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Lost in Dramaland
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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A well-paced and interesting inside look at Korean afterschool academies
I started “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” with no expectations at all and avoided it when it was first aired since I am not too big of a fan of noona romance. But I’m glad I watched it due to a Bingo challenge, as I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.Having the word ‘romance’ in its title probably has set up some expectations for romance-lovers to then feel a little disappointed. Although the romance is cute and sweet for an episode or so, the majority of the time, the drama focuses on the inner workings and politics within the afterschool academies/tutoring centers. If you are not interested in this subject, it’s best to not watch this drama, otherwise, you would be bored.
Luckily, I was quite interested in learning about the academies. It’s having a different look into Korea’s education system, and a different point-of-view from another Korean drama, “Sky Castle” which I thoroughly enjoyed as well. “Sky Castle” focuses on rich families getting their kids into prestigious academies and colleges. “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” focuses on the teachers and the rivalries between teachers and academies, with a much smaller emphasis on students and families. I have a feeling this drama might be more popular domestically than internationally. I also think the Korean audience understands and appreciates Korean literature and poems.
The first episode sucked me right in with an interesting conflict that shows up in the second half of the drama again and brings great tension between the characters. I like the progression and evolution of the relationship between Seo Hye Jin (FL) and Lee Jun Ho (ML). I also like how their romance evolves as well from sweet and cute to supportive and mature. The leads have great chemistry and I never felt weird watching this noona romance. Their interaction is natural, explosive when needed, and awkwardly cute as well.
Maybe because I did not binge this in one go, I find the drama well-paced with enough twists and turns to keep me interested and engaged throughout. I was rooting for Lee Jun Ho’s success with his daring and innovative ways of teaching. I was rooting and praying hard that the nerdy school teacher will remain true to his teaching ideals and not turn to the ‘dark side’. I was frustrated (but not surprised) of the downfall and am angry with the leads for how things turned out.
My favorite part is seeing three different teachers’ love for their students, wanting success for them yet going about teaching in very different ways and different ideals. My favorite scenes are the big blowups. The nerdy school teacher with FL in episode 1, the big argument of the main leads in ep 11, and finally as all three of them sit down and chat emotionally and passionately. I see where each of them is coming from, and agree with them all to a certain extent. Depending on whether you are a teacher, a student or a parent, you agree with each of them to a different degree.
I also really like the acting of the cast, both the main leads, the supporting cast and especially the veterans. I’m pleasantly surprised by So Ju Yeon’s portrayal of the confident teacher, Nam Cheong Mi. I’ve seen her in roles as high school students, and am glad to see her act as a confident and sassy 30-year old teacher.
I really don’t have any major criticisms of this drama and am quite surprised it has a rating of 7.7, which is quite low for Korean dramas. I just found the songs to be overly played, as much as I like them (the opening theme has a Beatle’s vibe to it). Other reasons for the low rating: 1) maybe the focus of the academies is too much/boring and not a popular topic, 2) maybe the romance is somewhat slow burn and not rewarding enough thus, not disappointing many, 3) maybe the downfall is too predictable, as we all know it’s going to happen sooner or later.
No matter the reason, I personally enjoy “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon”. I’ll recommend this drama if you are interested in learning more about the academies/tutoring centers, or a romance that’s a little different and evolves and matures as the series goes.
Completed: 1/19/2025 - Review #534
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Slow-paced but Beautiful; Good acting but Poor writing
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75I have not read the novel, so this review is based on my feelings on the drama itself. “Snowy Night Timeless Love” is a very slow-paced drama set in the backdrop of winter, so if you are not in the mood for that, it’s best not to watch it.
Repetitiveness?
A big criticism of this drama is the repetitiveness of the plot in the first 19 episodes. I have very mixed feelings about this and I also don’t know if the writing could have made this less repetitive. In these 19 episodes, the focus is on Huo Zhan Bai (ML) to search for the 5 rare medicinal ingredients to save the child. We all know these rare ingredients are hard to find and will be a very dangerous mission to complete. So, I can’t fault the drama for having Huo Zhan Bai get critically injured each step of the way. Otherwise, it won’t be realistic right? You also need him to be injured, so that he can spend a considerable amount of time at the Medicine Valley to heal and spend time with Xue Zi Ye (FL). If not, how are they going to get to know each other and develop feelings? Unfortunately, even knowing all this, it’s hard not to feel bored of this repertoire of not caring about oneself and getting seriously injured, barely making it back or saving by FL, resting and healing, and going forth to search for another ingredient. Could the writing be better so we won’t all get bored? Probably. I just don’t know how to achieve that and am in no position to offer an alternative.
Romance
I was skeptical of the pairing of Joseph Zeng and Li Qin. Joseph has such a baby face that pairing with a more mature Li Qin might not give me the feels. Luckily, ML’s character is more mature and dependable than Joseph Zeng’s other roles. The chemistry is decent and I do like this slow-burn romance. The leads develop feelings for each other during 8 long years. Their bickering is flirting. Their actions speak louder than words. They don’t need to say “I like You”. They are the same type of people, self-sacrificing dummies (LOL) who care about others before themselves. That’s why they understand each other's thoughts and actions, and words need not be spoken. I think this is very romantic. I especially love and “awww” at wooden windchimes set up along the path for ML when he couldn’t see. It mirrored the lanterns he lit up for her. What a romantic gesture! Their promises and missed chances made their love story even more tragically beautiful. I don’t need a grand confession scene and I am satisfied with the romance here. But, this might not be for everyone.
Rest of the Plot
Unfortunately, due to the majority of the time spent on the quest of rare ingredients, not enough time was spent on the rest of the plot. The villain and his minions seem like a small side plot. I would have loved more of a backstory of the minions. If the writing is better, I probably would not have felt the urge to fast forward (I was able to resist the urge). The drama was unable to hold my attention for 32 episodes. The pace is slow and there’s not enough action scenes to keep me entertained. I was hoping there would be more fight scenes, especially when ML was searching for the ingredients, and also towards the end with the villains. Maybe the drama doesn’t have enough money for that, even with the product placement of that darn 999 Cold Medicine. Why do we need it when we have a genius FL?
Cast & Acting
I do like the actors and felt that they all did a good job. I am confident in Li Qin’s acting and she’s great here, as well as looking ethereally beautiful. It’s probably one of Joseph Zeng’s best performances. Edward Chen did fantastic and I was surprised he was the teenager in “Lesson in Love”. Wang Hong Yi looks handsome and his smile does look creepy as intended. Kim Jin’s villain role might be a little over-the-top.
“Snowy Night Timeless Love” is an OK watch and I would only recommend this if you are a fan of the cast, or if you are in the mood for something slow and wintery. This is definitely not a must-watch. I was going to rate this a solid 8.0 but then boredom sets and I felt the urge to fast-forward. So, I have to drop it to 7.75.
Completed: 11/21/2024 - Review #518
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Uncovering the Curse of Taekwondo
2 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
A roller coaster ride of emotions with excellent acting
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25Without knowing much about this KBL, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I like this small production. KBLs have been hitting all the right notes for me in the last couple years with their more melodramatic/serious dramas. I think they have found their niche and I really like that.
“Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo” is not a happy drama. Moments of joy and cuteness are hard to find, and only in the first couple episodes. Despite praising KBLs earlier, I wish the use of bullying can be reduced in Korean dramas in general. There’s a lot of physical violence and emotional abuse in this drama. So, if you are sensitive to these topics, it’s best to stay away.
One of the positive surprises is the acting of the two male leads, Kim Nu rim and Lee Seon. They barely have any dramas under their belt and I was impressed. Kim Nu Rim, I think, has a slightly more difficult assignment. His character, Lee Do Hoe, was abused by his father and you can see the fear and hate in his eyes. But then you see him falling in love and is so happy for those short moments. When we see him again, he’s changed again into a perfect stranger. Kim might be the more experienced male lead but most of his roles were guest roles. On the other hand, this is Lee Seon’s first drama and what a great first performance. He not only acted well as being happy and outgoing, but the mental toughness to push through an invisible wall and in some emotional scenes.
The dynamics between Lee Do Hoe and Sin Ju Yeong in the present-day timeline reminded me a little of “To My Star 2”. If you don't like the leads story in "To My Star 2", you might not like this drama. I was frustrated and ready to give up on one of the leads. But the other leads are a better person than me. They push through the invisible wall, they are dedicated and believe in their love, and eventually succeed in reaching their other halves. I think I like both dramas so much (esp. “To My Star 2”) is that these two dramas take me on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
However, there are certain areas that could be improved, mainly in editing and storytelling. There are a lot of flashbacks, and the editing of these switches are abrupt and confusing. There are some misunderstandings between the leads and I had to pay close attention to the flashbacks and also what was being said in order to understand what really happened in the past. But, I do like the past/present scenes of when the leads were intimate. What happened in the past and what happened in the present are so different in the mood, feelings and circumstances.
Another complaint I have is in the last episode. Maybe the drama wants to reward its audience after sitting through 7 episodes of despair and give us an episode of the leads being happy. I wish this last episode could be better used in giving us more than just fillers.
Overall, I had a ‘great’ time watching this and experiencing the roller coaster ride of emotions. I think I enjoy the acting of the leads so much that I am rounding this up to an 8.5. It’s not that easy to find good acting in a sea of low-budget BLs out there.
Completed: 11/17/2024 - Review #517
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Good pacing and acting, nicely-written family stories but disappointing romance
“The Rise of Ning” does have some resemblance to " The Story of Ming Lan” with a focus on family life, a smart female lead, a good-hearted and doting grandmother and in-fighting between the wives. However, it’s a much shorter and lighter version, and might be easier for new C-drama watchers to enjoy.Plot & Characters:
I really enjoy the happenings at the Luo Household. The pacing of the drama is good with stories revolving around each child, their struggles to be the favorite and the star of the family, and the scheming between the wives. Nothing was actually too crazy and over-the-top. The ‘evil’ women aren’t really that bad, compared to those in other dramas I’ve seen. Thus, it makes for an easy and enjoyable watch. I love the grandmothers and the doting General. The General makes me smile each tie he tries to please his daughter and to make up for lost times. The revenge/investigation plot was fine, but not as tightly-written. I feel the last episode was a little rushed and screentime could have been better distributed with a stronger focus on the crime/villains, than the wedding festivities. For some, our leads might be overly smart and can seem too perfect. But I have to say, I enjoy watching them outsmart everyone and I don’t have to worry too much about them, thus, making this an easy, stress-free watch. Overall, “The Rise of Ning” kept my attention for almost the whole drama when I was binge-watching it.
Romance:
Unfortunately, I am disappointed with the main romance. The leads have better chemistry as siblings than when they’re lovers. I found FL’s transition from sibling love to romantic love too abrupt and out of nowhere. Additionally, I felt a little weird watching the leads together as siblings, yet feel they're a little too intimate. The secret of the birth identity was not revealed until the last ¼ of the drama, thus not allowing enough time for the romance to develop well. If you are looking for cute and fluffy scenes, then you will be even more disappointed. Surprisingly, I am more touched by 2ML’s storyline. I might be the minority here. I don’t find him too annoying despite wanting to be with FL for most of the drama. His scenes with FL were short ones and sporadic. In the end, instead of frowning upon his obsession and shaking my head, I feel bad for him and wish he would have a better ending. Luckily, the secondary romance is a little cuter and much more innocent. They don’t take up too much of the leads screen time and enough to just keep me happy.
Acting:
From the youngest to the oldest, the acting of the whole cast is pretty good. Zhang Wan Yi’s role is more mature and reserved, compared to his role in “Are You The One”. It’s a joy to watch him again especially when he continues to dub his own lines. He has quite a unique voice and his line delivery isn’t bad. Ren Min performed better than when she’s in “The Longest Promise”. I believe she dubbed her own lines as well and she also has quite a unique voice that takes me a little while to get used to. Ci Sha is awesome and that’s why I feel so bad for his character. The rest of the younger supporting cast did fine but the veterans really shine.
Production:
999 Cold medicine must have contributed a lot to the drama’s budget to give us beautiful costumes and sets. The leads clothes and accessories change throughout the drama to reflect their change in socio-economic status. Ren Min is gorgeous in this drama. She has the best make-up out of everyone (everyone else’s is not good) and her clothes are beautiful. Zhang Wan Yi looks dashing (and quite skinny) in his nicely patterned outfits. I love the sets inside the Luo mansion: the gardens, FL and ML’s individual quarters, and all the fixtures and decorations. The wedding scenes are elaborate and I’ve never seen the bride throw chopsticks (like she’s throwing a bouquet of flowers). The fight scenes are OK and I wasn’t really expecting much anyway. “The Rise of Ning” only has 5 songs in the OST and they complemented the scene well. I really like the main theme <安宁> by A-Lin.
I had a pretty good time watching “The Rise of Ning” and I’ll recommend it. Tamper the expectations of romance and don’t expect sizzling chemistry, cute and fluffy scenes or great skinship. But the drama has pretty good acting, stories about families, beautiful clothes, lovely characters and ‘villains’ who are not too infuriating.
Completed: 11/9/2024 - Review #510
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Things that Come After Love
2 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
A rollercoaster ride of emotions brought to you by excellent acting
“What Comes after Love” tells a simple story of young and innocent love, going through the challenges of everyday life, and coming to the realization that only love is just not enough. These young lovers reunited 5 years after their breakup. The drama tells their love story through flashbacks to the past and present, and is narrated from both leads’ perspectives. There’s an added colorful touch with regards to cultural differences between Japan and South Korea.After the series ended, I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. There are so many frustrating moments where I want to strangle the leads because of the lack of communication and the lack of action. Towards the end, I did feel the interactions between the leads become somewhat repetitive but not to the extent that I dislike the drama. I just want them to speak up or do something!
However, I cannot deny the fact that I love this romance from innocent puppy love, to regrets and pain. Their smiles, laughter and passionate love for each other is so contagious. On the flip side, the longing, pain, depression, loneliness and regret break my heart. But none of the emotional rollercoaster could have happened if not for the excellent acting from Lee Se Young and Sakaguchi Kentaro.
Both actors are perfectly casted. I am not sure how Lee Se Young’s Japanese sounds to a native speaker, but it sounded perfect to me. This might be one of her best roles yet. Kentaro has this dorky and shy charm. He conveyed the unspoken words through microexpressions on his face and his eyes. His character is a man of few words and Lee Se Young has very few lines in the last couple episodes too. Yet, I feel every emotion that they’re trying to convey.
If you like a melodrama of lovers reconnected after a difficult breakup, I would recommend “What Comes After Love” for you. The cinematography, music and the use of literature complemented the plot and the acting so well.
Completed: 11/5/2024 - Review #509
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Smart characters scheming and fighting, while two different kinds of love blossom on the sidelines.
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25Surprisingly, “Love of Nirvana” is not as romance-focused as I thought. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a love triangle that lasts for a long time, and romance is definitely present. However, it does not feel like I am watching a romance drama for 40 episodes. Instead, this drama has a strong focus on politics, fight for power, maintain power, revenge and the reveal of truths.
I am having a hard time writing down a proper review, so I am going to dump my random thoughts here:
1. It’s lovely to see smart characters in a drama. Not only are the three leads intelligent but they try to outsmart each other every step of the time.
2. I love watching them try to scheme and one up each other. They never lost their intelligence throughout the drama.
3. One love interest tries to obsessively protect and keep FL safe by his side.
4. The other love interest believes in, supports and protects behind-the-scenes, and lets her be who she wants to be.
5. It’s also lovely to see true platonic friends. No spoiled princesses or annoying jealous suitors.
6. The pacing is decent. There are a couple episodes that I was losing attention (or probably because I was tired). But for the most part, there’s enough going on to keep me invested in 40 episodes.
7. The emperor and the ‘villain’ had few but powerful scenes. Props to veteran actors!
8. Acting is pretty good overall. Landy Li is such a talented young actress. Playing against Jeremy Tsui and Allen Ren, I think she wins!
9. Unfortunately, the voices are dubbed. I can’t hear Jeremy’s sexy deep voice, or Allen’s sexy raspy voice. But it seems like Landy Li dubbed the drama herself.
10. The drama does not seem to be a high budget production. For the most part, this is not a problem and didn’t quite affect my viewing pleasure, except for the war battles towards the end of the drama.
11. Pei Yan’s obsession with Jiang Ci lasted for quite some time. But when he’s out of it, after much pain and suffering, it was great watching the trio together.
12. I was worried about the transition from hate to love for Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci, given how much Wei Zhao tried to harm her. But I feel that the transition and romance develops naturally and realistically.
13. Both Wei Zhao and Pei Yan are standup individuals and are very similar. They have burdens and tremendous responsibilities on their shoulders. They respect each other as competitors and as friends. I actually wanted to see more of their friendship and brotherhood when they are on the same side.
14. I enjoy the understated and quiet romance between Jiang Ci and Wei Zhou. There are no sweet talking or fluffy cute scenes. But the time they spent together felt so intimate and romantic. I enjoy their playful banters and witty remarks and also quiet moments of caring and concerns.
15. The revelation of what actually happened 20 years ago is quite a surprise.
16. And the ending...... I wish it was different but I am not upset.
Completed: 10/19/2024 - Review #499
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Fun for Contract Marriage lovers, but disappointing & messy writing in the last few episodes.
If you are a fan of marriage of convenience/contract marriage, “the Sand Princess” is a pretty binge-worthy series. You might have to suspend belief with the initial set up. It’s quite outrageous someone would agree to a deal like this. But if you can accept this fact, “The Sand Princess” is a lot of fun.I am a big fan of contract marriage and guessing each other's feelings. I am actually quite surprised that this Thai production is quite ‘normal’, as in not lakorn-ish or in a slap/kiss kinda way. You might have seen something similar in a Chinese or Korean drama.
I had a really fun time watching the first 10 episodes. I like the crazy set up and the three-way parenting. The love geometry isn’t too irritating. Kod and Ji have great chemistry as best friends, while Kod and Ki have great chemistry as the fake couple. The little girl is adorable, but was used more as a device to move the plot or as an accessory, instead of fully integrating the little girl. Maybe she’s a little young to really direct her to seriously act.
Kod (FL) is a very likable character and I was rooting for her. Baifern is a great actress and really delivers a great performance as our Kod. Ji, on the other hand, is not as likable. I actually want to punch him in the face in the first few episodes, but he grows on me and as the story develops, he’s better than was originally portrayed. I personally think that March (as Ji) is better-looking than Dan (as Ki). Aside from wanting a more handsome actor to play Ki, I really like his character. I think Dan’s acting could be inconsistent. But Ki is such a good guy. He basically sacrificed his own happiness for the greater good after being lied to by multiple people.
I was going to give this drama a solid 8.5 rating until we hit the last few episodes. Those episodes were rushed when trying to tie all the loose ends. The writing appears messy with loopholes. The romance isn’t as fun anymore. I cannot for the life of me understand how Kod would still think Ki doesn’t like her after he has repeatedly seriously and jokingly confessed, and has set boundaries with his ex. You can’t chalk this up because of her low self-esteem.
Throughout the drama, we have been told repeatedly how unfortunate Kod is to be abandoned by her mother. Oh, where is her dad? But when that situation was resolved, it was done so quickly that I thought I missed an episode. Additionally, what happened to the company’s financial crisis? Aff just dropped a bomb in the end out of nowhere and we’re left with nothing else?
“The Sand Princess” could have been so much better. I was really disappointed with the writing in the end. . The whole plot and how things evolved are pretty predictable. However, I can’t deny I really love the first 8-10 episodes. Averaging the good and the bad, and my enjoyment level, I am giving this an 8.0
Completed: 9/29/2024 - Review #493
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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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