balaguava
Both Extracurricular and How to Buy a Friend were really refreshing takes on the high school genre, which I had previously lost interest in due to the fact that most dramas of the same vein were now being reduced to simple, relatively mundane rom-coms. Having attempted to watch many other dramas this year that felt like they dragged on aimlessly, the fast pacing was a huge source of relief.
The main characters are, for the most part, morally ambiguous. The world of Extracurricular isn't solely black and white-- there are various shades of grey in between, which makes them all the more fascinating to watch. The cast does a great job of delivering their roles, and while I initially took it up for the boys, I ended up falling for Park Joo Hyun (I can't wait to see what kind of roles she'll be doing next!) Kim Donghee did a great job of embodying the role of the reluctant, disillusioned antihero. I also loved the snappy dialogue and the dynamics between the characters.
The plot isn't entirely unpredictable, but that didn't take away from the story itself. I was still on the edge of my seat at every turn, both anticipating and dreading what would come next. Overall a really fun watch.
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The Making of An Ordinary Woman
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Chen Chia Lin is an incredibly relatable female lead. She can be quite goofy and somewhat naive, but her character is profoundly human. The drama is told in two different timelines and bounces between her childhood and present day. In doing so, it allowed us to really come to understand not only her character but the character of the people around her as well. I think anyone who has experienced loss, whether it be the loss of a loved one or simply the lack of direction in life would be able to relate to her struggles.
I didn't expect that it would have as much depth as it did, but this drama somehow managed to balance a good amount of hilarious comedy with mature, contemplative depth. I don't want to spoil too much but they managed to discuss a lot of issues/topics that, while being somewhat specific to the culture, can also be taken out of that context and examined in another as well.
Overall really, really loved it. Actors were all 10/10. Please do yourself a favor and give it a try.
*Not sure if there are English subtitles though, and a lot of Taiwanese is spoken. Just a note!*
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A show that makes you think for once
I REALLY loved the world between us! Most of my experiences with Taiwanese dramas have been on the substantially lighter side (family dramas/romance with heavy dosages of comedy), so it was a much-welcome change in pace. And not only does it stand out amongst its own kind- Asian dramas in general hardly ever make you feel uncomfortably aware of the kinds of prejudice their own cultures carry, particularly towards the mentally ill. And when they are represented, those characters are always unreasonably attractive, perhaps to still appeal to a wider audience. What that does, though, is prevent said audience from being able to come to terms with those who actually have mental illnesses in real life and simply look like us. This drama really did a great job of overcoming that obstacle, as well as honing in on that discomfort of the "ugly" truths in society and the underlying issues with our values and our perceptions. It dealt with some really deep topics, such as grief, overcoming trauma, relationships, the way media shapes our perception, etc. And the acting was top-notch!However, the ending did feel a tad too neat and some of the resolutions too quickly resolved. Although they did show the importance of mental health, I do wish they had shown more of the psychiatric/therapy side of things, especially since it's essentially taboo in our culture. But to be fair these weren't huge issues. I still think this show was really well-done (loved the concept for the opening scenes/title sequence). Highly recommend for anyone craving a fast-paced, thought-provoking story.
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The characters were all well-developed and portrayed by a truly amazing cast. Choongnam was definitely my favorite, but everyone had their charms, just as they had their flaws. I begrudgingly came to adore each and every one as I came to know them, which I feel is an admirable feat for a drama in itself. By the end of the drama, it felt as if they were my very own family members.
What I loved about this drama was that it reminds us that growth does not stop at your 20s, or even your 30s or 40s. Life presents an endless amount of opportunities for you to learn about yourself as well as others-- what's more important is whether you're willing to acknowledge it. It taught me to look at the concepts of relationships, whether familiar or romantic, and death with a new perspective. And it reminded me the importance of being able to recognize one's own needs and take a step back when life gets too overwhelming.
I'll truly miss this drama. I'm sure you will, too.
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I love ensemble dramas, and this one did not disappoint. Like a true family, the merciless amount of teasing and making jabs does not go unseen. And like a true family, they also show their support for one another in ways that just make you internally "aww". I have no complaints whatsoever about the casting (Lee Sun Kyun kills it as the #1 petty king of the office), and I enjoyed seeing the dynamics play out. It makes you wish you worked with a team like them.
You know a show is funny when you actually find yourself laughing out loud at scenes- which I unexpectedly did, many, many times while watching it. Sometimes it's something absurdly funny, and other times it's simply the expressions on their faces that make it comedy gold. That being said, they do manage a nice balance of serious scenes as well reminiscent of Misaeng, though Diary of a Prosecutor is a bit lighter in tone.
I love shows that break the fourth wall! Bonus points for that as well.
Like others have mentioned, the show is more episodic and there isn't much of a continuous, in-depth plot. However, I think it's fitting given the subject. It manages to highlight and show the day-to-day life of prosecutors, which may not be particularly glamorous or rewarding at every given moment, but is valuable nonetheless.
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Q Series: Life Plan A and B
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For starters, Rainie's acting in this was amazing. Any story that requires an actor to fulfill more than one role and play it off well is a feat of its own, and she really managed to nail it. In fact, everyone played their roles so well that I felt genuinely depressed watching them grapple with their relationships, both with others as well as with themselves. Although the supporting characters were there to...well, support, they felt like real people you'd meet and talk to, rather than another forgettable prop in the grand scheme of things. The pacing and the story worked really well, and it didn't feel too long or too short. I finished it with a sense of satisfaction (and a bit of unease, because that means I'm going to have to be forced to reevaluate my own life now).
Riding off the relatively upbeat tones of Love of Sandstorm, I feel like Life Plan A and B just punched me in the face. There's a certain depth, complexity, and somberness that I feel like I'm starting to see become popular in Taiwanese cinema. It's that sincerity and that willingness to be vulnerable and thought-provoking that really had me watching it so intensely, even when it felt uncomfortable at times to do so. The lesson it teaches is one I'll surely take to heart.
*also rated the music an 8/10 because i oddly have no recollection whatsoever of the music at all. but i'm sure it was great.
(edited to lower the rating a bit after some thought bc it was a bit confusing to follow but i still enjoyed it a lot!)
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I'm a sucker for good cinematography and this one does not disappoint. The lighting of the scenes is so pleasant and helps build on the hopeful tone of this short film, and the soundtrack is simple but in a way that settles gracefully in the background. Han Jimin and Park Hyungsik are wonderful together, and their sweet and simple interactions are what have me revisiting this short film every so often when I'm looking for a quick pick-me-up. (Really hope they do a drama together in the near future!) There isn't really time for full-on character or plot development-- it's thirty minutes long-- but in those thirty minutes, this film really delivered what it could.
I can't say whether the actors' portrayal of vision impairment was accurate, but from an outsider's perspective I feel that the subject was handled well, and what I especially liked was how optimistic it was.
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Q Series: Love of Sandstorm
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Some gripes I have with the show: I love the (1) One Ok Rock song they use as the theme song but it feels ill-suited for the show. They also cut it off weirdly so that didn't help either. I feel like the quality of acting fluctuated a lot, which made it hard to truly become immersed in the drama. The problem felt like a mix of both the script and the delivery.
Still, if you're looking to watch something that provides comedic relief, funny family dynamics, and the occasional sweet romance, I'd give it a try!
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My Wife’s Having an Affair this Week
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The good: I loved the cast! I've never seen BoA in an acting role before so I had reservations about her ability, but like the rest of the cast, she assumed her character very naturally and convincingly. I adored Lee Sangyeob and his character (which was TOTALLY different from LAITA, definitely threw me off) and I loved Lee Sunkyun in My Mister and Diary of a Prosecutor. Also, BABY KIM KANG HOON IS SO CUTE :( In terms of the story, I liked that it was able to show the many reasons why people have affairs and/or get divorced from both a logical and emotional perspective. It delved into the complexities of a relationship and the need for communication and understanding to sustain it. There was a good balance between serious notes and comedic relief, with plenty of Lee Sunkyun's token vacant, I-am-dissociating-from-this-world expression to match. Overall, it was pretty heart-warming and surprisingly thoughtful.
The meh: The plot dragged its feet quite a bit in the first half. I think the story could've easily done without one or two episodes, especially the majority of the last episode. I wish they had shown Mom more, even if it was an intended effort to focus on the husband instead.
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a drama that could have done without the drama
THE GOODThe first half was decently cute and I liked the 'Little Forest'-esque vibes with the rural setting and the different dishes they presented throughout the show. Jasper and Annie make a cute pair, and the villagers are quite an endearing bunch. I also loved the last song they play at the end of every episode (and the original songs they play throughout the show are also quite charming)! It's definitely a pleasant change of scenery.
THE BAD
That being said, I wish it didn't have so much unnecessary drama. Many of the characters with "issues" had a glaring lack of character development or even depth to begin with, which led me to skimming over half of the scenes. Even the righteous main characters had a hard time winning my sympathy at certain points. So. Much. Pointless. Moping.
CONCLUSION
I mostly finished it out of curiosity, but in the end I'm not too sure what I watched.
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