Jeaniessi
here
1) The Characters and primarily their core relationships made this story extraordinary. Cha Dong Ju and Bong Woo Ri and their love story; once it began there was no wavering. It was a solid loving relationship that had the perfect mix of sweetnes, spark and friendship. Bong Woo Ri and her father and grandmother; when you watch, you will realize why this family is so special. Cha Dong Ju and Bong Ma Ru; their brotherhood, their bromance and the way they loved and looked out for each other. There were countless ways in which these core relationships and the love that sustained them, helped them overcome the trials they went through. Now that this show is over I feel like the message at the core of this drama is sometimes, in spite of blood ties or the lack of, your family is made up of the people you choose and those who have chosen you. It is sacrifice, loyalty and never giving up on or hoping for, the person you love with all your heart.
2) The writing was very solid. It felt like there was a real story line trajectory rather than on the fly, off the cuff script writing that sometimes takes place to appease the masses/ratings. I got the feeling this story was planned from the start and stayed on course. There were beautiful words brought to life on screen by the actors. My above raving about the characters and friendships wouldn't exist without this writer's insight and story telling ability. The themes of family, loyalty and love rose above the necessary story/drama propulsion of revenge, hate and hardships.
There were other things to love as well. The cinematography was great. It was a pretty sweeping story as 30 episode dramas tend to be, so the sweeping views and pretty color palette fit the story and scope.
I loved the way they handled Cha Dong Ju's deafness. He was such a strong character all throughout the story. He had moments of fear and uncertainty but mostly he was brave and wonderful. The "writing" always treated the physically or mentally challenged characters with dignity...even if some of the characters within the story didn't always do the same. Does that make sense?
It is a testament to good story telling the 30 episodes went by pretty quick. The angst wasn't so constant and prolonged that you felt wrung dry emotionally. Lots of light moments in between! There was never I time I felt I wanted to drop this show or give up. Actually, I'm kind of sad it is over. It is a wonderful Drama! Give it a try if you are hesitating.
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All around, I think that acting was stellar. Kim Sun Ah was wonderful as Yeon Jae. I loved the progression of her character. She went from a frumpy office punching bag to a woman awakening to life to a serious, proud, sad woman, determined to live her life the way she wanted. There were countless moments while watching this where her emotions came across and just blew me away. Lee Dong Wook; he was rather stiff at first and that stiffness was obviously more than his character's chaebol, "all dead inside" persona. But I expected that because the man has been away for two years. As time went on, that stiffness went away and I breathed a little sigh of relief. Uhm Ki Joon (Dr. Poopy Suk) was probably one of my very favorite characters in this drama. Watching his character growth, watching his steadfast friendship as Yeon Jae's doctor was joyful and heart wrenching. All of the side characters, Yeon Jae's mom, her best friend Hye Won, the Tango class crew...Her friend Hee Joo...They all had meaning to her life and to the plot. Well done.
My only nitpick is Im Sae Kyung. I'm not sure if it was Seo Hyo Rim, the writer or both, but her character was a one dimensional terror of a witch. I wish they would have helped me have sympathy for her. I know they tried to give her that in telling her history but for me at least, they mostly failed.
This plot completely revolves around her diagnosis of fatal cancer so I'm not giving anything away. Knowing that is your starting point challenges the writer to fill in the questions of what now? What will and must your character go through? This show had some very heavy moments, and it should have. They were dealing with death. But those heavy times made the small triumphs, the happy moments and the love connections, both romantic and familial that much deeper. The writing of this was so smart. It seemed so realistic that this is what a person would go through when told they have cancer and not long to live: The denial, hope, determination, heartbreak, panic, desperation and anger; Yeon Jae and those whose lives she touched felt them all. Every phase of Yeon Jae's journey felt right to me. It was hard to go through with the characters in points but necessary and didn't drag out too long.
The cinematography was beautiful. I loved the music; the love theme for Yeon Jae and Ji Wook was lovely. I liked the light "French inspired" soundtrack during happy times and many other songs too. They all seemed to fit well with the story. I loved the color palet and design of the sets especially Yeon Jae and Ji Wook's homes. I want to hang out at the Tango place. Also, I want Yeon Jae's wardrobe! She had some awesome clothes.
The message of this drama is simple: To live your life to fullest and to be true to yourself. To find happiness for yourself and those you love and most of all; finding hope, even in the face of death.
I recommend this! You will laugh. You will love the passionate moments between the two leads as well as the light comedic moments. But you MUST have tissues handy!!
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It's breezy and fun to watch. I enjoyed it very much and I think what I liked most is, everyone seemed so real. There were elements to each character that I certainly recognized in friends or loved ones in my life. They were fallable, made mistakes and wrong choices but then worked them out in a believable way.
I love Korean Dramas for their differences from American TV but it is nice once in a while to see a more realistic portrayal of modern romance and its difficulties. The questions that arise from a real romance. Will we get bored when the newness wares off? Can I forgive him if he cheats? Can I be okay with a more casual sexual love affair? How do I tell a man what I want or that I want more? These are only a few of the question that come up for the women. I am glad that every question isn't wrapped up in a neat little fantasyland bow. The plot lines are handled with a serious air but also a wry, truthful humor. This show made me smile and laugh.
I also loved that while the characters grew during the course of the plot, they didn't completely change their personalities. The love stories were fun and sexy too but still not blatent. The writing, acting and directing were all very solid. I very much enjoyed the narration of the lead character, giving us insight into her inner thoughts. I like the freeze frame stills interjected into the scenes to emphasize an emotion or mood. Fun!
Each episode is about 45 minutes or less and they do speed by pretty quickly. I attribute that to the smart writing and zippy story lines of each episode. I doesn't drag. I really liked the music as well.
This is a fun watch. Easy to invest your time in watching. It had me smiling, happy and waiting for the next episode. Pretty PG but with real kisses and frank sexual discussion. Always a plus in my book!
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Story: What a story! The writer/s of this drama know how to write! This was action, adventure, revenge and romance done right. As you watch this drama, you notice it is almost like riding a ride. Some of the episodes are packed full of dramatic tension and zip by so fast that when the credits roll you sit there thinking "The hour is over already?" There is a depth and smartness to how the characters are written and for the most part, the pacing of the 20 episodes is framed very well. All good stories need moments of 'set-up' and because there are so many bad ass episodes when the action calms and there is a need for some exposition you don't mind...you understand that its necessary and it builds up the tension for the next stage of "The Plan". There are surprises around so many corners, moments where you suck in your breath. There are times when you want to pump your fist and times when you want to sob your heart out. There are well timed comedic moments that will have you laughing out loud. Pulling these physical and emotional reactions from the audience is the mark of great story telling. It's the best praise and prize a writer can get and the writers of City Hunter certainly got it from me.
Characters: Again, the characters are written so they are not dumbed down for the audience. They are fleshed out so well that you end up having sympathy for a character you know you ought to hate...who deserves your disdain and yet, you feel their pain. Or you may find yourself loving a character that is on a dogged search for and could just bring down your beloved hero. The character of Yoon Sung (City Hunter) is a flawed and fallible hero but he's smart and ultimately good and I found myself behind him and his cause. You get to see so many moments of kick-assery but you also get to see the price he pays; whether it is his body or his psyche. Also, those he's fighting aren't stupid either so he has got a fight on his hands. I like that the writers didn't make the antagonists stupid and they weren't always easy for City Hunter to catch. It made this show a delight to watch.
Romance: While I am all for some loving, hugging and kissing...I like that this drama knew when to quit. They didn't sacrifice the story to serve up the audience lots of drippy, gooey love. Yes, the love is there and the story shows the discovery and build up of that love but City Hunter has a mission. He's got stuff to do! We get to see how that love changes the City Hunter, puts the "true North" to his moral compass, gives him a reason to want to live beyond revenge and that is a beautiful thing. But thankfully, the writers weren't afraid to place that story on the back burner. Not only because it made sense in the framework of tale but also, they didn't pander to us mushy romantic types and force more into play.
Acting: I could go on and on (I know, I already have) but I'll just say t his. Lee Min Ho does a fantastic job. I was not a huge fan of his prior to this drama but now I am. And I would add that there isn't one actor in this whole drama that does a bad job. The main characters were cast well for their roles. There wasn't a time as I was watching this where I cringed or felt cheated that the actor wasn't serving the story or phoning in a performance. Lee Joon Hyuk (Prosecutor Young Joo) was amazing. Park Min Young (Kim NaNa) was often luminous and pretty bad ass in her right. Kim Sang Joon played (Jin Pyo) so well I hated him and had real moments of sympathy for him. Kim Sang Ho (Ahjussi) ~ I love you! I want to buy you an American Express Black card and let you home shop to your heart's content!
Season 2: When the 20 episodes are over...chances are, you are going to want one! Watch this if you are hesitating. There's a reason why there's about a thousand reviews of this Drama.
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I wasn't sure how I felt about Kwon Sang Woo before this but I enjoyed his character a lot. He plays an honorable son, prosecutor and a loyal, steadfast friend. He's hot headed, prone to fight and often very funny. Go Hyun Jung is wonderful, as always. I like her so much. She has such range; from What's Up Fox to Queen Seon Duk (Evil Misil!) to Dae Mul, she is an undeniably great actress.
This is one drama that uses its side characters well. They all orbit around the leads in believable ways. They are necessary to the story and not distractions, which if you have ever read any of my reviews, you'll know this kicks up a drama's rating for me.
At 24 episodes, I felt the pacing was just fine. It took me a long time to finish this but I blame the springtime glut of obsessive fare like Greatest Love and others for stalling me on this and not a lagging storyline. This drama is worth your time if you are into politics and more adult storylines. It's written well, directed well and most of all, acted well. There is some strange editing at the end/beginning of some episodes but they always clean up the story during the hour.
I'm giving it an 8 over-all. My Re-watch value is low. Not because I didn't like it but because I'm more apt to watch light romantic fare over and over rather than a long political drama.
Again, this drama is worth it if you like political stories or if you are a fan of the leads. They do a great job in this drama.
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Almost the whole first half is the reporter looking for and discovering clues that lead to her, step by step, person by person that touched her life. Once he gets close enough, you get a glimpse of her life and her love and the story of how her delicious recipe came to be. It's a little slow going at first but don't let that stop you.
This movie has an ethereal, magical quality to it and it made me want to eat Doenjang Stew really bad...even though I've never had it in my life.
The story is beautifully written and very well acted. The Ume tree forests, the soybean fields and the mountains are all shot beautifully. Once again, Lee Yo Won does a great job and Lee Dong Wook is wonderful. Ryu Seong Ryong plays the reporter and I really like him in this. (He played the gay art gallery owner in Personal Taste) This is a very different role. I didn't recognize him at first.
This is a small, quiet movie but it's a lovely story. I wasn't bored at all but I think you have to be in the mood for quiet.
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Full House has a typical Kdrama set up that puts the OTP in place to live together, bringing on plenty of antagonism, angst and lots of opportunity for cute moments together.
It's a cute story. I liked it. But I didn't love it like a lot of people who watched it. For me, there were a lot of things that made this drama average. There was not enough plot for me. There came a point where I noticed a lot of house cleaning, lame misunderstandings and not enough reason for these two not to just get together already! What I felt was, even at 16 episodes, it seemed to drag on too long.
But I'm giving this a 7 (great) because the interactions of the OTP entertained me a lot of the time. There were a lot of cute moments and some good chemistry between the couple.
This is pretty light fare. There are some laughs and sweetness that I think might make a good rainy day drama for a lot of people.
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As typical as this set up may sound, it's so well done and enjoyable to watch it doesn't matter. I've actually never seen a movie premise like this. Well that's not true. A few years back there was an American movie about a ghost writer helping an author to pen a book but it was done poorly and there is no comparison.
Remember that they are writing an adult comic. There are a lot of sexual references but it's done very tongue in cheek as the female writer is faking 99% of her sexual experience. Most of the graphic sexual images are in fact, in graphic (comic book) form.
Watching Jung Bae get wise to her act...I loved it! Dae Rim is such a character and Jung Bae finds her tough to take at first. But when he begins to draw...it's her face that appears on paper. As the two leads gravitate toward each other and their feelings grow...it's so cute!
Lee Sun Gyun and Choi Gang Hee make a great pair. Able to be comedic and have you believe when they are sincere.
I recommend this movie highly.
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This film has a very 40's film noir feelng and it's nicely shot. The costumes and set design are pretty to look at as well. The story interested me because living in America, you don't often get a good history of World War II seen from other points of view during that time. There was a lot going on in the world at that time; in China, Spain and Russia not just the major players like England, France, Germany, Japan and so on.
The sex scenes are intense but they lent themselves to the relationship of the two involved. Through their passionate affair you watch the spy and the target fall victim to what happens when you become physically intimate with someone. Feelings inevitably get involved. There were some scenes frought with tension as you watch the woman get in over her head in the name of her cause.
I'm giving this a 10 for great acting, directing and script. This is a very well done film. There is a reason why it was nominatd for so many awards including Best Foreign Film by The Golden Globes and BAFTA.
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Im Su Jung plays a harried and hopeless stage director who is unable to forget her first love. She even has a suitor wanting to marry her and she can't seal the deal. She hides behind her work as an excuse to avoid him and turn him down, driving her father crazy in the process.
I like the antagonistic relationship between the two leads after the story of "Finding Mr. Destiny" gets going. I like the flashback sequences. Both for how the memories are portrayed and the beautiful shots of India. This film has elements of the unexpected that keep it from being a typical, by rote, romantic comedy.
It's a sweet story. Light but not fluffy, well acted and a great ending too.
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This movie is so well done; well written, acted and directed. It's the full package. It's even shot beautifully. The cinematography and framing is lovely. If you watch movies for the technical aspects of a film this one will satisfy.
This is the story of a deep love and how you deal with the loss of that connection through a wasting disease. How you find hope within that love when the disease slowly and painfully takes away it's memory. Both Son Ye Jin and Jung Woo Sung blew me away with their acting.
I make no apologies for my mushy hearted review of and adoration for this film. Even though the circumstances are tragic and the actors make the tragedy very palpable, there is also a lot of happiness, the sweetness of young love and the bliss it can bring. The ending is bittersweet and carries a soft sort of hope. I'm torn about the re watch value. I know I'll watch it again someday because it's just that good.
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There were a lot of moments I laughed out loud. Kang Ji Hwan has a certain style of physical comedy. He's an expressive actor and isn't afraid to be 'out there', to look silly or foolish. He can also turn it around on a dime and be serious and kind of badass. I dig that about him. Kim Haneul is good....just plain good. She really pulls off the silliness of the comedic moments but she is believable during the dramatic moments too. But this is mostly a farcical story even with all the spy action going on. I will be seeking out other things she's acted in.
I'm giving this high marks purely for my own enjoyment and I recommend this if you're up for a fun, easy watch.
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It wants to be a slice of life of four girlfriends trying to find their way after college but it gives you no real story trajectory and no one to really identify with or root for.
I see the conflict of four girls sort of drifting apart after college but I never got a clear picture of why they felt bonded in the first place or what there reasons would be to fight for their friendships. The writer gives you nothing tangable to hang onto. The angst seemed forced and unreal. The girls each had real problems but the way they were presented to me made their reactions to these problems seem petty and selfish.
The acting wasn\''t bad but the story was uninteresting. If I pause a movie to go wash the dishes...something is very wrong. I am not sure why I finished actually.
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Like the synopsis say,s the movie is about a troupe of down on their luck actors who open a dating agency and utilize their skills to help people win the object of their affection. It's fun watching the tricks they come up with to hook the prospective mate for their clients. Things take a complicated turn when a man comes in hoping to acquire their services and the woman he fancies is the ex love of Byung Hoon (Uhm Tae Woong).
The story obviously plays on the theme of Cyrano De Bergerac and it's done quite well. But this is not a re-telling or even a moderization of the old classic.
The set design is wonderful. I wanted to hang out in the old theatre where the troupe has their head quarters. The dynamics of the troupe and their interactions were some of my favorite scenes. Although this is not strictly a comedy, there were times when I laughed out loud. I consider it a success when a movie can draw a spontanious loud laugh from me rather than simple amusement. Uhm Tae Woong does a great job here as well as Park Shin Hye (that was a surprise).
The main themes of this movie are love and trust and which is more important? There's also friendship and learning to let go.
The director did a good job of setting the mood of this film and telling the story in way that flowed at an even pace. It is a fairly light movie and I can see why it did so well at the box office.
If you're looking for a fun movie to watch that isn't too dark and yet not overly light and fluffy, this one is a great pick.
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Lie To Me...It was purely the chemistry between the actors Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye that had me watching. If I based my review simply on the high I got from watching them interact and kiss, my mouse would be hovering over the 10s every time. But I can''t...
The writing was almost abysmal. Even where our leads were concerned. It did their acting such an injustice. The switch around episode 11 did nothing but confuse the watcher and had the actors making, sometimes huge, personality changes that had me scratching my head. I focused solely on scenes with the two leads and had no interest in the plot. You could see so glaringly, where original intended storylines were dropped. Sang Hee and Yoon Joo became useless filler. Characters completely disappear with no explanation. The dramatic tension is pulled from the air and makes almost no sense.
Ultimately, there is nothing that bothers me more than when great actors are wasted by a crappy script. Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye tried their very best. They succeeded in their interactions and I place no blame on their shoulders. I cannot help but compare this to Mary Stayed Out All Night. Same scenereo...Great Cast! ~ Unfortunately wasted.
But here is the thing. I have watched some of these episodes multiple times. I repeatedly watched certain scenes between the to lovebirds because they were so enjoyable to me...And so my final verdict is this. If you want to turn off your brain and watch two actors make falling in love fun, sexy and cute. If you''re stressed and have no will to be critical while watching... Watch This! This pairing really had something magical.
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