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Reviews
Geullichi (2022)
Really Interesting
People seem to either love this show or find it disappointing. I loved it an see no reason for such a low score. I didn't find it slow or too long, and I loved the ending, or pehaps I should say several endings.
The chemistry between the two leading ladies is really good (they seem to be friends off screen too). Will watch this again.
The theme of aliens, mental health and the cult could have been explored somewhat deeper, as it raised a lot of interesting quetions. The effects were reasonable and I liked the plot twists.
The ai theme is really about love and helping each other through good times and bad, Even the cult was based on love, but a love that has become twisted and abused by others, not for money, but power.
Manyeoui Beopjeong (2017)
Better than I expected
I enjoyed this. Acting from all the cast was excellent with the female lead managing to rnge from sassy to sympathetic. OK sme of her decisions were pretty dubious but she handled it well. The male lead was good and the main villain really scary.
The sub stories had good twists as did the main plot. The last four episodes especially were like watching a good chess game. Liked the music and the very low key romance.
Not sure of re watchability but the acting will stay in my mind.
Mei li ren sheng (2011)
But the ending!
Andy Lau has so many talents and this quiet, rather odd film for hi shows many of them. The acting, script, production and cinematography are all superb.
I don't mind it being on down beat, life can be like that, and the main actor shows dementia how it really is.
But the ending! He definitely died and unless it is some weird dream there he is alive and well and back to his old self. So instead of a great tragic love story tou keep thinking WTF was that about. Dragged the score right dow for me.
Dakteoseu (2016)
Not sure who this is aimed at ?
Lets address the elephant in he room first. In the series. Rae-won Kim is sid to be 9 years older than. Park Shin-Hye (though he look solder) and he first tries to date her at school whilst being her teacher! Not acceptable,
I didn't feel much chemistry between them - though Park Shin-Hye did her best, ass usual (including the action scenes).
The supporting actors were ok and did their bit. The overall story was rather boring but the individual stories were good, if a bit gory for family viewing.
Park Shin-Hye had great outfits and the music and production was well done. Just not sure who this was aimed at.
Dashi Mannan Segye (2017)
OK but too long
I enjoyed a lot of this series; the idea of someone coming back from the dead after 12 years was intriguing and the settings were interesting. But there were too many faults.
Firstly 20 ep was way too long for the material and led to a lot of filler. Aside from the core group a lot of the acting was amateurish. For some reason the fashions were boring and. Lee Yeon-hee haircut!
The music was good. I couldn't follow the 'mythology' of who were the dead returnees. Did they all have a reason to return and why them ? And who sent them. No one in the show seemed even curious about their origins.
The romances were sweet but soooo slow and artificial even for Asian dramas.
The food bits were good with some useful tips and inviting looking food.
Lastly the ending! Was it a dream or a total cop out. The girl seemed to show no great surprise or joy that he had returned again making me think it was her wish rather than reality.
Annyeong? Naya! (2021)
Really enjoyable
Perhaps not one of the classics, but it made me laugh and especially towards the ed had me in tears - though the ending is happy (watch out for a few minutes extra right at the end).
The lead actors all had it nailed and a special mention of the lovely grandma. Who has not thought what they would say to their 17 year old self but this gives that theme a delightful twist.
Plot races along with some good twists and you want to know what happens next. Enjoyed this a lot.
Haereul poomeun dal (2012)
Superb
Haven't enjoyed a historical drama more since ewel in the Palace,. The production (especially he costumes), direction, music and great acting from both the teenage and adult casts. After a slightly slow start the plot races along and comes to a satisfying conclusions.
A good story that kept me really interested. The place intrigue made sense and highlighted the very conservative society of Korea at the time.
Sangsogjadeul (2013)
Nothing Special
This is not in the front rank of kdrama. Full of logic holes and apart from the leads.(especially Park Shin-Hye) the acting is not great but after a few slow episodes the story does pick up with some reasonable twists. But you do find yourself saying 'Why did they do that' ? The clothes and the music are great.
What as a westerner I disliked most was the men constantly grabbing the girls, talking over them etc. Ot cool.
Wouldn't rewatch.
So-ri-kkun (2020)
A real piece of life
How can this lovely film not have a higher score. Great acting all round wonderful cinematography and a heart warming story that mainly shows the ordinary people of the time and how they lived ad what they had to put up with..
The singing is a real highlight. Loved it all.
Gibangdoryeong (2019)
Bit of fun
Actually its good to see a film that doesn't take itself too seriously. The idea of a male. Gisaeng leads to some good moments and mostly funny humour. His 'secret' that women want to be listened to seems worth making and his romance is sweet. Enjoyed it.
Miseuteo Shunshain (2018)
How could this be any better ?
Every scene is like a painting and every conversation means something. I've never seen better cinematography (and lighting) in any series ever. And the characters just grow as it progresses. There is some very fine acting here. The 20 year gap between the leas just doesn't batter. Their subtle romance is entirely believable
The setting and history fascinated me. No idea if is entirely accurate but how could it be ? These are times that are like medieval times to us now. There sentiments and attitude are har for us to grasp.
Can't think of anything else I have enjoyed more. Loved the music too.
Watched on Netflix. .
Sikago Tajagi (2017)
Fantastic Series
Its hard to think of this wonderful series not being made in south Kore with ts wonderful mix of different genres, including a ghost and reincarnation. All the acting, script and cinematography are spot on and I want that house with all those books. A gripping story leads to the last wo episodes that will take some beating for me.
Loved all the scenes shot in 1930's Japanese occupied Korea (which I knew nothing about) and the actors were so good in portraying their past lives.
Really good music too and I want the set designer (or are thry real locations ?) for my home. Womderful series.
Myeongbulheojeon (2017)
Such a Pleasure
Korean tv loves timeslip dramas and this is one of the best. Some light comedy, good music, great writing and acting from the leads and for m the medical ethics highlighted were really interesting. Perhaps a little gory if you don't like operations or wounds. Happy ending.
Nae Dwie Teriuseu (2018)
Looses its appeal half way through
Up till about episode 12 I was scoring his an easy 10 wit is original ideas and fresh mature comedy. Then something happened and it turned into a rather ordinary spy caper with a big twist you could see from Mars. Only in the final episode did they try and bring it all back with the very cute kids and the KIS squad but the ending as trite and everything was too neat.
The beginning is really original but the producers lost their nerve about half way through.
Aseudal Yeondaegi (2019)
Just Enjoy
It's so easy to criticise this series - some very iffy acting and CGI and anthropology from Mad Max rather than Margaret Mead but by half way through you are hooked on the characters and the story.
Turn off your critical functions and just enjoy the spectacle.
Saimdang, Bitui Ilgi (2017)
Powerful but too long
This is classy stuff. It took a year to make and marked the return of the brilliant. Lee Yeong-ae after 13 years. The production, cinematography and scale can't be faulted but the script flags about 1/3 of the way through only really picking up again towards the end. There is nothing missing (except perhaps some better comedic relief) but it is very drawn out at times. The music is very good and the costume designer created bright designs that really worked.
Personally I would have liked to get a better idea of her place in art history, not just be told. Shin Saimdang was brilliant. This is not a biopic and the whole love story is fiction. In fact she had eight children and the relationship with her husband is all wrong.
Hye-soo Park and the teenage Lee Gyeom were really convincing as the young lovers.
Still the acting is superb and the ending worth waiting for. The time slips are very cleverly done and work well. Enjoyed it but too long.
Gooreumi Geurin Dalbit (2016)
Keep Warching
Starts as a nice romance but keeps building in suspense and palace intrigue until right to the end, The acting of the leads is all very good with. Kim Yoo-Jeong (in her first reengage lead I believe) exceptional. They are helped by some really good character actors.
My only personal criticism is I think the leads ended up with the wrong lovers. The Crown Prince / King already had a beautiful, intelligent Queen. And. Kwak Dong-Yeon died for no good reason and would have made a good husband for. Hong Ra-on who was beautiful and brave but not actually all that bright, Would any King really marry he daughter of a rebel ?
Still this is a good fantasy historical drama with some fine acting, music and the costumes ...
Hwanghooui Poomkyeok (2018)
Drama with a big D
Some reviewers seemed not to have noticed that this is a fantasy drama not a documentary. Much of the acting is way over the top, particularly. Seong-rok Sin (who is big in musical theatre) and. Eun-Kyung Shin, but their parts call for it. All the other actors are good especially. The youngest Princess.
The plot twists are often incredible but did I want to watch every episode - yes - and thats what matters. A few niggles like the comedy was sometimes silly and a few too many side plots. The end dragged a bit as the extended episodes without. Choi Jin-Hyuk seemed lacking his presence.
Still good fun and never lacking in thrills. Enjoyed it a lot.
Sijipeuseu: The Myth (2021)
Good try
Korean Sci Fi is lways interesting and full of ambitious ideas. I enjoyed this but the acting nd the dialogue let it down. The production is superb. Especially the post nuclear Seoul (never seen better) and it has a great villain who is explored in depth.
The ending is clever and ambiguous. A good try that nearly made it.
Him-ssen yeo-ja Do Bong-soon (2017)
Weird but exciting
Hiven the number of online reviews this was very popular. Perhaps not really aimed at Western viewers, this completely bypasses WOKE cuture. Let's start with. Park Bo-Young who was born in 1990 but looks about 12 and is several times called 'cute and sexy'. The extensive humour is best described as slapstick with things like 'poo wine' (a rel thing by the way) and a humour I haven't seen since 70's kung fu movies. I found it funny, several Western friends found it silly and turned off. The treatment of the gay characters (I assume the Monk was gay ?) is just offensive.
The central murder mystery / kidnapping, jars against the main romantic comedy and is genuinely creepy at times with gory photographs and a plot out of a slasher movie. But the ending of this plot is exciting.
The love triangle is good and the music is very good. The last episode tied everything up and as a fun epilogue.
It is never explained the origin of her powers, why they only follow the female line or how at the end she can leap off a skyscraper with no damage. Why are her powers taken away when she was obviously tricked by the villain ? All this could have been explored much more.
I enjoyed this but wouldn't watch it again.
Itaewon Keullasseu (2020)
Too long for the story
If this had been done in say 8 episodes there would still have been faults but the david a Goliath pot would have worked. Instead over 16 pisodes it rambles and the plot holes and unlikely coincidences become too obvious. There is an interesting sub text going on about what sort of cpitalism - peope or power - os best and some good points on loyalty and friendship.
But why is the boss clearly autistic and lets his first love hang around for 15 years (without visibly ageing by the way) and then dumbs her for a girl who is close to being a stalker. Glad to see some diversity in his employees but nothing was ever really explored and were they moonks as well like the boss.
I enjoyed this show except for the ridiculous last three episodes. It made some good points but went on too long. Loved the music.
Hyena (2020)
Mastrclass in producing a tv series
I'm not normally keen on lawyers or courtroom dramas but this series is so well donne I enjoyed every monute of it. Hard to find any faults but didn't personally see the eed for the strong swearing anf graphic violence in some scenes. But the photography, direction and writing are a masterclass in how to produce a classy tv series.
Ju Ji-Hoon is on top form and Kim Hye-su knocks it out of the park. Great chemistry and such wit and clever acting. TTheir romane is subtle and believable. Good music throughout and their clothes are amazing. All the cst act well with some nice comedic spots.
Great show with interesting cases and a satisfactory ending. Loved it
7 Ilui Wangbi (2017)
Very God But Too Long
Ased loosely on the true story of Queen Dangyeong this is a 20 episode biopic. On the positive side the costumes and production are wonderfu with some gorgeous cinematography. The first few episodes of the leads as teenagers re really delightful with Park Si-eun outstanding. Then we go into a very long complicated palace intriques with no humour to lighten the slog.Park Si-eun acts her socks off as the to be deposed Queen and Lee Dong-gun as the mad . bad King but Yeon Woo-jin as Prince Jinseong seems very one note throighout without any real charisma.
The rebellion doesn't start till episode 17 when things star to pick up and the last episode is really moving and well done. But the real Queen's life and how the king tried to re instate he after the deth of his second wife is not even mentioned.
The music was good and it had its moments but the pacing was wriong and I can't see me ever re watching it.
Aelliseu (2020)
Ambitious but flawed
No one can fault South Korean tv for airing such an ambitious science fiction show. Tv doesn't often mention Paul Dirac and
Schrödinger's cat. Thr first seven episodes are pacy with a fascinating time travel premise and one of the most 'unusual' sort of romance I've ever seen. But then everything changes with several huge plot twists and an ending that seems more like the writer just ran out of rod than something that makes sense. The intelligent writing and plot just gets confused and the characters seem to change personality without any reason.
Still oy's worth a try if nly to see how good science fiction can be made with minimal CGI.
Baekilui Nanggoonnim (2018)
Uneven but enjoyable
I did enjoy this series but the tone is uneven as if it cab't make up its mind what sort of show to be.Nam Ji-Hyun is really good as usual but Kyung-soo Do is simply unlikeable and impossible to warm too. There are some good subtle touches in the writing and direction and then great plot holes. Some of the acting is pretty bad (the King and Queen in particular) but someof the mono characters are really good.
Personally I enjoyed the detail in the village scenes to he rather boring court intriges. The romance between the two main leads was never convincing and I was rooting for the other character to win her over.
Worth watching but not a re watch