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An important drama for the world during the pandemic
Having been a long time fan of both Park Hyungshik and Han Hyojoo, I had really high expectations going into this, considering it was their first drama comeback in a long time. And did they deliver? Hell yes.Now that I introspect after having completed the drama, I think about how if this released pre-pandemic, I would've called it unrealistic and exaggerated. Now post the pandemic...It's a realistic depiction of the human race and the values it upholds in the face of calamity.
It is a gripping, well-written plot that keeps you on edge and immersed in all the characters and the story. A large part of the tension present in the story is delivered with the help of the music which is anxiety inducing to say the least. (I mean can we talk about the 'real eyes, realize, real lies' soundtrack?? Brilliant if you ask me.)
Our main characters are intelligent, brave professionals while a large portion of the supporting characters are all driven by their own personal greed and needs, which don't halt even in the face of imminent infection. There are very few characters who actually follow what the leads instruct them to do while most are focused on their own ulterior motives. You can watch as the characters' humanity slowly slips away, leaving them with nothing but pure horrendous greed, stopping at nothing to reach their goal. Now think of the world during COVID. How many people REALLY just stayed at home? How many people were out partying, complaining about quarantines, refusing to wear masks and endangering others all for their own sakes? How different really are we from the characters in the story? How many actually followed what the authorities told them to?
Hyungshik's acting performance in this is incredible and unexpected from an actor who tends to choose go-easy, prince charming like characters usually. Hyojoo's performance... to say I'm in love with her character and how she's portrayed is an understatement.
The explicitly romantic scenes in the series are very few but the chemistry between the characters, the way they are constantly caring and looking out for each other all seem natural to the buildup in the end episodes.
The re-watch value is probably not a 10/10 mostly because the plot relies on the suspense factor which is lost after you've finished watching the series.
SO, should you watch the drama? Yes. However, I would not suggest watching it if you have an issue with excessive gore/blood.
P.S : Kudos to the writers and production team for cutting down from 16 to 12 episodes, the plot has so much more substance and is so much better qualitatively. Good call.
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Refreshing and Fun Romcom with enjoyable characters
After having finished the drama, it is safe to say that the drama is a very refreshing and fun romcom with its own quirks. The main male leads are extremely charming, with Chief Hong having a very likeable 'Boy next door' vibe and Ji PD having an equally charming 'Campus Crush' image. Our female lead is every romcom lead from 2018 - starting to pull away from the tropes and yet no so much - her character is still enjoyable and she definitely has her redeeming qualities. Do I love her? Not really. Do I really like her? Yes.The highlight of this drama lies in its portrayal of its side characters. All of them have their own stories to tell and you really see them as people. My favorite character has to be, hands down, Hwajeong. Her story, the way she treats the people around her are all so admirable.
PS. The casual queer representation is definitely a win.
The pacing of the show is surprisingly pretty good and even.
The city where the drama is set is just so so beautiful and the sea is absolutely stunning too.
The humor isn't forced and you find yourself smiling throughout the episodes especially when the characters are bickering.
The OSTs definitely match the vibe of the show and are very soothing.
My main issue with the drama is the way immediately after they start dating, the female lead dumbs down, losing all her personality traits except for being in love with the male lead. When oh when are we going to stop doing that?
Definitely a fun watch that goes easy on the eyes.
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A warm hug of a drama to provide comfort this winter
Initially I wasn't planning to write a review but GOD this is so good.Ep 6 had me crying, screaming, throwing up so let's get into it.
Storyline:
It sets such a different tone to the drama as a whole. The whole idea of ex-lovers uniting after 10 years to reshoot a documentary is so fresh but it had me questioning how it would realistically be possible to convince them to do it. The drama explains it perfectly and additionally makes it entertaining. There are a lot of tropes (it's a romcom what else would you expect) but it's used so perfectly, that it doesn't make you cringe or make it seem 'ordinary'. The main characters are beautifully written, making you sympathize with them for their circumstances and decisions. Yeonsoo is your cold, logical female protagonist who makes small gestures to her loved ones, completely opposite when you compare her with Ung who is laid-back, impulsive and sensitive (in the best way possible). It's so so enjoyable to watch them banter. Kim sungcheol's Jiung is a wonderful character who's personality falls in the middle of both Yeonsoo's and Ung's with his story. There are additional side characters who you love and hate. I HAVE to mention Ung's parents who are literal angels. Something about how welcoming and warmhearted they are makes me tear up.
Cinematography:
It's so aesthetic. The sites where the scenes occur are all beautiful. The yellow filtering adds a beautiful nostalgic, film-like texture to it. The art work is brilliant and the transitions are pretty as well.
Soundtrack:
It's so beautiful and melodic. It just suits the drama perfectly. I love how V's track is the one that always plays during Ung's art scenes. My personal favorite has to be 10cm's 'Drawer'. That track is PERFECT. The little heartbeats before the instrumental starts? BEAUTIFUL.
Dialogue:
Ok I had to make this a separate section from storyline because of how painfully beautiful it is. Episode 6's ending broke me. That one line 'It's us of all people.' You hear that sound? Yeah that's my heart breaking. The contrast in how their dialogue matures, the words that are used in arguments all of it seems so natural. It's probably my favourite element of the drama after its storyline itself.
Acting:
The performances are as expected really good. Yeonsoo's character is something that Kim Dami embodies to the T. (not a spoiler) Than scene in the bathroom was so beautifully portrayed, it refuses to leave my mind. Choi Wooshik is perfect for Ung's character. He gives the character a certain flavor that makes him seem so charming, but I can't quite exactly place what it is. It was so enchanting to see how in the one episode where there's a little flashback montage of Ung's childhood, and I don't know if it was the child actor mirroring Wooshik's mannerisms as Ung or the other way around, but the resemblance is uncanny.
Rewatch value:
I'm resisting the urge to go rewatch it right now and just wait for future episodes. That should say enough.
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A creative and fun romcom where the 'cells' steal the show
I was quite interested from the title to see how they would incorporate the 'cells' aspect when went into this, and I have to say that they totally and completely stole the show for me. They are absolutely adorable and the thought process that goes into every action is quite realistic too. Considering how this is what is meant to set the show apart from other romcoms, I'm very excited to see the future episodes because the cells have stolen my heart. The animation is really good and cute and matches the aesthetic of the show.Considering only the first episode is out yet, I can't judge the storyline itself but it is plenty enjoyable and I'm loving Kim Goeun in this role. I have to say though that the Willy Wonka/Edna haircut isn't doing her much justice.
The colours in this drama are so pleasing to the eye, and there is SO much blue wherever Yumi is present, and I'm not even complaining one bit.
The music has been plenty cheerful and a win throughout.
All in all I'm expecting this to be very fun and I'm looking forward to the future episodes!
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What a way to start a drama
One word to explain the first episode - ExplosiveThey've packed so much into it, keeping the viewers intrigued for the future episodes.
The comedy is pretty enjoyable and the plot has a lot to offer. Considering it's a 12 episode drama and not 16 episodes, it's safe to assume that the story itself will have a lot substance.
My worry going into it was just how 'bad' and 'crazy' would the characters be? Plenty actually. I despise the male lead who is actually pretty 'bad' and K's character is actually crazy. Oh Gyeongtae is a good cop through and through and honestly a ray of sunlight and humanity in the midst of our other characters. Though our female cop played by Han Jieun got only about a minute of screen time, I can't wait to see how she's going to be incorporated into the story.
My only critique would be that the editing is wacky in a few scenes, but other than that the first episode is pretty damn good and I can only be hopeful for the future ones.
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