purplejoys
Philippines
I watched Reply 1997, the first installment of the franchise, and loved it. I also saw positive reviews of 1988 so I came in expecting to be entertained. But I've always believed that first installments, whether a movie or a book or a show, are the best so I didn't expect too much. And so from episode 1 to 20, I kept on being surprised and impressed because not only was 1988 a good drama -- it was also better than 1997 and definitely one of the best, if not the best, 2015 kdramas.
Like its predecessors, Reply 1988 is an ode to youth, a tribute to a time long gone. I think this installment was more nostalgic because the era was the oldest. 88 stood out though because it focused less on romance and the typical Reply franchise trope of husband hunting but more on youth, friendship, and family. First loves and romance also played a part but it took a back seat, which was both a good and bad thing.
88 had a strong cast and I love that even though Duk Seon was the lead, each of the cast got their own shining moments. They were so fleshed out that it felt like I knew them in real life. The strength of this show lies in its characters and the way they interacted with each other. The camaraderie and rapport not only among the younger characters but also among the parents was so heartwarming. And the conflicts presented in each episode were real-life problems. This kept the show real, relatable, and deeply engrossing.
Reply 1988's most touching moments were the ones centered on family and friendship. I swear, there wasn't an episode where I didn't shed tears and during the latter part of the show I was crying multiple times per episode. The dynamics between Bora and her dad, for instance, broke my heart to pieces, as well as the friendship of the three ahjummas. I also loved moments between Jung Hwan and her mom, and Taek and his dad.
The romance, at first, seemed predictable. From the pilot episode, I was so sure who Duk Seon will end up with. Up until the 18th episode I was confident of my guess. And then the opposite happened and I was shocked. Viewers were shocked. I did not see that coming at all and if you watched, you'd know that one of the guys was painted as the typical male lead so it was a real surprise when he wasn't chosen. This is not to say that it wasn't justified. The guy Duk Seon ends up with truly deserved her because be was braver and more determined to get the girl. Since both guys are good, I was okay with either one and I couldn't choose. I just felt a little played because of the unexpected twist. I wonder if this was the original plan of the writer or if it was changed midway.
I only wish more attention was given to the romance. Since it took a back seat, there wasn't a clear narrative on how Duk Seon fell for the guy. Other than that, I have no complaints.
Reply 1994 is next on my to-watch list but I'm not expecting much since it has not-so-positive reviews. Plus, it would be hard to top Reply 1988. I'm still reeling from the hole it left in my heart.
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It's hard to review 1994 and 1988 without comparing it to 1997, which I think was still the best among the three. 1997 was able to balance everything -- youth and the nostalgia of the late 90s, friendship, family, and the romance. Plus, Jung Eun Ji was really great as Sung Shi Won -- I still think she was the best female lead in Reply series. 1988's strength on the other hand was family and friendships. I cannot count the times that I've cried because of the touching scenes between mother and sons, father and daughters, and among friends. The romance took a back seat and though I loved both Taek and Jung Hwan, I really didn't expect that turnout. I was blindsided and I thought the show didn't give much room for Duk Seon to show why she made that choice.
Back to 1994. I love the cast (especially the mainstays -- mom Lee Il Hwa and dad Sung Dong Il) and I love that they're in college instead of high school -- I think that gave romance a bit more maturity. I think each cast shined but my favorites were Haitai, Yoonjin and Samcheonpo. I can understand why people were so torn between Chilbong and Trash and why some were so disappointed with the end result but hey, it was obvious from the beginning who Na Jung was going to end up with. Personally, I'm happy with her choice (and unlike Duk Seon, we clearly saw where Na Jung's heart was) but I was super frustrated with how the show dragged the love triangle. Did it really have to be 21 episodes? It was too long, some parts were unnecessary and boring. If they kept it at the usual 16-episode format and didn't drag the romance part too much, I would have probably given this show 10 stars.
The best thing about this show? The OST. It was so so so good! My favorites are Sung Si Kyung's version of Seo Taiji's To You, and Blue's Only Feeling You as sung by Jung Woo, Yoo Yeon Seok and Son Hojun. I can't over how good the songs were.
Overall, Reply 1994 is a good, must-watch drama. :)
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Like so many who watched this, at first I was skeptical. It's a workplace drama, definitely not the kind of kdrama I usually watch and enjoy. I would go so far as saying that I was bored with the pilot episode. I dropped the show and then picked it up again sometime later. 20 episodes later, I finally understood why some people can't shut up about it. It's so good that I even thought of changing my past 10-star ratings because none of the previous kdramas I watched can match up to the excellence that is Misaeng. Not even my favorites!
The best thing about Misaeng is how realistic it is; that made it so relatable for so many people. I applaud the showrunners for closely following its source material (webtoon) and for being very meticulous with the details -- from the props to the set to the writing, music, and casting. It's just one of those shows that mirrors life so well that you kind of relate to the characters on a deeper level. And while anyone from age 18 above can relate to the show, I think millennials will greatly benefit from watching it because of the lessons one can get from it -- work ethic, diligence, value of hard work, humility, friendship and loyalty -- things millennials are accused of lacking. Think you work hard? Think you deserve that promotion, that award you receive from your company, that salary increase? Watch Jang Geu Rae work his ass and then think again.
Besides the story, the casting was also great and I can't find faults in the actors and actresses. They are all so good, even the annoying characters. Siwan was super convincing as Jang Geu Rae and I can't imagine any other actor portraying his character. I also love Lee Sung Min (Oh Sasangnim!!!) and while I watched the show because of Kang Ha-neul, it was Byun Yo-han who stole the show for me. The bromance was just so adorable!
The finale was a killer. Suffice it to say that I had to grab tissues. Who knew an office drama can do that to me? But Misaeng was that good. It delivered and then some. Absolutely amazing show. I will never tire of recommending it to people and will probably watch it again.
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Plot: As a sageuk, I guess cliches were unavoidable. But I love that it wasn't boring and that every episode was meaty and consistently interesting. The politics and romance were at the forefront, but it had plenty of moments where loyalty and friendship were highlighted.
OST: Chen of EXO. Need I say more?
Don't know why I put this off for too long, but this is definitely one of my favorites this year. ❤
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1. Great casting. Yoo Ah In is amazing in whatever he does. Doesn’t hurt that his megawatt smile can light up a whole city and his voice can melt even the coldest of hearts. It’s my first time to watch Im Soo Jung; now I understand why she’s an award winning actress. Go Kyung Pyo really improved since his Reply 1988 days. These three had amazing chemistry; it felt like they’re friends in real life. Not sure which one I enjoyed more, the romance or the bromance.
2. The story and its amazing use of alternating timelines. Its fresh plot combines different genres (romance, comedy, fantasy, historical) into a masterpiece. Chicago Typewriter is a story of a love and friendship that surpasses a lifetime but it also gives a vivid picture of the struggles of a novelist, or a writer in general. I love that it reminds viewers that the pen is still mightier than the sword and that freedom, whether for the country or for an individual, has a cost.
3. The setting and the wardrobe. When your lead actor is a writer, you can expect that locations will be filled with books. Shelves upon shelves of books! And that 1930s fashion! Cozy and vintage settings amplified by superb cinematography. I can’t praise it enough.
4. Haunting soundtrack. The songs support the nostalgic and heart-wrenching scenes of the show. I am in love with Saltnpaper’s Satellite; I’ve been listening to it on repeat.?
Chicago Typewriter is what kdramas, or any TV show / film, should be — well-written, piercing, mesmerizing enough to make one dive into a fictional world. It’s a surprisingly underrated gem and I don’t know why I delayed watching it.
P.S. Hats off to TVN for producing fresh, experimental pieces like this one. My top 3 for this year (Because This is My First Life, Chicago Typewriter, and Prison Playbook) are all from TVN.
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Bong Soon: A Cyborg in Love
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As someone who's a pussy when it comes to gory crime scenes, I only gave 9 to Rewatch Value. But if watching murder scenes doesn't scare you, you can easily rewatch this drama, though it probably won't be as exciting. Other than that, this show was perfect. It had a unique plot, so unique that I sometimes felt manipulated into believing something and then slapped with some other truth later. I love that Bad Guys kept me on my toes and left me wanting more but satisfied when it ended.
The cast was perfect. There are only a few core characters and our dog squad is really the heart of the story. I love that even though they started independent of each other, they eventually became a real team. The bickering between Ung Cheol and Tae Su, Ung Cheol's protectiveness towards Jeong Mun, I love those. PHJ as a psychopath -- boom! Granted, he's probably the most good looking psychopath out there but man, he just nails it every single time. This guy's really good at playing dark, misunderstood roles (which is why I'm still disappointed with the CitT production team).
At 11 episodes, Bad Guys was packed with intense action, thrill, twists and turns, and drama. Perhaps, 11 episodes was too short to fit it all in but that, in a way, is also the reason why it didn't drag. Every episode is a wealth of story and there's no dull moments. There is clamor for a second season, and I'd love that but only if we get the same cast. Otherwise, I don't think it would be as good.
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Its slice-of-life take with a hint of mockumentary is a refreshing combination, not your usual kdrama, and in this case it was nicely presented. It worked because the characters are interesting and relatable.
Lee Soo Kyung as Lee Soo Kyung is so easy to emphatize with despite her paranoia. It's easy to understand where she's coming from, why she's so guarded, except for the times she's eating. Her eating scenes are hilarious and she can easily beat Meg Ryan in orgasmic eating.
Yoon Doo Joon was super effective as Gu Dae Young. I've seen him at Splash Splash Love and both times I loved him. Gu Dae Young is a smooth talker, funny and weird, but you can easily see that he's considerate of others and that he's a genuinely nice guy. His love for food and its proper consumption is so funny and charming, I love how mock-angry he gets when someone says something ignorant about food. I always looked forward to his food spiels.
Yoon So Hee as Yin Ji, Soo Kyung and Dae Young's young neighbor, is so optimistic and amusingly dense. I normally get annoyed with such character but it was easy to like Yin Ji because she genuinely sees the good in people. I saw Yoon So Hee in Marriage Not Dating before, and I must say that I liked her more here.
The supporting characters are all funny although Oh Do Yeon the female lawyer sometimes got on my nerves for being so delusional. The real star though was the dog, Bara.
At the core of this drama is the message that no man can survive alone. Even if you live alone, you need people to lean on -- neighbors, officemates, families, friends. I liked that as the show progressed, I saw how the characters grew and built awesome friendships, most of the time through food.
My question at the end of every food scene -- which is a lot, btw -- is this: how did they not get fat while filming?! At least a third of each episode are just scenes of them eating. The food scenes are so long sometimes that I end up fast forwarding it. I mean, I love food but I was more interested at the stories of the characters.
Although this show was classified as romcom, the romance part didn't come until later and even then I didn't expect it. I really didn't see it coming but man, I loved it. I loved how it slowly developed and that words weren't needed to seal the deal. Which is why I was so sad when I learned that only Yoon Doo Joon starred in season 2. :(
The show could do away with the mystery, especially the second one, but I guess they needed some of it to establish the romance. It just sometimes felt that the mystery was forced.
Overall, Let's Eat was a real treat.
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Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
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I remember when this kdrama came out in 2016, there was high expectations not only because it was a remake of a famous Chinese drama, but more so because of its star-studded cast. At the time I didn't like sageuks, especially ones where the lead actress has multiple love interests. I only gave in now because of my conversion to being an EXO-L. Lol. So I watched because of Baekhyun, stayed because of Kang Haneul (at least during the first half), and reluctantly finished the series because of Lee Joongi, who is truly too good for this problematic production.
The story was all over the place. It picked up at ep 11, went back to being messy from eps 12-14, improved from 15 onwards but ultimately plummeted to a lackluster finale. What a disappointment. And to think that this was a pre-production -- meaning the writer(s) could have better written the ending.
Despite the bad writing, plot holes, unanswered questions, and unsatisfactory acting (from anyone but LJG), the show had its fine moments, namely its death scenes. Every death, at least the ones that mattered, was designed to make the viewer cry. Once that "death soundtrack" plays, the waterworks inevitably begins.
I can't overly state just how impressive Lee Joongi's acting is. He was consistently good. What a waste of talent. Can't say the same for IU, or even Kang Haneul, but I do think the actors are not solely to blame. I can also understand why many criticized Baekhyun's performance here but his final moments were unforgettable; he stepped up when it mattered.
TL;DR -- I don't recommend watching this. Imagine investing 20++ hours of your life and getting that ending. ???? If you just want to see good performances of these actors, they have plenty of other shows which won't disappoint you.
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I wasn't expecting much. Greatest Love surprised me. It was so funny and despite my skepticism, I found myself laughing a lot of times even during the pilot episode -- which usually doesn't happen for me. Unlike most dramas where it usually takes 4 or 5 episodes before I start loving it, Greatest Love had me at its 2nd episode!
Cha Seung Won did the trick for me. As Dokgo Jin, he's so hilarious. Most romcom kdramas usually pair a silly, funny, oftentimes clumsy female lead with a confident, dominant, take-charge type of guy so Cha Seung Won's silliness was so refreshing to see. His struggle to come to terms with his feelings for Gu Ae Jung (Gong Hyo Jin) was so funny to watch. And his evil laugh always gets me.
The second lead, Yoon Kye Sang as Yoon Pil Joo, wasn't bad either. He's cute and kind, I would have shipped him with GHJ if I didn't enjoy CSW's performance so much. Yoon Pil Joo was a good guy but Gu Ae Jung obviously was meant for Dokgo Jin. And man, that kissing scene by the car has got to be one of the best kissing scenes in kdramaland.
Unlike the first few episodes though, the latter part of the series was heartbreakingly sad and the emotional scenes really delivered.
If you're watching this and you're new to Korean entertainment scene, you'll probably be shocked and uncomfortable with the injustice that Gu Ae Jung and Dokgo Jin. If I hadn't been reading some articles about Korean entertainment culture, I'd probably think that the drama was unrealistic. But it wasn't. It was a representation of how harsh showbiz can be, especially in Korea where anti-fans can be even crazier than fans.
Over all, Greatest Love is a must-see.
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