5
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3
virgievirgie
Lost in Dramaland
Jinpai Kefu Dong Dong En
3 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Decent rom-com for fans of Xu Lu and Miles Wei
Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75For the most part, “Hello, I’m at Your Service” is a fun and light drama. The best part about is the chemistry and the romance between Dong Dong En (FL) and Lou Yan (ML) and their story is the central plot. Mixed with this fun romance are the business side of things and the relationships of the different characters. Not a serious business drama, so don't be deterred if you don't like business stories.
Main Leads:
As mentioned, Xu Lu and Miles Wei have great chemistry together. They make this drama watchable with their acting and the healthy relationship that they have. Dong Dong En is an account executive that would do anything to please her customer, Party A. Whatever Party A wants and at any time of the day, she delivers. Miles Wei is a typical C-drama CEO. He was cool and calm in the beginning but slowly evolved into a great, warm and adorable love interest and boyfriend. Their fun interaction in the first half of the drama creates a lot of comedic moments (which to some might be a little over-the-top). But if you just go with the ride, you can see Xu Lu and Miles Wei have a lot of fun playing their respective roles. Once they get together, Lou Yuan is especially cute and adorable. They have honest and open communication. Lou Yuan is one of the rare CEOs who openly declares his love in sincerity to everyone, expresses his feelings and always says the right thing (though his words don’t always touch my heart for some reason). He’s the perfect boyfriend. Dong Dong En, on the other hand, is a little more reserved in this relationship and yet she’s the one with the supposedly bigger personality. She’s more cautious because of the disparity of their social status and their business relationship. She’s the one in the driver’s seat in the relationship. It’s been a long time since I saw such a dynamic in a romantic comedy, and I appreciate that.
Supporting Cast:
I enjoy the side story between Wang Zi Jian and Cao Ya. It’s nothing earth shattering because we’ve seen such second lead romance in many romantic comedies. However, it’s nice to see a pair of successful individuals get together when one is a supposedly playboy and the other is an independent, career woman. The different characters at both companies, Peony and 82, are fun and endearing. There isn’t anyone too annoying and most of them are very supportive and caring individuals. ML’s mom is fun and loud. FL’s parents are caring yet protective, but not too unreasonable. At least we have nice parents in a C-drama. The ‘villain’ is OK. The character is not very well developed as a ‘villain’ but I can understand the animosity towards the leads. The only side character I couldn’t stand was introduced towards the last ¼ of the drama. Let’s say she was introduced to cause trouble for our main couple, since everything is going so swimmingly well and we just need drama.
Acting:
Xu Lu and Miles Wei really have no trouble playing their respective roles. These are not difficult characters to play and they are both very experienced actors. Their performances are to be expected. Everyone else did their job right. I would not say there’s anyone that stands out for me to praise, nor anyone that stands out for me to criticize.
Business Plot:
If you don’t like business stories, this drama isn’t too bad. A lot does happen at the two companies, but business talks are minimal and not difficult to understand. The stories revolve mainly around the characters and their relationships in the business world. But towards the last ¼ of the drama, the business plot does kick up a notch to wrap up the ‘villain’s’ story. I was actually quite bored during this part of the drama and might have fallen asleep a little. For a 24-episode drama, the pacing is good right until the very end for me when I lose my focus. This is partly due to the business plot and the introduction of a character I don’t care for. But compared to recent office romance dramas, the romance is central to this drama, and not the business.
Overall, I would recommend this drama if you are fans of Xu Lu and Miles Wei, or if you are looking for something light and funny. The comedy might be a little too much for some in the beginning with Xu Lu’s character. But it tones down after a while. “Hello, I’m at Your Service” is not an exceptional drama and definitely not a must-watch. I have a good enough time watching this, except towards the end when I got a little bored and distracted. Because of this, I am rating this a 7.75 instead of a solid 8.0.
Completed: 10/6/2023 - Review #363
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Sweet and Innocent Romance - Beautiful Siblings Bond - A Journey to Find Your Own Path
Subjective Rating - 8.25I am a little surprised that “Otonari ni Ginga” aka “A Galaxy Next Door” has quite a low rating (7.6). Granted, Jdoramas usually score lower on MDL than K-Dramas or C-Dramas. I wonder if viewers are a little put off in the first few episodes due to its typical manga-like over-the-top acting.
If you are not familiar with Japanese manga/anime adaptations, you will find the acting in this drama could be a little much. But once you get past it, there are many heartwarming stories of family, love and finding yourself. I binged all 32 episodes (15 mins each) and if I had to wait for weekly episodes, that would be torture!
Romance - A sweet, innocent and cute romance developed between our leads. An interesting way of telling the story of a contract marriage, our leads have to endure quite a bit of challenges during the initial episodes. The chemistry is good and I especially enjoy the quiet moments and heart-to-heart conversations that they had. One thing great about Japanese dramas is that they are not afraid of silence. They don’t feel the need to fill every ‘romantic’ conversation with background music and dictate how viewers feel. There were several conversations between the leads, and a kiss scene that is so quiet, that I can’t help but listen carefully, feel what they are feeling and be touched by the emotions. Of course, you have to first get past the initial over dramatic acting. FL is direct and honest, and not afraid to take the initiative. ML is more shy but consistently stands by FL’s side and supports her decision without question. The dynamic between them is fun and complementary.
Siblings Bond - Just watching the three siblings is worth an 8.0 rating. The two child actors are so cute and adorable. The little sister is smart and reads the room very well. She’s a really good wing-girl for the couple. The little brother exudes such cute clinginess to his brother. I love that they say “splitting happiness and sadness into three”. Due to the passing of their father, they all have to grow up too fast and mature way beyond their years. Scenes of the two children are heartwarming and beautiful. I especially love the scene where ML was struggling to cover the little boy’s ears, so he couldn’t hear the conversation about Santa Claus.
Share House - This has to be the funnest share house I’ve seen in any drama. Though the other two housemates do not have a lot of screentime, they show up at the right moments. With the addition of the editor and big sis manga artist, the supporting cast is caring and fun. There are no annoying character in this drama. Who doesn’t want to live in a house where you can be animals in a zoo, play games and fireworks during the summer festival, decorate and celebrate with lights in the yard and have summer bbq and camping as well.
Manga career - Although the drama does not go into detail about the manga industry, it is still interesting to see some of the drawings, and they are beautiful! I love the manga that ML drew for FL to encourage her and to tell her that she’s lovely just the way she is. That was so romantic!
Finding Your Own Way - But the overarching plot of the drama is FL’s journey to leave her predestined path and home to find her own way. Without going into spoilers, I find the burden FL has to shoulder quite interesting, especially the thorn bond and its effect.
Overall, I had a great time watching “Otonari ni Ginga”. It did take me a while to get past the initial episodes and to get used to FL’s personality. I like how the romance developed and especially love the siblings bond. Just these two elements are worth at least an 8.0 for me. I’ll round up my 8.25 to 8.5 to give the rating a little bump. LOL ?
Completed: 7/6/2023 - Review #328
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Unique talent/focus of the artist is the biggest draw of the show.
Completed - 5/26/2022I am not sure how accurate the portrayal of police sketch artists is in this drama and if they are really that smart and fascinating in real life. However, the biggest selling point of this drama is Shen Yi. I am in awe of his techniques, perceptiveness, and intelligence in solving crimes using his art. Can you really sketch someone's face by deducing what's behind a mask from an unclear CCTV footage? Or from skull and bone structures? Or from the restructuring of facial muscles and tendons? It's really fascinating to watch all of Shen Yi's scenes and to learn from him and what's going on inside that brain of his.
The length of each case is just right. Oftentimes, cases are either too long and you get bored, or they are too short and start back-to-back that I feel like I couldn't catch a breath. Some of the cases in the first 1/3 of the show are more exciting to me than others. I was hoping these cases will slowly provide clues of the main overarching storyline of the murder case 7 years ago. However, aside from that one case and the last arc, the drama seems to have completely forgotten about this general plot. Even though I enjoy most of the cases, I was never on the edge of my seat. I am missing mini climaxes throughout the drama. Because of this, the drama lost my attention in the middle.
A personal pet peeve, I was very irritated when the psychologist disclosed patient confidential information. How unprofessional is that? She's giving out both diagnosis and treatment information without the patient's consent. On another note, why was the crime scene medical examiner be called to assist another station with a rape patient? Don't they have hospital doctors to do that?
We also have a slow burn friendship/bromance going on. I was actually expecting better chemistry, as I saw so many feeds post about the male leads when this drama was airing. The development of the friendship happens towards the last 1/3 of the drama. Other than that, the leads are just like regular co-workers working side by side. I am not feeling the connection of the characters and am missing the human side of their stories. I don't dislike anyone, yet I don't particularly like anyone either.
The beautiful drawings/paintings, and the uniqueness of Shen Yi's talents are what kept me interested in the drama. Unfortunately, I don't share the same excitement of this drama as other watchers.
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The Moment of Meeting Again
3 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
"I Like You" - the words you want to hear the most but can't
Completed - 4/20/2022"Shining For One Thing" is a dark horse drama in 2022. A drama without a hugely popular cast or promotion, but wins the hearts of viewers due to its storytelling, acting and moving plot. I have seen my share of high school teen dramas and after a while, they all look the same. Time-traveling and alternate universe plots can be a hit or miss. But I am happy to say that "Shining For One Thing" is a great combo. It's like "Someday or One Day" + "Reset" (high school romance version).
What I Enjoy:
1) Plot/Storytelling - This drama does a fantastic job in switching between the two timelines/universes. It keeps me interested throughout and I wasn't bored when the story resets itself. It also keeps me guessing along with our FL, the secret of going back and forth. What really triggers it? Is it the high school exam? Is it the death of a character? Is it a magic word/phrase spoken? What really happened to ML on that fateful rainy day at the tower? In addition to the mystery and fantasy components, the love story between our leads is both sweet and heartbreaking. I was enjoying the ride of a sweet romance up until about episode 12. Then my anxiety kicked in and I started to worry about ML. I like his character so much that I really, really want him to have a happy ending. But with the way the story goes, deep down, I know the second half of the drama is going to hit hard. With only 24 episodes, the pacing of the drama is great.
2) Qu Chu Xiao as Zhang Wen San (ML) - In "Bloody Romance", Qu Chu Xiao played a stoic, reserved character who would sacrifice himself for FL and showed his love for her through actions behind her back. Qu Chu Xiao plays a similar character here as Zhang Wen San. ZWS is shy, sweet and reserved. Similarly, he also would do anything to protect FL and does A LOT behind the scene for her. Qu Chu Xiao plays this role so well. I love seeing ZWS's shy, little smile, or glance at FL here and there. ZWS is mature, supportive and thoughtful. Although he's shy, he also will speak his mind if needed. I love the way he speaks and I really like Qu Chu Xiao's sexy voice. Personally, I just have a soft spot for a male lead who does a lot behind FL's back, and if he's shy and sweet, extra brownie points for him!
3) The Cast - I enjoy the acting of everyone in this drama, especially our male and female leads. Both successfully display a range of emotions as the tone of the drama is quite different in the first and second half. Even though none of the actors are teenagers or in their early 20s, they do look the part. Karina Zhang is 32 (in real life) yet without makeup, she looks like a teenager and acts like a teenager. I also appreciate the fact that we only have 1 somewhat childish character in the whole drama. Since there are different universes/timelines in the drama and what happens varies each time, it provides the cast opportunities to act differently. A special mention to the class teacher who likes to recite poems. He’s sweet and funny. I actually don’t find him including English words here and there in the way he talks annoying.
4) Main Romance - I like the somewhat slow-burn romance between the leads. We already know early on that ML likes FL. It’s an enjoyable process to see how FL gets to know ML from the scratch, finds out what he’s done for her, and slowly falls for him and wants to be the one to protect him. There’s so much sweetness in the first half of the drama. The second half is heartbreaking, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like it. To know that the words that she wants to hear the most, are the exact words that she can’t hear. Normally, what FL has to do would be along the lines of noble idiocy (which I dislike) but in this case, she really can’t help it.
I don’t really have anything I dislike in this drama. But there are a few things that I have mixed feelings about.
1) Lin Bei Xing (FL) - I am lukewarm about the female lead. I don’t dislike her but I don’t consider her to be one of my favorite female leads as well. At times, I think she does act like she’s 30, other times, she acts like a teenager (when she’s not really one). But I like how she’s grown at the end.
2) The music and songs are not bad. However, I feel that the drama overplays the songs. Each time there’s a romantic scene (a hug, a close-up glance at each other), you can bet your money that a song will be played.
3) Childhood connection - I have already professed my love for ML. However, I find it just a little hard to believe that ML will do so much behind FL’s back to protect her, just because they had that one childhood connection at the zoo when they were in elementary school. I just want a little more to justify his love for her.
4) Secondary romance - Well, should I even consider that romance? It’s more like an unlikely friendship between Gao Ge and Yang Chao Yang. Their romance is unnecessary. I do like the alternate plot of Zhang Yu chasing FL.
*SPOILER*
Ending - Let’s talk about the ending. I am not satisfied! I wanted more! I was expecting ML to show up in the last episode. Throughout the drama, no one actually confirms his death. We only knew he fell and the family moved. Therefore, I was expecting him to reunite with FL at the end. I don’t need a full-on episode of them getting married and living happily ever after. But I want more than what the drama gives us. We didn’t even see a face!
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Only Side by Side with You
3 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Flashback Galore + Hot Guys with Hot Abs
Completed - 1/15/2022The reason I picked this drama is because I want to watch a William Chan modern drama. Having seen him in "Lost Love in Times" and "Novaland: Pearl Eclipse", I am not convinced in his acting. I hope to see him in a different role (not the cold/bland type) and in a modern setting. I am glad that I watched "Only side by side with you" as now I have a small crush on him.
As for the drama itself, what the reviewers and commenters said about flashbacks are totally true. Let's address what I don't like in the drama first.
What I don't Like:
1 Flashbacks - You need the fast-forward button with you to watch this drama, esp. if you are binge-watching. For the first 12 episodes, the flashbacks aren't bad as they are telling the history of the two male leads when they're in military school. So, there's a purpose and I am fine with that. After that, the flashbacks happen every single episode multiple times. These are long flashbacks and sometimes what happened earlier in the episode. This drama is really testing the audiences' patience and it's the main reason I can't give a high rating.
2. Product Placement - It's been a while since I watched a drama with SO many products featured. Is it because it's an older 2018 drama? Or because they need a lot of money to purchase drones and create fancy white offices? I have no idea. Products include: face creams, insurances, mobile apps, delivery service, drinks (OJ and bottled drinks), different types of alcohol, and of course, Macbook Pro for everyone. But the worst product is the cold medicine. Because the medicine has a sticker, the characters are not necessarily taking the meds, but use them as sticky for notes, like post-its. I have to applaud how creative they showcase this cold medicine.
3. Secondary Romance - I am not quite interested in this romance. I do not like Rachel Wang's acting as Ou Yang Qi (pet store owner). I don't feel the chemistry between Ou YangQi and Hao Jie, no matter how much Hao Jie tries and tries. I also don't see a reason for this love-at-first sight.
What I Enjoy:
1. Nan Qiao (FL) - It's so refreshing to see a smart, sensible, hard-working, independent woman CEO in a C-drama. Oftentimes, CEO are portrayed either as super cold or super bitchy. Nan Qian might be a little nerdy in the beginning, but she's never rude or dumb. I enjoy her character being slowly revealed as more than a nerdy engineer. Even when she fell in love, her sensibility did not go out the door. She's honest and direct when expressing her her feelings to the ML. I enjoy Bai Bai He's portrayal of Nan Qiao. She's not particularly pretty but she gives off a genuine vibe that fits this role.
2. William Chan - As I mentioned, I watch this drama because of William Chan. I am so happy to see him in a role where he can flex his acting chops. Shi Yue is a character that has a fun side and a dark side. William is able to portray the funny, adorable and flirty side of Shi Yue. And then in another scene, he's boxing and fighting and turned into a boss. When he smiles, I melt. So much better than the blank look I get from watching him in Pearl Eclipse. And there are so many scenes where he's topless or showing his muscles. He also looks dashing in all his clothes, whether it's casual wear or a 3-piece suit.
3. Fashion - Aside from Nan Qiao's earlier dorky fashion, all the leads have a wonderful wardrobe. Even Nan Qiao dresses a lot nicer after the first 1/3 of the show. It's nice to see an office drama where people dress appropriately to their age, and their work environment. Both An Ning and Wen Di have sophisticated and fancy outfits throughout the drama, and both women look beautiful and smart. Nan Qiao's early dorky fashion eventually evolves to a more sophisticated office look and more fashionable casual wear when she's on dates and not in the office. Our two male leads look super handsome in shirts/pants, or suits, or casual sports wear. They are both tall and lean, and basically look good in anything.
4. Plot/Pacing (minus flashbacks) - If I take the flashbacks out of the drama, the story has pretty good pacing. Although there isn't anything too unpredictable in the plot (a couple common tropes), the story keeps me engaged. There's a good mix of drone engineering/romance/rivalries/dark pasts to keep me entertained. I was never bored or felt that the storyline dragged for too long. It's unfortunate someone decides to use so many flashbacks. This drama could easily be a 30-episode drama.
5. Dads Unite - ML and FL's fathers are so funny together! Individually, they could be overbearing for their children. But when they are together, they are hilarious. Their conversations, banters and attempts in getting their kids together. The scene at the dating show registration is so funny!
Other Observations:
1. The bromance is pretty good in this drama.
2. I feel the rivalry between the two MLs resolved too easily and quickly without much fanfare.
3. Watch this if you are a fan of William Chan and Li Xian.
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The Moment My Heart Beats
3 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Sweet, Fluffy, No-stress watch
Completed 12/31/2021Normally, I would not pick this drama to watch. However, I want to end 2021 on a sweet and stress-free note. Therefore, I intentionally choose "Sparkle Love" because I know it's going to be cute and sweet and fluffy. The premise seems interesting enough.
I would recommend this drama to those who like:
1. Super sweet and cute romance
2. Cliches - slow motion glances, accidental kisses, accidental hugs, accidental falling into someone
3. Pikachu!
4. Hot guys with nice bodies with a decent number of topless scenes
5. Decent amount of decent kisses
6. Male chases Female romances
Most of the characters in this drama are pretty likable. There isn't anyone annoying or frustrating. The acting is not bad either. I've seen Zhang Ling He (ML) previously in "Maiden Holmes" and "Love Crossed" and also Ling Mei Shi (FL) in "Love by Hypnotic". I would say their acting are on par to those previous roles. They are cute together and I root for their little romance. If you like kisses, these two leads do kiss quite a bit in this drama, before and after they get together. However, having seen their previous dramas, I am slightly disappointed in the kisses. I know they can do better than that! LOL.
For a quick 24-episode drama, the pacing is not bad. If you cut away the intro and ending themes, each episode is only about 30 mins long. It's a easy binge-watch to kill time. I would say most plot lines are pretty predictable. There are multiple couples/romances in the drama, and I don't think there's enough time to spend on each to make them great. I also question the fashion choices of our female lead. She's the one that dresses the worst out of everyone.
Overall, if you want something a simple, cute, and sweet, and doesn't mind cliches and a predictable plot...then go for it! Sometimes, we all need to watch one of these dramas to make us feel good and loved.
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Fights Break Sphere: Season 1
3 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
Leo Wu carries this drama...don't watch this for Sean Xiao
10/9/2021As I continue to search for great martial arts dramas with amazing fight scenes, I stumbled onto "Fights Break Sphere". This is actually not a traditional wuxia/martial arts drama, but more of a fantasy drama. The drama ends with a small cliffhanger as to what would happen to our ML next. But don't worry, it has a good enough closure that I think it's safe to watch Season 1 and patiently wait for Season 2 with a totally different cast.
Leo Wu, not Sean Xiao - First, watch this drama because you are a fan of Leo Wu. His acting is great and carries the drama on his back all by himself. Do not watch this drama because of Sean Xiao, Li Qin or Xin Zhi Lei. This drama is all about Leo Wu's character and how he developed from a 15-year old without any great martial arts skills to be the savior of the world. Sean Xiao has a very small part in this drama. He's only one of the side kicks. Li Qin also has a very small role and only appears in a few episodes. I even find her character quite annoying and she appears a little too old to act young and naive, and definitely looks too old to be Leo Wu's love interest. Xin Zhi Lei's part is even smaller. I don't think she has more than 30 minutes of screen time.
Strong female cast - Even though all the female characters are only in the supporting cast, I am happy to see that they are all strong women with great martial arts skills. They are no damsel in distress and are not whiny and naive. They get stronger throughout the drama as they themselves continue to learn and develop their skills. Our FL supports ML in his fight and is always ready to come and save and help him.
Romance - Romance plays a very small part in this drama. I was hoping to see more developed between Xiao Yan and Xun Er. After the side story of Xiao Yan and Xia Yi Xan, I was waiting for Xiao Yan to realize that he truly loves Xun Er and not only sees her as a sister. I never get that satisfaction. Even up till now, I don't really know if Xiao Yan loves any of the girls. Maybe I have to wait for Season 2 to find out.
JianNan Academy/Hogwarts - Jian Nan Academy reminds me of Hogwarts (from Harry Potter). Students learn to fight, to cultivate and to make medicines from different teachers specializing in their crafts. Doesn't it sound like the different lessons in Hogwarts? They also have different colored uniforms, like the different Houses. JianNan Academy is protected by a seal cast by the Fight God, just like how Hogwarts is protected from enemies. There is even a marketplace for students to buy and sell, just like Hogsmeade. The snake that they fought against reminded me of Nagini, the sword that ML uses is like one of Voldemort's Horcruxes! Isn't the big bad guy Voldemort? Ok, maybe it's just me because I love Harry Potter so much.
Fighting/CGI/Music - I was excited in episode 1 when I saw our ML practicing his martial arts skills, the Fist Techniques. I was impressed with Leo Wu's movements and can see how much he's rehearsed. His movements are full of strength. I was cautiously optimistic that I found a good wuxia drama. Unfortunately, this is not it. The rest of the fight scenes are full of CGI and not actual fighting. The CGI is ok, nothing to write about. Music is not memorable. Well, except for the ending theme sung by X Nine. The ending theme is so upbeat and modern that it felt out of place. But then, the more I listen to it, and think about the drama about a bunch of teenagers trying to make it into the world, I start to enjoy it more. I then looked it up and realized 4 members of X Nine are the side kicks of our ML, including Sean Xiao.
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Training for mental toughness vs Abuse/Bullying - Amazing Acting
9/9/2021I see Jung Hae In, and I am there! He's the main reason why I watch D.P., as such drama is usually not my cup of tea. Jung Hae In does not disappoint. His acting here might be his best yet. As much as I love seeing his adorable smile and his soft/romantic roles, I am happy that he's taking on more serious roles like this. I hate for such a talented actor to be typecasted only in romance dramas. We have seen a glimpse of him in a military uniform in "Prison Playbook" (I strongly recommend!) and our favorite second-lead syndrome police officer in "While You Were Sleeping". This role is more serious, more gritty, and raw. He did an amazing job, esp. in Ep 6.
However, the rest of the cast shines as well. Dare I say, at times, they outshine Jung Hae In. Every single actor/actress did an amazing job, no matter how big or small their role is. The acting in Ep 5 and 6 will stay with me for a while.
I don't know anything about Korean military service, and my knowledge all comes from watching K-drama. But it seems like issues depicted here are quite similar to what the US military deals with as well (knowledge from American shows/movies as well). What is the necessary training for soldiers to be mentally tough, so that they could fight in a war? What is going overboard with inhumane treatment and bullying? This drama tries to convey a more human side of the deserters stories. Aside from one deserter who left because of his grandmother, all others left due to mistreatment in the military. As they say in towards the end of the drama, someone got to do something about it.
One criticism - how could these guys be so beaten up and yet they don't die, and can get back up time and time again to run and chase? Isn't that a little too unrealistic? I guess they need to show all the violence and can't kill off anyone.
This drama is not for everyone. There is no romance. It's full of blood and hitting and abuse. But it's a great drama.
p.s. Oh.. don't miss out on the little epilogue in Ep 6, after the first song was played at the end.
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Everyone Frames WeiYoung + Beautiful Shades of Blue
8/22/2021I really want to like this drama more and I am rounding this up to 8.5 (I debated to keep it at an 8). However, the repeated framing and dragging of the show prevented me from doing so. If this drama is about 40-45 episodes long instead of 54, the pacing would be a lot better. It has all the right ingredients: good general plot, great acting and characters (love strong, smart leads), beautiful costumes, decent background music and songs.
Negatives:
1 . Repeated Framing - The show is basically someone framed WeiYoung and tried to kill her, then she got out of the crisis due to her own wit or saving from others, then repeat again and again. I was bored from Ep 20-30 and lost my attention. It's so predictable that it's not fun anymore. It's unfortunate because I really like the general plot of the drama, but the pacing was off. This is my biggest critique of the show and why I did not rate it an 8.5, since I am judging it against other big historical drama.
2. Plot Holes/Plot - The writing is not very tight. There are also lots of convenient eaves dropping throughout the show by the villains. There are also some illogical/impractical plot holes and I noted down two incidents but there are more: 1) ChangLe tried to burn down the lantern shop but how could she walk in without anyone noticing? Where's the shop owner? Was TuoBaJun (ML) really so far away that he didn't notice anything until the store was half-way burnt down? 2) When WeiYoung (FL) and TaoBaoYu (2ML) were stuck in the secret room, why didn't FL shout out the location of the secret ring to open the door to ML? They apparently could listen through the wall/door with no problem. 3) How come all the doors of the rooms in the Li family are see through? Everyone can hear your secrets!! There's no privacy!!!
Positives:
1. Acting - I enjoy the acting by all cast members. Our main leads and secondary leads are great. You can feel their love and obsession, their pain and evilness. This drama has a large supporting cast and no matter they are veterans or the younger actors, they are did a pretty good job.
2. Romance - One minor criticism I have is that I want to see more scenes and romantic development between ML and FL before they officially fall in love. Their love story is so strong, romantic and heartbreaking that I wanted a stronger foundation or evidence. Having said that, I love their relationship - their undying love and trust. I love seeing their banter and their open communication. I was pleasantly surprised that ML is quite funny and outgoing, and not the cold-on-the-outside-but-warm-on-the-inside type. You can feel the chemistry between the two leads and believe in their romance. The other romance/obsession storylines are pretty well-developed (though a little draggy). It's so sad that in a way, none of the significant relationships ended well. I am not as interested in the romance between the Little Princess+Prince and the two bodyguards.
3. Costumes - Blue is one of my favorite colors and I LOVE the different shades of blue in the costumes. You see light blue, royal blue, navy blue, indigo, dark blue, etc. Most of the time, Chinese dramas are dominated in gold/red/white in the palace, and blue/yellow/pink for the ladies. I am so happy to see that it's different here. Aside from that, their costumes, jewelry and head pieces are elaborate. Not only does the royal family have elaborate head pieces, but the ladies have beautiful hairpins and flower arrangements that match each of their outfits. I love seeing the different designs and patterns on the male characters outfits. The ladies dresses are all beautiful and multi-layered. Aside from the color palette that I enjoy in "Legend of FuYao", this is the only drama that I am so obsessed with the costumes and really pay special attention to each outfit.
4. Music - I would like to praise the use of background music in this drama that did not overpower the drama itself. I've seen too many C-dramas where the music is so loud that I couldn't hear the dialogue, or the songs are played over and over again when a romantic scene occurs. The music in this drama complements the scenes and let the acting speaks for itself without the use of music to manipulate viewers' emotions.
Overall, I like this drama. I wish it had a happier ending after what the leads have gone through, but I am satisfied with it. If I watched this drama before the many historical dramas I've watched, I might have given it a solid 8.5 or higher and be less critical.
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Waste of a talented cast with poor writing and execution
I didn’t have any expectations when I started “Snowfall”. I read the synopsis and it seems interesting and Vengo playing a vampire is enough of a draw for me. Unfortunately, I still come out feeling disappointed and mainly due to the plot. I did read that the last few episodes deviate quite a big from the original novel. You can read the novel ending by @Haveninmuse in one of the discussion posts.Plot
I really wanted more about the 3 families, their special powers and the magical artifacts. I want to learn more about them, so that the last big battle will make more sense and have a much bigger impact. But I should have known better since the drama description focuses more on the characters - the century-old vampire, a blind girl and the director. It’s not that I don’t like their stories and interaction, I just wanted more. Besides, the drama focuses way too much time in the first 10 episodes on Li Ying Liang’s (military dept director) animosity and revenge towards Shen Zhi Heng (vampire). Their back-and-forth became repetitive and took away time to develop the relationship between Shen Zhi Heng and Mi Lan (FL/blind girl) and Dr. Situ Wei Lan. There are also numerous plot holes in the later episodes when the drama goes more into the plot and moves away from character building and relationships. Fellow reviewer @Enigma05 listed all the loopholes which I agree with 100%. I won’t list them here to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible. Please go read her review to find out more. The last 2 episodes are messy, rushed and full of head-scratching moments. I am ,however, ok with the final ending of the vampire, even though I heard it’s very different from the novel.
Acting
The best thing about the drama is the acting of the cast. I actually think everyone did a good job. Vengo Gao as a vampire? Of course he would do great. He’s tall and imposing and exudes confidence and grace. He’s perfectly cast. It’s my first time watching Ouyang Nana and she was fantastic! I was really surprised that she pulled off the role of a blind girl so well, and makes Mi Lan such a likable character, even when she started to act her age. Maggie Huang is great as always as she’s such an experienced actress. Ryan Ren and Winwin are both new actors to me and they also performed well for their complicated roles.
Romance
Unfortunately, the romance is not romancing for me. I actually enjoyed Shen Zhi Heng and Mi Lan’s interaction and chemistry so much more when Mi Lan is blind. She was abused but has a sense of calm confidence, maturity, and intelligence. I felt the chemistry with just a few words from Mi Lan here and there in her unconditional support of Shen Zhi Heng. But in the later episodes, she was young and childlike, as she should be, since she’s re-living her childhood and is in awe of everything. She’s learning how to be a person all over again. So it’s not the fault of the actors that I am not feeling the chemistry. I will put the blame on the writing more. A century-old vampire and an 18-year old with childlike innocence don’t work for me. They are giving off a more brother/sister, father/daughter vibe than lovers.
The love triangle between Li Ying Liang, Jin Jing Xue and Situ Wei Lian is a little more interesting. I did find the clinginess of two of them a little much at times, but I see where they are coming from. I would have loved to see a little more emotion from Li Ying Liang when he’s with Jin Jing Xue except for the last scenes they’re together. A little more internal struggles and vulnerability will help viewers understand him better. Situ Wei Lan’s obsession and view of love is interesting to see when you think more about it. But he definitely doesn’t act like his age and he should.
Production
There are a few lovely songs in the OST that complement the different scenes very well. The costumes department also did an amazing job in dressing all the male characters in nicely-tailored suits and long coats. But special props to Vengo’s amazing costumes. With such a tall and broad frame, he looks dashing and intimidating at the same time. The women also have pretty diverse wardrobes, though some outfits are better than others. On the other hand, you can also see that this is not a big budget drama. The fight scenes are interesting and quite cool and violent (which is a surprise) but the CGI is not. The special effects get worse and worse as the drama goes. The sets, fixtures, ornaments and accessories look a little flimsy and fake.
Unless you are a fan of the actors and are a superfan of vampire stories, I would not recommend this drama. It has so much potential with an interesting general plot of the 3 magical families and their artifacts. I just wish they had included more of that into the character storylines and cut out some of the repetitive episodes in the first third of the drama. It’s such a waste of a talented cast.
Completed: 9/15/2024 - Review #485
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One of the most beautiful and heartbreaking stories of love and regrets
“Seasons of Blossom” caught me by surprise as I didn’t really read the synopsis closely and thought it was just another high school drama. But this surprise is a good one. This drama has one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking high school romances I’ve seen from South Korea.Past - Ha Min + So Mang
I LOVE their story SOOO much. I have no complaint at all! Ok, my biggest complaint is that not enough time is dedicated to these two lonely souls. I wish the whole drama was about them. But I understand we need to tie their story to the present-day timeline as well. I really enjoy following their friendship that develops quietly in the art classroom. From two lonely strangers to soulmates, their story makes me smile and cry (and I cried a lot). Sadly, what Ha Min went through seems to be quite common in South Korea. Seo Ji Hoon (as Ha Min) and So Ju Yeon (as So Mang) deliver such an amazing acting performance with great chemistry. I love their innocence, their bickering sassiness and their painful times together. I was so touched by their story that it pains me to binge this all the way through. I had to force myself to take a break because my heart can’t take it anymore. I’m so glad to see them closing out this beautiful drama in the end.
Present - Jae Min + Bo Mi + Jin Young + Sun Hee
Unfortunately, I do not have such high praise for these teenagers. I had a hard time getting into their friendship/love problems in the first few episodes. It all seems so childish compared to the other storyline. I think if this is an independent plot of another drama, I might have lowered my expectations and like it more. I didn’t start getting into it until Bo Mi and Jin Young start to interact with each other more. I can tolerate the simple friendship/romance if the acting is better. Kim Min Kyu (as Bo Mi) and Kang Hye Won (as Jae Min) make a pretty couple visually, but their acting is so bland. Kang Hye Won consistently has an emotionless look on her pretty face. It was hard to watch towards the last few episodes. Kim Min Kyu isn’t that much better. Yoon Hyun Soo (as Jin Young) is better but the best of the quartet is Oh Yu Jin (as Sun Hee). The latter two do have more acting experience and it definitely shows.
Past and Present - Healing
The regrets and uncertainties are hard to watch. Not because it was written poorly, but because it was written so realistically that I can’t stop crying whenever So Mang’s voice comes on and she’s sharing her side of the story and her regrets. The What-Ifs are going to kill that guilty conscience - the missed phone call, the deleted text, words said that couldn’t be taken back. The guilt eats you and destroys your heart and ruins your life. We can clearly see that manifested in a few of the characters here.
Despite not liking the present-day high school students' stories much, I still recommend this drama. It’s worth just watching Ha Min + So Mang, and the healing of those left in this world living with regrets.
Completed: 9/9/2024 - Review #483
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A simple and easy watch with amazing songs.
“to.Jenny” is a sweet and simple drama special. There are no plot twists and you can pretty much tell where the story goes. Though simple, it’s such a comforting watch if you have a couple hours to kill. This special features a couple wacky songs such as ‘Pork Belly’ and ‘Tiramisu Cake’, but also a few very lovely songs performed by Kim Sung Cheol. I would never have thought he has such a great singing voice. But looking up this little brief description on MDL, I realized he started out as a musical actor. Anyway, I already added a few songs to my Spotify playlist (well, maybe not the songs about food).Despite loving the music, the special itself actually did not grab my attention in the first 15 minutes or so. I actually paused and resumed on another day. I found Park Jung Min (ML) very awkward in the first 30 mins or so, and only when he started teaching Kwon Na Ra (FL) guitar lessons did I find him awkwardly cute. Once the leads have more scenes together, I am more drawn to their chemistry and their friendship/romance. I especially like how creative and sweet the guitar lessons payment system is.
Our leads are very likable and nice, and maybe too nice that they seem very naive in different aspects. The little sister is smart and mature, and really is the best support and winggirl ML can ask for. It’s also lovely to see a mother who is supportive of his son’s dreams and shielded him from the hardships of reality. The two friends are obnoxious in the beginning, but they grow on me. They really are good friends. I very much enjoy the jamming and music session between Kim Sung Cheol/Park Jung Mi and Lee Sang Yi/Yum Dae Sung.
If you are looking for good music, a simple and comforting watch, then “to.Jenny” might be a good option. The acting is pretty good and you won’t feel like strangling any of the characters.
Completed: 8/26/2024 - Review #477
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What a weird time-traveling drama full of makjang plot lines
Wow… this is an interesting and unique drama to say the least. I thought I was going to get a typical time-traveling drama, and laugh about how the two Joseon women adjust to the present-day timeline. Little did I know I was on a crazy ride.I actually thought the first half of the drama was quite entertaining. The Joseon timeline is well-made with a coherent story. Even though nothing was extraordinary, it set the stage for Du Ri An and Kim So Jeo to time travel. I still don’t quite know why and how that happened, but that’s not too important as most time-traveling dramas don’t elaborate on that.
What I like best about the drama is the way these two Joseon women came to adapt and learn to live a different life. There isn’t any over-the-top comedy or second hand embarrassment. Their experience was written in a very likable and natural way. The two female leads are very likable and I root for them to be reunited with their loved ones and love interests.
Unfortunately, the rest of the drama is a big makjang of crazy plotlines of the rest of the characters. First crazy plotline is the lesbian obsession. That daughter-in-law is one of the two annoying characters of the drama. The drama spends so much time with her harassing her love interest that it’s becoming very uncomfortable to watch.
The other crazy plot line is Madam Baek’s romance. Why waste precious screen time on these two lovebirds. I don’t need a whole episode on their date. I would consider their story romantic and sweet if the age gap is not so ridiculous and if they have their own show. Now, it’s just cringey and a waste of space.
The writers seem to have forgotten the drama’s name is “Durian’s Affair” and should have dedicated the most time and effort to Du Ri An and Kim So Jeo. They are the time-traveling duo and center of attention! I want to see the love connection between So Jeo and Deung Meyong. I want to see them slowly falling in love while acting in their drama. I want to see sweet, cute and fluffy romantic moments from this good-looking pair. Additionally, I want to see more sizzling chemistry and longing looks between Ri An and Chi Gam. Unfortunately, these stories become an afterthought.
The ending is up to your interpretation. The modern timeline ending is a lot easier to understand. The Joseon timeline threw a curveball to my understanding with the very last scene.
I won’t say I hate this drama. It was just a bit looney and unexpected. I enjoy the first half so much more than the second half. I don’t think I will recommend this unless you are a fan of makjang and crazy storylines.
Completed: 8/17/2024 - Review #472
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Decently-produced mini drama with Good Acting and Chemistry
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25“The Love Duel” is a short and very enjoyable transmigration mini drama. Despite its lower budget, the production quality is pretty good. It doesn’t feel cheap.
Although the cast is not A-listers, they are quite experienced, especially in the mini dramas. If you are a fan of the genre, you have probably seen female lead Smile Hu, male lead Wang Xuan and second male lead Leo Yang before. Hong Wu (2FL) is the newcomer of the bunch. I am actually quite impressed with the acting of this cast. I might have developed a minor crush on Wang Xuan. He has nice, big, expressive eyes. He looks a little bit like Xu Kai and Xiao Zhan, doesn’t he?
It’s nice to see a female lead who is the bosslady. She takes charge and is smart and fun (maybe a tad bit overdramatic). The personality contrast between the leads is nice and we don’t see this dynamic in bigger productions often enough. The chemistry between the 4 leads is good. I enjoy the development of the main romance. The secondary romance is simpler and more predictable. However, both confession scenes are a little anticlimactic for my taste.
You can say this drama has quite a few plot twists to keep things interesting and the plot moving along. However, I think my biggest criticism is that the plot is too busy. The political side plot isn’t written well. It seems like an afterthought and just put together half-heartedly. It could have a simpler political background story but focuses more on the assassin organization.
“The Love Duel” is binge-worthy and enjoyable. There’s a lot of humor in making fun of dramas that are self-deprecatingly funny. It’s not to kill a couple hours or as a quick palate cleanser in between some serious dramas.
Completed: 7/24/2024 - Review #465
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Not enough time to fully develop and tell the stories of an interesting plot.
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75I think my biggest criticism, or I can call it weakness, of “Koisuru Keigo 24 Ji” is the length of the drama. Being a J-drama, it’s not surprising that the episodes are short (less than 30 mins) and only 9 episodes long. For most rom-com and slice-of-life, this might be an acceptable runtime. However, “Koisuru Keigo 24 Ji” actually has a pretty interesting plot and individual stories about the ML and FL. Add romance to it, the drama feels rushed and unfinished.
I really like the plot of the drama. Rika (FL) is being threatened due to a lawsuit where she defended a big corporation and affected the livelihood of many normal citizens. Her boss hires a bodyguard to protect her. Tatsunoskuke (ML), the bodyguard primarily assigned to protect Rika, also has his own backstory and mystery to solve. The leads have good chemistry and I really enjoy all of their interaction together. Iwamoto Hikaru looks fit and handsome as the bodyguard. I love his cool deadpan face, and also his cute smile when he’s off duty. Shiraishi Mai looks beautiful and believable as the tough lawyer.
The supporting characters are a lovely bunch. The drama is easy to watch and the acting is good. Since this is not an anime or manga adaptation, we don’t see the usual Japanese, over dramatic acting and I am grateful for that. I also really enjoy the action scenes. I was very impressed with all the actors in taking down the siblings. The punches, wrestling and takedown are all realistic and believable. I would have loved to see more of these action scenes throughout the drama, since this is about a bodyguard and security.
With a great cast and a good setup, the time restraint prevents the stories from being told adequately. I want to see more of the security threats to Rika. The bodyguard storyline goes away after the first few episodes, then the focus switches to Tatsunosuke’s investigation. Although we get some flashbacks to the past, I don’t see what present-day Tatsunosuke has done to solve the mystery. Romance also takes a back seat in the latter episodes. The main leads’ relationship and rapport are nicely developed in the first half, but too little screen time is given in the second half. By the time Rika supported Tatsunosuke in a professional manner, I was not moved emotionally and the chemistry between them subsided..
Nevertheless, this is an easy and enjoyable watch. It just has so much more potential that I am disappointed. I would recommend this drama if you enjoy the bodyguard storyline with good-looking leads and a lovely supporting cast. However, if you are big into crime investigation, this might be lacking.
Completed: 7/20/2024 - Review #463
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