purplebass
Italy
Hapimari: Happy Marriage!?
15 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Overall, if you've read the manga the story follows the most superficial part of it. Hokuto and Chiwa get into a contract relationship and live as a couple so you see their difficulties as they try to get by day after day. But if you've read the manga, you know this is not the only main story. Besides the R-Rated scenes that it contains (that of course they'd never do in a drama), there is also a story of revenge from Hokuto's part that here was put aside and they only showed a part of it and resolved it quickly. It was as if he was never fully convinced of what he was doing or perhaps it was the actor who didn't fully convince me as Hokuto. So while I appreciate they did some changes to fit the story into a drama line, I think they should have dug deeper and shown more character development. Hokuto should have issues, look complex. Here he looked like he had layers to his personality, but most of the time I couldn't see them, it was as if the actor who played him was static. Now I don't know his other works, but here he didn't make me feel a lot for his character because he seemed superficial and not mysterious like the manga!Hokuto. The same happened with Chiwa's character, but less. She was more like her manga counterpart, even if at times shallow. In general, if you're looking for a romantic story with not much drama to it but never read the manga, go for it. But don't expect a super masterpiece, just an enjoyable series with some over the top moments that honestly could have been avoided.
The music is pretty cool though.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
The main theme is revenge, and this drama contains some of the usual k-drama cliches of this type, so you won't find nothing new. At times the show looked predictable, but I was surprised a few times despite the execution was a bit poor on some occasions. In the end much of the plot makes sense.
What some people may not like is the slow pacing. This drama is actually short compared to others, but in my opinion it develops a bit like a longer drama, so many people will find that it drags a bit. I honestly didn't feel that "dragging" feeling much, but that's probably because I marathoned the last 20 mini episodes because I wanted to find out how it ended. In my case, I enjoyed the ride, but I understand the plot can be tiring at some point, especially when some storylines could've been resolved in less time. A 16-episodes drama would've been OK as well for this kind of story, but what can we do?
This drama had a very good cast. I really wanted to see Joo Sang Wook and Lee Min Jung reunite, but it didn't feel satisfying like their previous k-drama reunion. I think on this drama there should've been more work on the development of this couple because at times the actors didn't feel like they were into the pairing, as if they weren't much involved. I understand In Joon's character liked Hae Ra and he was driven by his liking to act like he did with her and that Hae Ra was with him just because she had an ulterior motive, but there was something off in their dynamic. I guess it's the writing, because the actors have worked together in the past and there wasn't any chemistry issue in a title like "Cunning Single Lady". I think the revelation of this drama for me was Seo Yi Hun, who played Cha Soo Hyun. Her character was complicated and unsure at times, but she always did something unexpected. She was truly a character you love to hate.
The music was very good. I love the main OST by Aalia called like the drama. And I loved every instrumental that they put on it, because they were very fitting and alluring for this kind of drama.
Would I watch it again? Yes, probably. Despite everything, this drama was my cup of tea. I liked the story, didn't like how some things were executed, but I liked it overall. If I were to suggest whether to watch it or not, I'd say that if you like revenge dramas, then this could be of your liking. But you want any suggestion? Marathon it. I guess it's better to watch the story fast, because it all makes more sense in the end.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
What to say about the acting. Maybe I'm biased because I like Jang Hyuk and Lee Da Hae, but they were very good with their characters. I love JH because he's able to communicate what his characters feel through his body and his eyes, and it reaches the viewer. This is an important skill for an actor because it helps the audience emphatize with who he is playing. Oh Joon is definitely a man you love to hate and you feel pity for what he goes through. JH is very emotional in this role. He has a lot of chemistry with Lee Da Hae which adds points to the acting, because a couple with good chemi also has more impact and you can easily root for them. Every character in this drama plays an important role. They also show the audience that a person is not defined but what he/she does, because everyone can turn over a new leaf and start anew, and everyone has the right to be loved even if others may think they don't.
As for the music, the OST is worth. The first OST "Signal Lights" by Bay is my favorite.
I'd recommend this if you like a mix of comedy and melodrama.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
1) It may sound absurd, but for my taste I love when there is one or more evil characters on a drama - they make things more fun and the main leads' reunion at the end more earned. This didn't happen over here. We had great material: the cold halmeoni, the calculating uncle and Do Hyun's mom... not to mention Cha Ki Joon (the cousin) or Chae Yeon. Every time one of them appeared on screen, I expected them to make a smart move and surprise me, but all they did was utter the wrong words. Seriously, I REALLY expected some serious threats to make the whole situation more anxious and interesting! This was a big let down. Maybe as a melo and makjang fan who has probably seen a lot of things whil pure evil enemies, was waiting for something more. Ok, but this can be forgiven because what is important here, is the DID and the road to recovery. Let's say the seemigly "bad people" including Do Hyun's father were only a backstory to that.
2) There were too many flashbacks and at some point it was confusing. Ok that they could help us viewers understand the backstory more, but do not let the footage be longer than 5 minutes! On the last episodes it was really TOO long, and could have been told through another telling method. In my opinion, a shorter FB gives a mysterious tone to the narration and makes the audience would want to look out for more. The FB's almost told everything we still needed to know, dragging the whole thing.
3) And this brings me to point 3. I honestly felt that up from episode 15 to 20, the writer just wrote stuff to "fill" the episodes, since they had them. I felt like 16 episodes would have sufficed. This is why the long flashbacks and long scenes with the main leads with basically 5 minutes or less of screentime for the secondary characters that as I wrote above, could have been given more 'evil' things to plot, instead of just walking away emotionless as they did. I don't like stories that drag out too much.
4) This may sound silly, but I was REALLY disappointed by the romantic part. I had watched Ji Sung and HJE in "Secret Love" and loved them because they portrayed a sweet yet bitter kind of romance. Here the romance was also messed up because of the personalities and the "triangle" between Do Hyun, Se Gi, and Ri Jin (quadrangle if we also add Ri On or pentagon with Chae Yeon). Don't get me wrong, I think they had the chemistry but somehow, when they kissed they seemed uncomfortable. Their kisses were just too simple and lasted FOOOOOREVER, I felt like sighing everytime. Bear with me, but if they are potraying something that has romance in it, to make me feel the whole thing, the romantic part has to be done in a way that I could enjoy, and here it was partially done so I feel a bit let down.
5) And maybe last point. I think the writer focused too much on the psychological part and the overcoming of the past. Like I said above, the romance is important when I watch something. If the ulterior plot besides the romance is not played in a way where it compensates for the lack of it, then even if it's well written like in this case, it leaves me with nothing much but a story about things I have studied in school (yeah, I was a psychology student). Had it been more evil touches and conspiration, I would have been more forgiving on this part. But since it didn't happen, I can just say I really appreciate how the writer explained this disorder and was creative about the personalities and what happens to people who suffer of DID, I can just compliment him/her on this aspect.
Finally let's talk about the cast and acting. I have already mentioned that I first saw Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum on "Secret" two years ago. They did not disappoint me. I find both of them good actors, JS was really good at playing seven different personalities - it really felt he was a different person each time. HJE was also good but when she shouted I didn't like it. They were good together, you could tell there was already a friendship between them, but I felt that one of them (maybe JS) was restraining themselves while acting. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I perceived it. Nothing to say to the other actors, they were ok and no one stood out more for me to comment about them.
Musically speaking, the only song that remained in my head is the main one with the rapper and the female voice. It is a good song with nice lyrics about the drama, and I'm surely not going to forget it soon. The other songs were ok.
This being said, I will give the whole drama a 7.5/8. Even if I complained, didn't mean I haven't enjoyed the whole thing... ;) I think it is worth the watch.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Healer has it all: romance, family drama, dark past, but above all action and suspense. It is able to build tension and release it through sweet and touching moments. Nowadays I am seeing less and less dramas able to do it, so I think you should watch Healer if you want a taste of a quality drama.
If we look at the story, it is well-built. Every episode new clues were revealed and made you wonder. There was an intricate map behind the story, and the writer was good at creating it. The characters were deep, and full of layers. They were stereotypical, but not fully stereotyped.
Each actor gave their best and especially the main leads Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young, made me love their couple really much. They have a lot of chemistry and could pass as lovers, haha! I ship this. Their romance built up at a medium pace with the girl falling for the guy first. Then he also fell for her because his pain had become unbearable and he needed support. He had denied himself a lot of things since he became the Healer, and this time he really found someone and something worth fighting for… Love.
The music was really good. There was a song in english as the main OST, and it stuck in my head because of that. Sometimes it is hard to let a Korean song get in your head because of the language barrier, so I was glad they decided to come closer to foreigners by using a song that everyone would understand and like.
What are you doing, still reading this review? Go and watch Healer! ;D
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Er is iets met die 1 procent
4 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Story: like I said, it's a remake of a famous success with the same name and it is based on the contract marriage trope, which is one of my faves. So, in the history of korean dramas is nothing new. Yet, despite its simplicity, it's heartwarming and light and it is the kind of story to watch when you don't want to get too deep into a complicated plot and want likeable characters who also make you laugh.
Acting/Cast: I hadn't seen anything with the main leads before this but I had seen the secondary characters and recurring cast in other dramas before. I was blown away by the exceptional chemistry between Ha Suk Jin and Jung Su Min. He was super cute as a jerk who is able to be romantic and she showed a lot of aegyo trying to stand up for what she wanted until the end.
The music was an important part of the drama because the main character, Kim Da Hyun, was friend and the leader of a fun club of a new kpop idol. The songs were nice and likeable, I think I'll remember the main theme in the future.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
This is more of a romantic comedy with melodrama aspects rather than a real melo. It has a lot of funny moments and characters, and a lot of plot twists. The story was nothing new but just when you think things got better or worse, something else happens, but it doesn't turn out like you imagined. The writer was very good at overturning situations and destroy old kdrama cliques we were fed up to roll our eyes at. It literally happened the unpredictable, and this is what makes a kdrama enjoyable. The main couple had a lot of adorable moments that made me like them a lot. If you like romcoms, this has a few RC moments and believe me, even if you don't like heart transplant dramas, this is nothing like usual. Everything about it is addressed and given an explanation.
The cast is excellent. I loved both leads and the secondary characters. Jung Kyung Ho was awesome as Kang Min Ho and he shifted from a heartess man to an eccentric and cute teddy bear in the span of a few episodes. His character will definitely be one of my favorites ever. Kim So Yeon played an 'iron lady' character, which is her best kind of role. She was very good at it and her chemistry with the male lead was spot on. The second male lead Yoon Hyun Min also had a surprising role of an evil man with greed. It really looked like he hated the male lead, when truthfully they are best friends in real life! Literally one of the few evil characters who did anything to get his way, somehow I applaud him because of his desperation.
I loved the music as well. The main theme Paradise by Davink caught me at the first listen and I still listen to the OST now.
I would definitely rewatch this several times, so you should watch it too! I assure you won't lose your time. :)
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
A Gentleman's Dignity is a realistic story about four men in their forties and four women of various ages. The themes discussed on the show were mature, truthful, and the pace was nice. It didn't have one moment that I hated or fastforwarded. There was no irrational love triangle nor annoying secondary characters. Each one of the males and the females was given importance and you came to symphatize with their story. Ah, to have more dramas like this. I could not erase anybody from this drama because they were like the pieces of a puzzle, they completed each other. And each one of them had their own funny personality; I laughed a lot while watching this. Each matter was treated with the due attention without delaying too much or drag the story like many other shows do. When an issue came up, the writer was quick to resolve it in a mature and smart way. So compliments to her!
The cast was amazing. I said I don't check out dramas with senior actors if I don't know them beforehand (I prefer <40 actors). The cast completely surprised me and I think every one of them was fit for their part. I can't see others play their parts. Each couple had chemistry, even Im Meahri and Yoon despite the age gap of the two actors.
The music was enjoyable. Each couple had their own "theme song" that fit their journey towards the end.
Overall, it was a very good kdrama to watch. If you are looking for something smart, calm, funny, mature, this drama is for you. You won't regret watching 20 episodes! ^^
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
The story was your usual drama story. People who end up caring for who they shouldn't, leading everyone to a twisted path. This drama was intricated from the start, and the writers put obstacles that I didn't find annoying most of the episodes. Rather, I got mad more than annoyed. This drama had me yelling at everyone who made a despicable thing as if they did it for real and this wasn't fiction, as if I was watching this right before my eyes in real life.
If you are looking for a drama that will make you smile and gush when your faves are having heart to heart conversations, this is not your drama. WHIB starts dark from the start, and gets more twisted along the way. There are no moments of relief, no jokes. It's a serious and tough drama and if you can bear with this, you should watch it because the acting is so so so worth more than the story itself.
The music was the only bad thing here. Few original pieces and a lot of songs from the period 2003/2004 were put in the background. Not enough and not a catchy OST.
Overall, I find this drama good but consuming. You must be in a good mood to bear with all the angst and rage of the characters or else you will be like me and yell at your screen (LOL). And without spoiling anything, you will need to be in an understanding mood to enjoy or either criticize the ending. I will say one thing about this. If you enjoy this drama and see the story and the characters in their complexion, the ending will make sense for you because at some point to me it seemed clear where all of this was headed. Anyway, don't be discouraged! Like I said, you should watch this drama mostly for the good acting.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Story: the story is nothing new. Typical revenge/birth secret plot where everything is overturned by the end. Here things were presented in a stereotypical yet innovative way, that I often find in old kdramas. Things were told step by step and even in the end some things were left unsaid, perhaps to let the viewer imagine. The whole plot was very ambiguous. The characters had their own strong or dull way to deliver their feelings. Most of the times, especially in the latest episodes, the main leads above all were silent and didn't talk for loooooong. That, despite is a way to have dialogue, annoyed me so much. I get that silence can be meaningful, but perhaps that is not my piece of cake. I'd rather have the characters talk and conclude something than being silent for 20 minutes. Maybe I am an idiot, who knows! But I don't think so. I just believe silence was overused in here, and it can annoy so much. Wow, how many times did I say annoy in this paragraph?
Acting: This is the only high value of this review. Despite the story being blah (even tho it was handled okay), the acting was superbe. SJS is always the best when it comes to melodrama and his &quot;omg, I have so much complexes inside of me&quot; - face - is perfect. He made his Cha Moo Hyuk character really deep and complicated that you always wondered what was going on in his head. He made him look very unpredictable, which is cool because it gives the audience more surprises. JKH despite being only 21-22 in this drama, also did a good job. He has such a beautiful smile and he is able to show a lot of emotions through it, because you know, a smile can also be bitter and sad. All the times I have seen him, he trasmitted me joy or sadness according to what his character felt. This male pair was awesome, I regret that perhaps they didn't get enough screentime together. The female protagonists also acted well, but honestly they didn't make me become a fan of theirs. Most of the time ISJ's Eun Chae was like Moo Hyuk, she was unpredictable and it annoyed me how she behaved. I understand she loved both guys the same way, but she had to choose at some point.
Music: Okay. The instrumental songs on the piano were cool and I also like Choi Yoon's song very much.
Rewatch Value: I would rewatch this only if paid. I ended up bored and as if I lost my time watching this. I can take melodrama, makjang, thriller, but this was too much. I can't put up with the ending, I felt totally unsatisfied. It has meaning, of course, but I still find it MEH. The only drama that left me like this was What Happened in Bali, casually SJS did this in the same year of Sorry I Love You. If you have watched that one and were rolling your eyes at the ending, you may do it again with this, so don't watch!
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Emergency Couple was fresh, funny, and I grew to like every character on this show. Anybody can relate to the main protagonist and this is important because a drama isn't that meaningful if it isn't a bit "real".
I don't want to complain. This drama made me excited every week but I thought that after episode 16 the story dragged too much. We had already understood who was gonna end up with whom, or what they would choose to do in the future. They should had wrapped things sooner than they did, and I was getting annoyed that they would not decide on something already. When there isn't much storytelling to do, you should end your show at 16 or 17 episodes, not 21.
This fact made the ending a little blah. They didn't have time to let the viewers see a development of certain relationships. This made it seem as if the ending was open, and ugh, I am not fond of open endings. I felt the ending of this drama had meaning but at the same time it didn't. I have mixed feelings!
Anyway, with this I'm not saying not to watch this drama. You should watch this drama. You won't regret it. Maybe just skip to the end after episode 16. :P
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
The execution of the story wouldn't have been possible if there wasn't a good acting behind it. I appreciated Yan Jin Sung's portrayal of her characters. She made you hate one and love the other, and was able to act according to who she was playing! This is what I call being a good actress and I hope for her to be the lead in future dramas. Lee Hong Ki also did a good job with the main lead but he needs to add more emotions to his characters not to make them look too stiff.
I was satisfied with the ending. The backstory was explained although it had its glitches that could be forgiven if we see this drama as a ghost/supernatural story and well, fiction. The main leads also had a very sweet ending and everyone got something in the end. Even the evil ones got to be redeemed in a way. I think most of the story was resolved.
I suggest to watch this drama if you are looking for a mysterious story with a touch of supernatural.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Acting wise, I believe the couple Kang So Ra/Yoo Yeon Seok had great chemistry. Their first kiss left me a bit mmmh, but then they make up for it. I like when Korean actors are able to act kissing scenes well. After all, it is censorship that limitates the passion during a romantic kiss, but the actors do that as a job and I suppose they also know how to kiss. Back to the couple, they were cute and I felt they were comfortable around each other. The other actors were also okay. I didn't like how some delivered their lines, but I can't have it all...
In the music department, the OST got stuck in my head. They played the songs a lot, that is probably why. They were likeable, especially &quot;Butterfly&quot; and the one by Hyorin.
Overall, I would rewatch this if I am bored because it is not a tough drama. But I would not define this a masterpiece because the plot has been used and overused in kdrama land. Honestly, I expected more from Hong sisters but I don't dislike what they have created.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Jang Hyuk is not the only one to praise, because this drama had the luck to find a great deal of fantastic actors, starting from Lee Mi Sook, who is a mature actress we always see in evil roles. In Money Flower she was brilliant and her interactions with Jang Hyuk were superb because you never know who was playing with who. Park Se Young, who played Jang Hyuk's love interest and a woman who could look like a damsel in distress at first sight but she wasn't, was also a discovery. I've never seen one of her previous dramas, but she usually plays the "bad" girl. Here she played Na Moo Hyun, a sweet middle school teacher who is naive but also very strong and capable of defending herself. She may seem innocent at first, but she is able to stand her ground. Another discovery was the second lead, Jang Seung Jo, who plays Jang Boo Cheon, Kang Pil Joo's "boss". He is also like Na Moo Hyun, but he is able to show character when needed, despite he isn't able to play the lying game like Kang Pil Joo. Besides them, whose relationship is perfectly showed through the posters (Kang Pil Joo controls Jang Boo Cheon), the secondary characters who aren't really secondary characters are also important and excellent in making the story of this drama even greater. This drama had a lot of talented and experienced cast and its success is deserved not only because of their performance, but also because of the writing. If you are looking for a melodrama that is able to keep you interested until the last episode and has also a great soundtrack and ecellent acting, you need to watch Money Flower.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Story: this is your cute romantic drama story. Simple story, very funny and light with some annoying moments between the first and the second arc where it slowed down the pace a little and got a little boring. They kept repeating the same story but in different ways to make the moment when the truth would be revealed dragged till the end of the drama. The good thing was that at the end of every episode the writers were great at making you want to continue watching.
Acting/Cast: I got here because I was very pleased with Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae's acting on their current drama Hotel King. In this drama they are so shippable together and have a great chemistry in my opinion. I enjoyed their characters. I also enjoyed Lee Jun Ki's character despite he was a little pathetic towards the end. The one that wasn't bearable like, at all, was the second female lead. I don't even remember the character name at this point, because I decided to ignore her... she was irrelevant and pathetic to me. The supporting cast was ok.
Music: The OST was cute and enjoyable. I still have the songs saved, they got stuck in my head! Hahaha.
Overall I'll give it a positive mark. This drama is a classic romantic comedy although the story was simple for my tastes and it dragged a little. If you love romantic stories and happy endings, you have to watch this.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
