fruitless
Los Angeles
An Interesting Cross-Genre Concept Executed Well
I'm alone on an empty street.The sun is shining brightly.
The clock which is never wrong says it's midnight.
I wonder, is it day or night?
This recurring line (copied NOT verbatim) really hooked me into the premise of this show. The real answer is revealed in the show and while it doesn't exactly translate to a true life lesson, it's interesting in its own way.
Let me begin by saying I LOVE crime/romance hybrids: Flower of Evil, *chef's kiss*, Come and Hug Me + Cruel City, *thumbs up*. This is why I couldn't help but be a little disappointed to find not so much external romance as internal romantic motivation; which, while still nice, is not what I expect from a romance tag.
Add in some fantasy/sci-fi elements, splashes of comedy, and you have all the makings of a drama tailored to my tastes, maybe yours too.
The story is interesting, paced well, and developed in ways that I didn't expect but still made sense. Many characters get their time to shine in different scenes without dragging the drama down.
The cast chemistry is strong throughout and I found myself particularly enjoying Seolhyun/Hye Won's character and journey. Nam Goong Min brings his trademark charisma to this role. His scenes with Lee Chung Ah/Jamie were particularly entertaining as characters who understood each other well.
A weakness or dislike for this drama would be the villains. There are a few and I never really found myself invested or interested in their motivations. They were generic, sometimes weak, but it is easily overlooked IMO because I don't consider the villains, or their POV, to be necessary here. They exist as a set-up, a vehicle for the conflict, and I'm accepting of that. Would it be more intriguing if they weren't this way? Of course, but they're not so I'm moving on.
That is not to say the villain roles were not played well; on the contrary, there were many standout performances, notably Ahn Shi Ha/Hyun Hui/Mad Scientist. I enjoyed every terrifying moment she was on screen.
If you're looking for a well-executed crime thriller from beginning to end with bits of romance feels on the side, definitely give this a try. Thank you!
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When I Was The Most Beautiful
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When I Watched the Most Beautiful Mess
When I Was the Most Beautiful is probably the worst drama I've seen that I actually REALLY liked.There is a lot to dislike in this drama, big things that definitely should not be overlooked, but more importantly, there is a lot to like here too.
What I like most, the acting/cast. Hands down. Ji Soo, Im Soo Hyang, and Ha Seok Jin really dug into this absurdity of a script and made it somehow seem relatable and understandable with their expressions and emotions and body language etc. There are so many of these dialogue moments between our leads that rendered me unable to look away due to the intensity of the lines and the magic of them living the scene together.
An example.
"I love you. You don't have to say it back. I know. Your touches, your gaze, the air you bring... always told me that you loved me."
If you can strap in and ride out the ridiculous things to dislike about this drama: the pacing which is insanely fast yet also insanely slow, the plot lines which are makjang-adjacent, and the comical villains and conflicts… You might find a show you enjoy in here too.
P.S. Ji Soo* saranghae.
*leaving this here because I did like him but my feelings about him are very different now with the news that has come to light
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The story is not ground-breaking. It is your standard David vs Goliath revenge tale, but sprinkle in characters like Park Sae Ro Yi and his immovable principles, Jo Yi Seo and her cunning brilliance, and I'm hooked.
Contrary to what is said in the show, is it not easy to be a person like Sae Ro Yi (or Yi Seo, either) and that was a lot of the appeal for me; to see a character so unfamiliar and uncommon in a world that does not favor those who don't compromise.
The development of supporting characters is also very good, especially Seung Kwon.
The romance wasn't the point of the story for me but I wasn't disappointed or confused by the result. It was also really enjoyable to see Soo Ah and Yi Seo square off time and time again.
I would definitely recommend a watch of this show and hope you can take some lessons to heart on the way.
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Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency
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(Also, my first review. Not sure why I thought this drama would be a good starting point or why I'm doing this at 2 AM.)
Story: 8
The story breaks down into three parts for me: the romance, the Flower Crew's jobs, and the political intrigue.
The main love line is very sweet, a little cringe... oh and there's real kissing *gasp* Scandalous. There is a love triangle but I never felt overly concerned by the second ML. There is also a second love line that was very interesting to watch play out.
The Flower Crew's jobs serve primarily to introduce you to the members, their skillsets, their relationship dynamics, etc. I was a little saddened that this format died off once we knew more about them as I would've been totally down for a season of episodic matchmaking.
The political intrigue was by far the weakest element and while I understand it is a staple of saeguks, I wish the screen time devoted to it was considerably less. This is not to say the intrigue was ridiculous and nonsensical, but should highlight how much I enjoyed watching the Flower Crew help their clients (and themselves) find love.
Acting/Cast: 9.5
aka "Why I (usually) keep watching kdramas".
Kim Min Jae as Ma Hoon: Plays your "cold ML waiting for his warm FL" to perfection. And if you've never heard his speaking voice before... You're in for a treat. There were times I felt his character was overpowered but other times the opposite so I guess it balances?
Gong Seung Yeon as Gae Ddong: Down on her luck, headstrong (lol), and just lovely to watch. She delivered one of my favorite love confession scenes in recent memory and wished I was on that bridge with her.
Seo Ji Hoon as Soo: played a very sympathetic ML adjusting to a radically different reality. While I didn't love the politics, I would like to add that I really enjoyed watching Soo learn how to navigate the relationships of the court and especially his real talk with the eunuch.
Park Ji Hoon as Go Young Soo and Byun Woo Suk as Do Joon: entertaining characters played very well. Any scenes with the complete Flower Crew were scenes I loved. A minor complaint is that we got Do Joon's backstory quite early on but Young Soo's didn't come in until the last quarter or so.
Go Won Hee as Kang Ji Hwa: loved LOVED her character. I admired her conviction when it came to her life and the sacrifices she was willing to make (and not make) in order to achieve her goals.
Music: 8
This is going to be disappointing for people expecting to find real insight here, but I'm not one of those people who pay a lot of attention to the OSTs. I'll usually categorize them as "bad" if they break my immersion (One Spring Night), "good" if they don't (Hotel del Luna), and "amazing" if they're Goblin or My Mister. This was good.
Rewatch Value: 6.5
Once you reach the end of this road and you know how to get there, much of the excitement is lost. I could see myself rewatching some of my favorite scenes (the confession) but I don't think a full re-watch would happen anytime soon.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Hope you enjoy the show :)
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