Reviews

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The narrative is shrouded in ambiguity, leaving much to be desired in terms of clarity. As I immerse myself in the unfolding drama, it becomes evident that crucial components are conspicuously absent, casting a veil of uncertainty over the entire storyline. With each passing scene, the deficiency of essential elements becomes increasingly apparent, hindering my ability to fully grasp the essence of the tale.

Upon reaching the conclusion of the drama, I find myself at a loss, unable to form a definitive judgment regarding the narrative. The absence of vital details leaves me with a sense of dissatisfaction and incompleteness, as though pieces of a puzzle are missing, preventing me from painting a coherent picture of the story in my mind.

The lack of clarity not only diminishes my enjoyment of the drama but also hampers my ability to engage with its themes and characters on a deeper level. Without a clear understanding of the plot's intricacies, I struggle to empathize with the characters' motivations and experiences, thus limiting the emotional impact of their journey.

In retrospect, the fragmented nature of the narrative hampers its overall effectiveness, preventing it from leaving a lasting impression on the audience. While moments of intrigue and suspense may punctuate the storyline, they are ultimately overshadowed by the pervasive sense of confusion that pervades the viewing experience.

In order to salvage the narrative and elevate it to its full potential, it is imperative that the missing parts of the scene are identified and addressed. Only then can the story truly come into focus, allowing viewers to appreciate its complexities and nuances in their entirety. Until then, the narrative remains a puzzle waiting to be solved, its true significance obscured by the shadows of uncertainty.

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Fizzles out but stays cute

I’m kind of surprised by the glowing reviews on this one, because as cute as the main couple is (and not only are they cute, they’ve got an AMAZING kiss scene)…I really think this is one of those dramas that starts out strong but ends up fizzling out.

The first episode is extremely strong; the heart-wrenching tragedy of the male lead’s death gives our female lead a purpose in her time travel journey, and the added layer of her being able to walk after being in a wheelchair for so many years adds is also great. There’s commentary about disability and inaccessibility, which I really appreciated. I also really loved how we saw Im Sol getting back the will to live.

The next few episodes were still promising; it was the right balance of funny and heart-wrenching, and I was also pleasantly surprised that the FL already went back to a changed future.

The first thing I didn’t really like was the mystery element. The recent trend of inserting a random serial killer into a rom-com drama is something I really do not enjoy, and this was no different; it felt like a lot of the profound commentary we got at the start about living with a disability or depression and suicide became reduced to “actually there was a villain, so our ML was never depressed, and our FL shouldn’t have been disabled anyways.”

As the drama went on it felt like the story focused more on the mystery, with the second lead randomly popping in to fulfill his police officer role, while our main couple also got more repetitive: Im Sol was always sad because she had seen a sad future, while Sun Jae was in a perpetual state of ignorance, or even amnesia. The actual state of the future switched around, sure, but their core characters were always the same.

Ultimately, I think this was still a very cute watch; there are funny, chaotic scenes and the male lead is one heck of a green flag. I just wish it kept all the substance and momentum it had at the start.

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Watch your tongue

Song Ki Baek works as a TV announcer. Eyeing for the chair of the prime slot, the sweet talker is everyone's favorite. But his dream comes crashing as he loses his ability to self-censor on air. Enters Han Na who is struggling to keep her position as a variety show writer. As Ki Baek catches her attention, she gets the scoop for her next show.

Cliche Boring Not so happening

Isn't it obvious since inception? Well as Han Na works with him she will find herself drawn toward him. Helmed by Jang Ji Yeon this story has nothing to make the audience feel butterfly or adrenaline rush. The plot is easily decipherable ever since the second episode. Choi Kyung Sun- the person behind the pen knitted a disappointing story overall. The leads lack the professing chemistry which makes the audience want more. They also seemed to be forcing themselves while going through it. Ki Baek's illness seemed to be inspired by Pinnochio and extraordinary Woo- he got stuck in between. It lacked the much-needed power to push the story.
The only beautiful element is Jung Heon. After his shady performance in Extraordinary Woo, the man stole heart in this gummy story. Ever since his appearance he took the burden on his shoulders and made the show watchable. His attraction for Han Na, his genuineness, and his struggle- are all felt through the charismatic performance. Also, the bromance between main leads helps in keeping the spontaneity alive.

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Casting is everything!

I'm a sucker for rom-com stuff, so, of course, I enjoyed this one. But I do have to admit that the best thing about this kdrama is the casting choices. I can just imagine that I wouldn't be as invested in this kdrama had they chosen other actors. Kudos to the actors because they did such an amazing job.
There were definitely lapses when it came to the plot. The taxi driver killer was so one-dimensional, in my opinion. We didn't have that much information on him aside from being a serial killer; he barely even talked. He was basically just there as an obstacle for the leads, nothing else. Speaking of the leads, I wish they gave them more substance, you know? I like them together, and I'm glad that BWS and KHY's chemistry had me wanting more, but their lives basically revolved around one another. Almost all of Sol's and Sun-jae's choices had something to do with each other.
Despite all that, I still quite enjoyed the drama. I don't consider this the best kdrama by any means, but it's somewhat of a feel-good and filler kdrama with a side of serial killer for me, and I enjoyed that.

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Made me want Mondays to come fast ❀

The last time I followed an airing kdrama where I’m up-to-date with the weekly releases (never missed and finished everything) was Twenty Five, Twenty One (2022) prior that is The Red Sleeve (2021-2022). After that I delve more into cdramas. Lovely Runner properly brought me back. Every week we get butterflies, fun stuff, and theories! Monday episodes for fluff. Tuesday episodes for angst and effective cliff hanger!

Chemistry and comedic timing are very vital to RomCom leads and fortunately, Hyeyoon and Wooseok have them! The director worked on Flower of Evil which is one of my favorites and another timeslip drama beforehand, and his expertise shows in this work as well. (But I have to mention the recent comments he made left a bad taste in my mouth)

The writer did an excellent job of keeping us on our toes. I was worried it will crash and burn after the strong second episode. I was hopeful but also wary. But she managed to keep it enjoyable until the end.

I also want to commend the details! From pop culture jokes of that time to props and set design, they are on point!

It felt like everyone involved in making this wants to create something real good and it unexpectedly became a hit!

I recommended this to my friends without second thoughts because I know they’ll have a good time. So if that’s what you want, you can hop in the Lovely Runner craze too!

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A show that praises one thing and then does the opposite for 8 episodes

I can't help but feel like this show is some really unwise propaganda against suicide, especially considering the country that it comes from, but that's not even the point. Regardless if that was the goal of the show or not, the constant victim blaming and shaming towards suicide is just not it.
Technically speaking this show is really good. From the acting to the cinematography, the timing and the music, even the story is engaging and has a really good premise, but I can't give it a good score when the core idea is "you are selfish if you kill yourself".
This is obviously written by someone who has never dealt with these types of feelings, which I'm glad they haven't, but then why write about something you don't fully understand? Not only that but they did it while looking down on anyone who has ever considered it.
It should be obvious that someone doesn't want to kill themselves on a random wednesday just because. Imagine how much pain, suffering, guilt (because yes, believe it or not they usually do think about the people they leave behind, and that's one of the reasons why making the decision can be so hard) and self-shame they already feel, to have other people come and point fingers saying how weak you are, how self centered, how little your problems matter and to "get tough because life is hard and other people have it worse".
For a show that praises so much selflessness and understanding of other's suffering, a show that shames the main character for their egotistical decisions, they really showed no empathy towards him or anyone who has thought about dying. Ironic.

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S3, please come quick!

Mainly writing this review to express my love for the OST. The intro and outro were both so good but I loved the outro from the first episode and never skipped it everytime the episode ended. Apologies to my neighbours for the weeks of me screaming “话谢过，路借过，你是你，我是我”, but this outro put me on to Zhou Shen and I'm obsessed!

Aside from this, JoL S2 delivered the same amount of enjoyment I had watching S1. This show is just top quality. What I love about the series is how much it makes me immersed in the story with the acting and plot. All the plotting, politics and dialogue pull you in and I was able to enjoy it more because, as a viewer, I felt I also had to deduce what was going on and what was not being said. All the plot lines and dialogues are not laid out so directly and obviously, so it makes you feel engaged with Fan Xian and the gang in trying to uncover the mysteries around them and connecting the dots with clues we get throughout the series. I appreciate that the writers do not undermine the strengths of all the characters, like everyone is so smart and cunning so it becomes a battle of wits watching Fan Xian go up against various characters.

Another thing that made me immersed in the story was the acting. Everyone is on top of their freaking game. Cheng Ping Ping, the Emperor, Wang Qi Nian, Fan Xian - the actors for these characters were probably my standouts because of how often we see them, but every actor did a fantastic job.

Also, this is one of the few series I can watch and enjoy without caring much about the romantic story lines. Wan Er and Fan Xian were good together but I didnt really care much for their romance. It was great having a couple moments of them together here and there but my main attention was attached to the political aspects, so it was a great balance.

Overall, great series that I already know I'll rewatch again in the future, before and after S3 finally comes out.

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Interesting premise that needed more time.

This was one of the rare Thai series where I'd say a few more episodes would have really helped. Normally I say this about Korean series as they are notoriously shorter and try to cram so much in 6-8 episodes. Usually with the longer Thai series (10-14 ep at 40+min each) they contain so much unnecessary filler that the story becomes boring, silly, off the rails, etc.

But there was so much going on in this series that, while they probably should have made it longer, I still feel like they did very well with the time that they had. It's a complex concept, to say the least. And then as the series goes on, I can see how some people may not like all the "coincidences" and how things are connected. But I thought it made the series more enjoyable.

I also wish I hadn't seen some of the spoilers so I will refrain from saying any of them myself.. as much as I can while still writing a review on the series as a whole.

It seems like a lot of people did not like the last couple of episodes. All I can say about this (as someone not trying to spoil anything) is that, if you are in it for the shipped actors, then yes, you will not like the last couple of episodes. But if you like the story of the characters, then the last bit is VERY satisfying and downright heartwarming. Also, do yourself a favor and ignore the age with the math. It's better enjoyed at face value.

That being said, the story has a lot of depth and makes one question a lot (I mean, come on.. we're talking about parallel universes and quantum physics here) but as far as the main couple is concerned, I enjoyed the lack of questioning how they felt toward one another. There were no secrets or hiding of feelings and I LOVED that they were open with each other when feelings started developing. Maybe they needed the impossible concept of them ever being together to make that honesty happen, who knows? Maybe they felt safe in being honest because they knew they had nothing to lose, being on opposite sides of the mirror. That was their obstacle and I liked that about the series.

While the acting could have been better, I understand that this was a first lead role for these two so it's understandable and forgivable. They were still good performances in the end. I also liked how there wasn't an abundance of side/supporting characters as there really wasn't much time to focus on anyone else. Everyone who was introduced had a clear role and was essential in some way to help the story along. But then they were put on the back burner instead of trying to make things complicated. That was handled well, in my opinion.

I really would recommend this series and encourage everyone watching it to stick it out to the end. It really is a well-rounded story and I like how everything was wrapped up to completion.

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behind the scenes of sexual work

i just finished this drama

it’s a 25 minutes 6 episodes drama that talks about women poverty that leads to sexual work, but it’s also about the struggles that some women have to do to live a decent life.

i really liked the dynamic between the protagonist and sakita yuji, the man that helped the protagonist to interview and write the articles about these women.

i also liked the women’s stories and the protagonist story that wasn’t also very easy itself. i also liked the final episode that it’s unusual for me o(≧▽≦)o

obviously it talks about themes that may not be easy and light, but i think that the 7.5 rating is too low. i personally gave a 9, it may be too high for someone, but i think that more people should watch this drama

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If you like the actors more than the show then watch!

The Storyline in MY OPINION:
The first thing that I wish that the storyline would’ve gotten a little bit more correct and accurate is the age for the vampires in the show as well as also not making it a cliché vampire story when it comes down to vampire qualities. now the reason I say the age is because the parents are 800 years old, making their child 300 years old and he has to be 500 years old to cross over to the human world (Note: that he slept for 200 years for some reason) and the rules that have been set for crossing into the human world is roughly around 1000 years but what does not make sense to me in this series is if he was a human before and was turned by a vampire so that vampire can become human themselves how is 300 years old and 800 years old and if we all know that vampires, most likely cannot have children in most vampire portrayals.

Questions:
> How did the parents have a child if they are vampires

> Why aren’t they showing the different errors in the show? (although that is something that they should more often in shows and movies anywhere so show growth and change.)

> Ages of Poom/Pure parents as well as him too.

Final Opinion:
Overall, the show is funny and interesting and it keeps me intrigued every single episode so I do recommend watching it despite my observations and opinions

Though remember that any show that you watch, regardless, whether they have things in there that you might not like if you like the actors more than the show and the production companies, I suggest keep watching it so you can see the outcome if still can’t get with it don’t put yourself through watching it, but be sure to not make highly negative comments about shows and movies that people may love and cherish and diminish something they care for.

If read this thanks. And I would like to hear what you have to say!

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There really was no need for part 2

Okay so I know I’m super late to the party but I’ve only just finished AOS today and I have so much to say.
I can’t even describe to you how much I loved the first part, I literally gave it a 10/10 rating. It was everything I’d want in a romance drama (a story that has more to it than just romance). The chemistry between Mu-deok and Uk was the best thing ever OMG. I really didn’t expect how the first part would end tbh and I was so sad but I ASSUMED that everything could only get better right….. WRONG. Bro I felt like I was forcing myself to watch part 2. I hated seeing Uk pursue a relationship with a different FL it just looked and felt so wrong to me. Like even though I knew she was still Naksu it didn’t feel right at all. Also I just felt like the plot fell off so much. Part 2 only got good for me in the last 3 eps, everything else felt so slow and uninteresting. In my opinion, at most maybe there should’ve only been 20-25 eps in total and the plot of part two could’ve easily been shortened down and rewritten with less ‘flatness’. I mean don’t get me wrong I still love this drama and I’m so glad they ended up with eachother at the end but I was so hyped for the second part and I was very disappointed by the way it was written and how it felt like it was dragging at times :((

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Perfect drama until episode 27

This is my first review ever.
I loved the first part and if it continued like that, I could have said it would be my favorite drama ever.
Good characters, I liked the family relationships, the friendship, but the thing I loved the most in the whole drama was... Lu shi yi.
He was just perfect. Excellent acting, handsome, funny, chill, caring.
I really enjoyed their interactions and the little gestures he did for xiaoju. They were too funny and seemed so happy, perfect.
Many complain about Xiaoju's one-sided love that lasted so long but I didn't find it excessive. It's difficult to go move on. For me it was fine, but then... starting from episode 28 things went not so well...
Xiaoju and dadou were always joking and loved each other in their own way, but after the confession xiaoju starts to be really cruel with him.
It didn't seem like her behavior to me. She has completely changed and their friendship has completely fallen apart and been forgotten... Their story could have been better. He leave for so many year and they should have clarified first, talked about the past, developed their relationship... but no... why not get married...

In my mind everything stops halfway through episode 27, on new year's night, when xiaoju was crying. Xiaoju finally lets go chenglan at that moment. While she is crying Shiyi says something like "if you stop running forward and turn back you would understand that there is someone who has always been there...". Xiaoju is surprised but she doesn't pay much attention to it. Then up there, as they look into each other's eyes, she starts to have a flashback of their moments and all the support and affection that Dadou showed her and while there are fireworks, she starts to feel something.
Later she thinks about that. She think about their past and understands that he was always there for her and start understand dadou's feelings and behaviors. She understands that she has hurt him sometimes. She wants to fix it. She will make him happy and make him feel loved. And here their story begins. I would have loved a developement like this.

Speaking of other things... why did chenglan have to go through all that? Why break his heart? Such a pure soul deserved better.
Tao tao... we were all happy for baobao but it didn't make much sense. He was just there to make us happy.

In conclusion, It's still a good drama. It made me happy, laugh and cry, would I watch it again? Probably yes, but only until the middle of the 27th episode so that xiaojun and lushiyi can at least have at least in my mind the ending they deserved.

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