played by the talented Park Eun Bin who nobody else could have played that role better and her counterpart Lee Jun Ho was played by Kang Tae Oh who was a big fan of in My First First Love. Kang Tae Oh really shined in the male lead role, I hope he gets more roles in the future as the male lead, this performance alone was perfect. It was interesting to see Kang Ki Young play a nice, caring, mentor role with his role of Jung Myung Seok especially after watching him play the lead villain in the second season of Uncanny Counter. The first episode was odd, but he immediately showed his ability to play two totally different roles. The wide arrange of supporting casting was fantastic, specifically Choi Soo Yeon who was played by Ha Yoon Kyung.
The quality of the production was perfect with the cinematography being extremely high quality and the locations for the drama were lively. The OST was great and complimented the drama well. Overall I loved every second of watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo, I really can't wait for the second season!
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An All Time Classic with the perfect mix of Action, Fun, and Drama!
Where do I even start with this amazing K-Drama? I may be slightly biased with this K-Drama because of the obviously heavy focus on Catholicism but this k-drama instantly hooked me in the very first minutes of it. The character introduction of Father Kim was instantly iconic, the presentation of how he moves and his fiery personality made him larger than life. Kim Nam Gil does a perfect and flawless job in his portrayal of Father Kim, nobody else in Korea could have done what he did with the role. Right from the start The Fiery Priest does a wonderful job in establishing the tone of the entire K-Drama showing both a comedic side and a more serious side while adding in some actually pretty amazing action scenes with some fantastic choreography which is always a crucial thing for me when it comes to watching a K-Drama. It never strays away from the set tone once throughout the entire series. It expertly mixes it all together allowing for the viewer to laugh and enjoy the really fun and happy moments while feeling the emotion of the serious scenes.One of the biggest motifs of the Fiery Priest is redemption focusing around Father Kim redeeming his two main partners in taking on the corrupt council that runs Gudam. It handles redemption in a perfect pace allowing for a proper pay off of Father Kim's two main partners. His first partner, Goo Dae Young, starts off as a foolish unlikeable corrupt goofball and turns into a brave passionate police officer who wants to protect the innocence at all costs while still being a goofball. Kim Sung Kyun does a great job in showing the duality of both forms of his character and acts as a great counterpart to Father Kim. Father Kim's second partner, Prosecutor Park Kyung Sun starts off as a crazy dirty backstabber who wants to get promoted at all costs and becomes a cunning brave, smart, and bold upholder of the law even if it makes her lose her job. Lee Ha Nee does such a perfect job with the role, really owning the craziness of the character. All of this is done through Father Kim's influence over them. Another person Father Kim influences in a good direction is Goo Dae Young's rookie partner, Seo Seung Ah, while she starts off already good and wanting to take on the corrupt Gudam gang, Father Kim makes he really brave and even stronger in her pursuit of doing good, I loved how Geum Sae Rok made her such a loveable character right from the start.
One of my favorite things the Fiery Priest did was it gave every main character a proper backstory on why they do the things they do which allows for a more in-depth look into the psyche of the character giving even more life and a feeling of natural connection to the characters. It's truly amazing how many character's got a proper backstory. The Fiery Priest held consistent to this all throughout the series which showed the screenwriter and director really knew their characters.
The supporting cast was fantastic with Father Kim's fellow clergy to his friends around Gudam especially Ssongsak, his growth as a character was amazing throughout the series, becoming a character I couldn't wait for the next scene he was in. Hwang Cheol Bum and his gang especially Jang Ryong were great fodder to Father Kim's fiery path of justice. Everything about this cast from the top to the very bottom was pure perfection, I wouldn't even change a single casting nor remove or add any single character.
The pacing of the Fiery Priest was perfect, it never once dragged on for even a single second. Every single scene had quality and entertainment which kept my eyes glued to my tv at all times watching this perfect K-Drama. The one slight disappointment I had was the quality of the filming which isn't the fault of anyone really, it's what SBS had given to the director but he did a wonderful job as is with it. The soundtrack from the OST to the background music is amazing, especially Hero by Norazo, it's such an energetic track that matches the fire and passion that Father Kim has.
This is my second K-Drama I have watched that was directed by Lee Myung Woo, the first I watched of his was Backstreet Rookie which was my first ever perfectly scored K-Drama, this man really knows how to put together a perfect cohesive and consistent K-Drama. Seeing Eum Moon Suk and Ahn Chang Hwan who both appeared and interacted with each other in Backstreet Rookie again in the Fiery Priest made me so happy, especially how they both developed a friendship toward the very end.
One final thing, I really loved how The Fiery Priest respected and treated Catholicism with honor and due diligence. Never once did I find anything disrespectful or offensive to my faith. Father Kim has become one of my all time favorite Catholic non-fiction heroes, he might even be in my Top 3 now next to Daredevil and Robocop!
I really really really love The Fiery Priest, I can't wait for the rumored second season! I'd recommend this K-Drama to absolutely everyone!
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A Fantastic Story filled with all Sorts of Chaos
I had come along this drama just scrolling through the library for my next drama and was instantly curious about the alien concept for its story. Instantly the drama sets the tone with a wild first episode which really does lure the viewer in with the mystery surrounding the main character, Jihyo. Then it really does totally capture the viewer with the second episode in introducing everyone else including the second main character, Jihyo's former childhood friend Bora. The dynamic between the two leads is so natural and they do really feel like they do have some real history between each other.The story itself is so unique from all of the other dramas I have watched and the entire style the way the drama's director goes about telling the story is picture perfect. From the cinematography, the lighting, and the OST. The original soundtrack for the drama was perfect, it had an almost Stranger Things like feel to it but with a more modern sound to it.
The drama is one of those short and to the point dramas which doesn't waste the viewers time with nonsensical plots that draw away from the actual plot of the story. Each episode is about 45-50 minutes with only 10 episodes so it is an easy watch and perfect for binging, especially because this drama really makes you want to watch more. The ending without spoiling anything, leaves an open door for a second season which I really do hope they do another season, the cast and the story were just great all around.
Only negative things I feel about the drama is that at points the drama sometimes feels a bit more western like which is always a bit more of a turn off.
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A Drama with Twists and Twists on those Twists
This is probably one of the most enjoyable crime oriented dramas I have ever watched, the drama does a great job in reeling in the viewer with introducing them to wild cast of characters headed by the wild outlandish Shaman Nam Han Jun and the Charming yet deadly Han Jae Hee and each other's respective groups. The drama also does a great job in keeping true to the tone it sets in the first few episodes which allows for a very easy view while not throwing off the drama's balance at all.There is tons of twists however which do get a tad bit disorienting but overall they aren't too far fetched in terms of the story. The drama does leave some good hints here and there for sharp eyed viewers to discern who the real main villain of the story is, although it drama does a good job just throwing in little bit of doubt which kept me invested in the story. The 18 episode/1 hour time run per episode fit the story perfect and allowed for everything mentioned to be resolved or at least attended to.
The drama's ability to maintain its tone it set is also its weak point, while being able to balance between the comedy and the very dark seriousness of specific crimes involved. Both sides of the drama were fantastic but I just feel like personally for myself the drama's story would have been much better if they would have completely devoted to one over the other, if anything, the drama's wild outlandish main cast could have totally created one of the best comedy crime dramas.
The music is fantastic, the opening theme by Gonia, the Dance of Minamdang has instantly become my all time favorite drama theme, I just can't stop playing it! The overall quality of the production from the sets, like Cafe Minamdang to the filming locations was all high quality.
This drama would totally be perfect if it would run for more than just one season, the concept of fraud Shaman with his team of comedic goofs running around leaves so many limitless ideas. Great drama all around!
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I Don't Want To Do Anything
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A Wonderful Story about Starting New Again
First off before I start reviewing anything about the story itself I have to say, the production team did a fantastic job with the cinematography and the location picking for the filming of this drama. This has to be the most visually pleasing drama I have ever watched and in terms of cinematography, it competes with some of my top western TV shows in that regard as well.Now onto the cast, the casting director deserves an award for their selection of this cast. Seolhyun and Si Wan are perfect leads for this show that really mirror the entire story perfectly. The supporting cast of Eun Soo, a.mond, Ye Young, Min Gyoo, Hye Jung, and the rest of the cast did a wonderful job in really making Angok feel like a real town with tons of intricate relationships and backstories.
The story of Yeo Reum being tired of the corporate world and wanting to break free of that bland life and start again a new after life throwing misery after misery at her really resonated with me. It made me instantly connect with her as a character. Dae Beom's very introvert personality and his trauma he faced growing up and going through intense schooling also instantly made me connect with him as a character. So I was instantly sold on these two main characters. Their love story throughout the show was so well done that it displayed a very unique choice, by not having the two leads not having their big kiss scene nor not even saying, "I love you" (although there was a scene where Dae Beom confesses his love to Yeo Reum indirectly however by saying he loves summer (Yeo Reum's name in Korean literally means summer). Bom and Jae Hoon's relationship also reminds me of my first ever relationship I had, although they got a happy ending instead! The drama does a wonderful job in making the good times, which there are plenty of, feel like really great times. However the show does a great job in making bad times feel like really bad times, which thankfully there are only a few but oh do they make you feel really depressed. But it finds a great way to re-instill hope and happiness back into you.
There were some bits and story choices I felt like weren't necessary and really didn't fit the plot and concept for show itself which prevented it from being the perfect drama. And lastly, the OST for this drama was fantastic. It did a great job in accompanying the emotions of the drama and really made everything feel so much more perfect.
Yeo Reum's parting wisdom really put the cherry on top of the drama:
“I thought about what happiness is. I looked it up in the dictionary. Happiness is a state of being pleased, fulfilled, and content in life. I found that definition to be too long, so I decided to make it shorter. Happiness. The state of being sufficient.”
I don't think any other drama will every top the feeling I got from watching this masterpiece of a drama. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
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A Drama That Expertly Blends Emotions Well
I took immediate interest in this drama after finishing up Extraordinary Attorney Woo because I had fell in love with Park Eun-bin and her fantastic acting ability and its apparent she is quite possibly one of the best actresses around with how she fails to disappoint in her ability to play totally different roles in this wonderful drama. The main major thing Castaway Diva expertly does is it's ability to mix in a wide arrange of emotions and its ability blend together serious and more intense scenes with its happy and joyful scenes.The story itself revolves around the titular character, Seo Mok Ha, the Castaway Diva who spent 15 years stranded on an island after she fell overboard trying to escape her abusive father while trying to seek a better life by becoming a singer. The story takes Seo Mok Ha on a journey with her resettling into society and meeting new people including her idol that she absolutely loves, Yoon Ran Joo. I really loved the sister relationship the two developed over the series with the individual character growth it brought for the both of them. Both of them learning new things and becoming stronger in different facets of their personalities while also taking each other's careers to the next level. I have tagged this as review as a spoiler but I am giving extra warning with the next bit of this because it is a major reveal!
The secondary plotline revolves around Kang Bo Geol formerly known as Ki Ho, Seo Mok Ha's middle school friend who helped her film her contest music video in turn falling in love with her and later helped her escape her abusive father while also escaping his own abusive father. Despite having saved Seo Mok Ha from the island after searching for her for 15 years, he had to keep it a secret because he and his family were hiding from his father by using a missing families identities to cover for themselves. This secondary plotline is the main driver of the serious, intense, and sad scenes throughout the drama. Personally for me I thought it hindered and took space from the main plotline revolving around Seo Mok Ha and the more generally happy moments but it felt natural however with the way the writers were able to mix in both together. The romance between Seo Mok Ha and Ki Ho played out perfectly and paid out well with how they handled Ki Ho's reveal to Seo Mok Ha and their lead up to them confessing their love to each other.
The casting for this drama was absolutely perfect, Park Eun-bin became my all time favorite actress after watching Castaway Diva, she is so incredibly talented across the board. She plays the role of Seo Mok Ha perfectly. Her counterpart Ki Ho is played by Chae Jong Hyeop who does a wonderful job in portraying a conflicted man wanting to confess who he is to the love of his life but not wanting to risk his family from getting hurt. I also loved how both the young and adult versions match each other so very well, normally in dramas and in TV shows in general they always come off abit weird and wrong, but this was the first time I actually enjoyed watching both. (Spoilers for Good Detective S2 ahead) Yoon Ran Joo is played perfectly by Kim Hyo Jin who I didn't even realized was played by the main villain of the second season of Good Detective. Cha Hak Yeon plays the annoying brother role perfectly and the rest of the casting was absolutely fantastic.
The OST is legitimately one of the best I have ever heard plus the fact that it also revolves around the story of the drama makes it so much even better and makes it all the more special. Park Eun-bin is so incredibly talented as a singer that I have had her songs on repeat since finishing this drama. The cinematography was picture perfect with each scene displaying the emotions of the characters by just the way it was filmed using a variety of colors.
All around another perfect drama from Park Eun-bin! She really is the perfect all around actress, I'd suggest everyone to watch this wonderful drama that makes you feel all the emotions!
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