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Pungseonggeom (2015)
The only tears I shed were from yawning
I'll admit that I didn't have high hopes for this drama, so I wasn't the least surprised when I got to the end and felt completely and utterly deflated. Bubble Gum is just another case of two childhood friends turned workaholics who end up falling for one another, and everything is pretty much an eyeroll from thereon. Storylines like this can either be such a hit or miss depending on how it's executed, and I don't mean in terms of how it's directed or produced, but whether there is an exhilarating character or plot development - both of which were absent throughout the whole 16 episodes.
Looking back, Park Ri-hwan (Lee Dong-wook) and Kim Haeng-ah (Jung Ryeo-won) were meant to be these two very easy-going and likeable leads who were successful in their respective fields, private, low-key, and no-drama kinds of people. Yet somehow, these characteristics also happened to be their biggest downfall because they turned into these boring, uncharismatic, and passive puppet protagonists who never took it upon themselves to reel the story forward. Rather, the driving force ended up being the supporting characters, each of whom made you want to claw your eyes out. They were frustrating, annoying, and unbearable to watch for the opposite reason given above in describing Ri-hwan and Haeng-ah's character traits. A few examples include but are not limited to the stereotypical rich mum or tiger mum, overbearing best friend, irritating or desperate second female lead AND male lead, and pushy/cringey ancillary characters who contributed nothing to the plot.
By the end, all the decision-making authority in moving the story forward came from the supporting characters, which if you think about it, effectively negates the purpose of the main characters whose roles were meant to be of far more significance and weight. However, all Ri-hwan and Haeng-ah did was engage in self-blame and immaturity despite being two fully-matured adults who were capable of making their own decisions in life.
To make matters worse, the second female lead (Hong Yi-seul) was portrayed as this academically intelligent woman turned hopeless romantic caught up in a one-sided love. The woman was just clingy, relentless, and increasingly petty when it came to wanting to get Ri-hwan's undivided attention, and understandable that one would get jealous upon hearing from her arranged suitor (Ri-hwan) in person that he was in love with his best friend, but nothing changed for this was not breaking news, and it was pretty clear from the first episode that Ri-hwan had absolutely zero interest in pursuing her but just stuck around to be the nice guy he was.
Similarly, Haeng-ah's ex-boyfriend, Kang Suk-joon (second male lead) was just as infuriating to watch as Yi-seul. His character was stubborn, arrogant, and desperate, and not one bit of me felt sorry for him each time he tried to convince Haeng-ah into giving him a second chance but was instead turned down. Although he wasn't a toxic or malicious person per se, his presence inhibited Haeng-ah's growth in the drama and there was just no second male syndrome to simply put.
Perhaps the most annoying character though was Ri-hwan's mother, Park Sun-young, who was controlling and slightly calculating. If she had accepted that Ri-hwan and Haeng-ah were meant to be together from the start, then she wouldn't have had to make things so difficult for herself and the couple. But every decision she made was outright selfish even though she claimed it was for the best for the two adults.
Other annoying characters included Haeng-ah's best friend and co-worker, Noh Tae-hee, who became increasingly intense, annoying, and controlling as each episode went by, as well as a radio host in her 40s, Oh Se-young, whose character just screamed "baby". Although I liked that Se-young's character challenged the stigma surrounding big age-gap relationships, and Tae-hee made all these attempts to woo a divorced man at her workplace, both the females' acting was just too over the top for my liking, and their characters' struggles seemed to overshadow that of Ri-hwan's and Haeng-ah's.
I couldn't also help but get frustrated as a viewer when Ri-hwan was confronted by Yi-seul's older brother, Hong Jung-woo, during a heated scene. Involving overprotective chaebol siblings who use bribes to get what they want is such an overused cliché which dumbs down the plot. This is even more so the case when Jung-woo is so afraid of heartbreak getting to Yi-seul and says to Ri-hwan of words to the following effect: "I want my sister to marry the man she loves. More than that, I want her to marry someone who loves her. If you can't change to be that person... why don't you go somewhere where you will not be seen. For example, a place where neither I nor Yi-seul can suddenly appear like this." ... *EYEROLLS*
In the end, the dialogue was watered down by petty remarks and mundane rants about love and life which had little impact on the plot. Although I appreciated this drama helping shed light on a lot of the stigma surrounding mental health including taboo relationships prevalent in modern society, I thought both of these aspects could have been better developed into something that was less cringeworthy. On the flipside, I gave it some well-deserved stars for the chemistry between the leads, and the ratio show setting which acted as a place of solace for people to call in and talk about their personal problems.
"To lose something and to forget something ... There's no way to be sad about those things... If the bubble pops, then you can just blow another one. The small happiness that you feel when chewing bubble-gum... It's not any different from any other kind of happiness." - Ri-hwan
Miseuteo Shunshain (2018)
Name a more Oscar-worthy drama... I'll wait
Upon a quick glance at the title and the promotional poster, you're probably already thinking wow, this sure looks underwhelming! Well, dare I say that those were precisely my first thoughts - but now, I don't even hesitate for one second when someone asks me whether this drama is any good, because my answer will always be the same, and that is: 'exceptional' doesn't even begin to cut it.
Initially, I thought the premise was very lacklustre - set in the early 1900s, this mini-series focuses on Righteous Army activists fighting for Korea's independence against foreign forces, but the more I watched, the more I began to realise how fascinating this was. Not only did it act as a device to help viewers establish the rationale behind each of the character's motives, but it also contributed to the story's development in more ways than I could have imagined. The idea of a premise is that it lays down the most basic foundation of a writer's work, and just like a movie post or an illustrated cover of a book, it paints a simple image of what's inside, but not much more. And here's the thing, it's incredibly unfortunate to still see so many K-drama writers (whether old or new to screenwriting) fall into this rut when it comes to bringing an idea to life. However, for Mr. Sunshine screenwriter Kim Eun-sook, this doesn't ever appear to be a problem she faces.
Kim is one of the most accomplished and sought after screenwriters in the industry, and it's a no-brainer as to why this is the case. In the last 10 years, she has written the script for some of the most commercially successful dramas: Secret Garden (2010), A Gentleman's Dignity (2012), The Heirs (2013), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Goblin (2016), The King (2020), and this drama included. Yes, she may have incorporated overused clichés in a few of her written work (e.g. rich guy-poor girl, evil mother-in-law, etc), but at the same time, it's evident she continues to develop narratives which are so unique and enthralling; a talent which is unsurpassed in the industry. Unlike many writers whose dramas flopped, each one of her projects has stood the test of time, and this drama is no exception.
But the success of Mr. Sunshine ought to be shared equally with director Lee Eung-bok, whose creative direction and vast use of cinematic techniques in this drama was seriously not like anything I've seen before. Together, they raised viewers' awareness of Korea's history, and shed light on those deemed peripheral in society. Many with very little understanding or are quick to judge will say that everything portrayed is historically inaccurate or rubbish, but what these people fail to acknowledge is that these very cruel and tragic events did happen, and whether or not this drama perfectly encapsulated that 101% accuracy is irrelevant. Mr. Sunshine was a cleverly crafted masterpiece to simply put, and I have no doubt the producer called in a historian to ensure the historical and factual basis of the premise was presented in such a way that had more to do with the storyline and character development, rather than the accuracy value it would have added to the plot.
The storyline was wonderfully perplexing, with each dramatic turn adding all these unexpected twists. It was fuelled with long-awaited revenges, political debacles, and palace shambles, all atop a crumbling social class system and a country's disastrous attempt at stopping the Japanese from invading. Unlikely friendships formed, loyalties tested, identities challenged, and moral compasses questioned, but till the very end, not one person flinched, nor did they flee their allegiance to join another simply for the sake of love or friendship. But what I really appreciated about Mr. Sunshine would be this: the delivery of a poignant love story without the need for any kissing scenes.
I'm not going to lie when I say that there's got to be smooching involved to make the chemistry somewhat convincing, but even when there was none of that here, I wasn't the slightest bit concerned or disappointed. Because when there was grief, I ugly cried; when there was suspense, I went numb; when characters embraced, my heart melted; when a character experienced pain, I too felt my heart being ripped out of my chest; whenever a villain or antagonist appeared, my insides burned with rage; when a character showed their quirks, I chuckled with amusement; and last but not least, when a scene was so profoundly sad, it did more than just move me beyond tears.
I also admired Kim's screenwriting, because instead of cheapening the plot with unnecessary exchanges, I found myself immersed in eloquent poetry and an engaging dialogue that actually built towards something, whether it was revealing important information about a course of action or disclosing a certain character's disposition. And every time a flashback or sentimental object re-appeared, I knew what purpose it served because the story behind it was so powerful that it became an etched memory (e.g. Lady Yun's norigae (ornament), ragged shoe floating in the well, wooden music box, red paper windmill, etc). The stunning cinematography was also something to marvel at; not just acting as a visual aid, but in creating this immersive historical experience. With a beautifully composed soundtrack to match, I was well and truly enchanted. (Two songs in particular which struck a chord was Park Hyo-shin's "The Day", and Baek Ji-young's "See You Again"; both of which evoked so much soul, emotion, and lyrical meaning).
But what this drama could really not have done without was the outstanding performance of its talented cast (whether lead or supporting). The main cast comprising of Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Min-jung and Byung Yo-han all had a unique charisma and stage presence about them, and I'm so thankful that their talents did not go to waste when they auditioned for their respective roles as Eugene Choi, Go Ae-shin, Gu Dong-mae, Kudo Hina and Kim Hui-seong. To be able to see each individual connect with their characters by immersing themselves in the script was one thing, but then the ability to translate and deliver the right amount of expressive energy and a certain personality on-screen was another. Thus, it was really pleasing to see that actor was emotionally, mentally, and physically invested in whatever challenges their character faced.
Not only did Mr. Sunshine record the 6th highest rating for any given episode in cable television (previously coming in 3rd place before the release of Hotel del Luna (2019), Crash Landing on You (2019-20) and the World of the Married (2020)), but it also netted an overall average rating of 12.955%, making it the second highest-rated K-drama of all times in cable television. What makes this latter figure far more significant than the first is because not only does it reflect the popularity of the series during its broadcast, but it also evidences strong audience engagement.
No doubt that Mr. Sunshine is probably my most favourite drama to date (along with Crash Landing on You and Signal), but if you ever just need to know why again, please don't hesitate to re-read this review.
Hotel Del Luna (2019)
Not worthy of the hype
HDL was an extremely hyped up drama when it came out and I thought the title was appealing in the sense that it really evoked fantasy cinematic vibes. Having briefly looked at the plot however, it reminded me a bit too much of the 2013 drama the Master's Sun (also listed as one of the dramas which I thought was exceptional IMO). That latter named drama's leading lady's character involved her ability to see ghosts despite being a human inside and out and was thereby an exact replica of Gu Chan-sung's (GCS) character in HDL. Both character's goal? In order to get rid of one's fears, they must face their fears. How to do that? By communicating with ghosts and fulfilling their needs and wants (whether good or bad) and then dealing with vengeful ghosts who held a powerful capability to attack the living.
On another note, considering these kinds of themes/ideas explored are unique to a specific writer for a drama, I was wondering which writer(s) wrote HDL and it turned out to be none other than the talented Hong Sisters (both of who also just happened to write the script for the Master's Sun all those years back). So, in that respect, perhaps one of the many reasons why I didn't enjoy HDL as much was because I found myself re-watching a drama which had almost the same premise as its predecessor. Having said that, HDL was just not hype-worthy sorry to say, but what I will say is that it was exceptional in many other aspects other than its storyline.
Firstly, I'll give it to the people in the costume department for the array of outfits Jang Man-wol (JMW) had the fantastic opportunity of wearing throughout the drama. I've never seen anything quite like it before to be honest, whereby the female lead had about ten different outfits, hairstyles, and accessories per episode thanks to her elegant, impeccable taste in fashion. Secondly, the production was quite amazing wasn't it? I could not fault one episode which did not scream "attention to detail". In particular, I was in awe of the hotel setting just because of how classy and grandeur it looked both inside and out.
However, was this enough to save the storyline? Let's start with the Mago deities (for now - will explain a bit more below).
If I can recall correctly, there were about six deities in total which starred in HDL (i.e. The rich, poor, life, death, health, and love deity). Each served a different purpose, but it was mainly just one which really contributed to JMW's existence (save for the rest which had more involvement with GCS's character). The biggest weakness for me though was the fact that I couldn't seem to grasp why JMW had that long-standing curse imposed on her when the reality is the main Mago could have given the sword to anyone. (Actually, I'm not even sure where that moon sword came from). For example, yes, I can see how JMW's character was by far the most significant in terms of the drama's storyline - she did after all commit fraud, murder, treason and ended up killing the one man she loved (who then Mago thought could be reincarnated into some firefly for the next 1000 years). But if you killed someone, why have them stick around to save you? By the end, I realised that in order for JMW to move onto the next life, all she needed to do was retrieve from her memory collection of how she killed that guy before letting him escape from the jar and assisting him with the next phase of his life. And so, then what of GCS? For me, he was nothing more than a scapegoat that Mago planted into JMW's life.
In terms of JMW's character, I really did not like her one bit. I've seen many dramas where the leading lady is not painted out to be the damsel-in-distress, and I can tell you now that JMW is in fact one. Either way, I felt very disengaged from her character for many reasons and whilst I understand that these are all the traits which pins down her character, I can't help but to feel that these are traits which makes me dislike her even more.
First, she thrives off money and luxurious purchases - without this materialistic aspect, she would be nothing she says. Not to mention, she's addicted to sourcing only the finest of French wine and foods which only adds to the increasing debt; hardly making her self-sufficient and independent. Second, why was GCS made the sacrificial lamb when JMW's previous human managers could have done been given the same responsibilities and duties as GCS thereby speeding up her process of heading to the afterlife by helping resolve the wishes of her hotel guests. Sure, I get her past managers weren't all men, or as young, handsome and savvy like GCS, but at least they were too humans who were emotionally present and could have helped her realise her mistakes sooner if Mago planted that flower inside any one of them. Third, her character lacks depth and JMW for the most part did not budge an inch until the last episodes.
GCS's character was well... I'm not sure? I love Yeo Jin-goo, but his character I feel was more like a supporting cast type of character rather than a breaking lead role. He went and helped JMW be a better version of herself, and even risked his life by helping out the ghosts who were either wronged or died under very sad and distressing circumstances. However, all the ghosts' side stories were more touching than JMW and GCS's stories combined. At least, and for the most part, each character ghost had unique storylines.
As we are all aware, what is a drama without a plotting romance between the two leads? Sadly, and much to my dismay, I felt absolutely zero connection between JMW and GCS. Whilst you could see that GCS cared deeply for JMW, and JMW very subtly did the same, there was no romance to simply put it. For there to be romance, you have to feel it - the intensity, the chemistry and the pain in the eyes and portrayal of emotions. Here, I can't help but feel that everyone who says they witnessed the deep love those two characters are lying to themselves. You want to see real on-screen romance? Go watch Crash Landing on You, that Winter the Wind Blows, the Master's Sun, Healer, Reply 1997, Secret, She Was Pretty, etc.
Storyline
Well, this one was just lacking in all aspects. I understand JMW spent 1000 years living to right her wrongs but as per my previous statement, why did it take 1000 years when another human could have landed the scapegoat role within the 1000 years? Even the receptionist/bell boy, bartender and room attendant's stories were far more touching and compelling, and even if it was only showcased for what seemed like 20 minutes each (which was too little IMO).
There is no plot hole - the plot is simply finding out what murder she committed (which was hardly a surprise by the end) and then being freed from the chains of the tree which tied her spirits down initially, including all her grudges. When I read the plot analysis and saw the sentence "for a crime she committed but could not remember", I just thought well, what crime could be worse than murder itself? It's pretty self-explanatory isn't it? But the most predictable was her finding out the crime and then being sent to the afterlife before coming back as herself (I think it was) at the very end. But come to think of it, the only plot holes were that of the ghosts - why did they die? How did they die? What were the circumstances surrounding their death? In many ways, they weren't all that interesting considering most didn't even talk and had to keep leading GCS on a chase/mission to help them get to the afterlife. That said, they were nonetheless still far more interesting than JMW's story.
As for Mago and the five other Mago's - why are there so many is my question? I understand the purpose of each one, but I found the whole premise of having a "deity" by the end extremely convoluted and random. The deity of health and wellbeing for example - I mean, what does she do with all the other medicines she makes apart from the flower-based drink JMW eventually drinks?
Deity of wealth - extremely random and unnecessary given she appeared for less than 5 minutes to give JMW advice and then poof into thin air. The grim reaper Mago I also felt was extremely unnecessary because in most dramas, there is only ever one grim reaper who does the job. All in all, there could have just been the very one Mago bcos most followed the actions of the very first one, instead of each making their own dutiful decisions.
Final comments.
Camera compositions and flashbacks - I have never been bored with so many of the same camera positions in one drama. The tree, the entrance, the open space of the hotel, etc. And too many to name got a bit boring. Not to mention, the flashbacks were repetitive and didn't add to the excitement of the drama.
Hotel Del Luna (2019)
Not worthy of the hype
HDL was an extremely hyped up drama when it came out and I thought the title was appealing in the sense that it really evoked fantasy cinematic vibes. Having briefly looked at the plot however, it reminded me a bit too much of the 2013 drama the Master's Sun (also listed as one of the dramas which I thought was exceptional IMO). That latter named drama's leading lady's character involved her ability to see ghosts despite being a human inside and out and was thereby an exact replica of Gu Chan-sung's (GCS) character in HDL. Both character's goal? In order to get rid of one's fears, they must face their fears. How to do that? By communicating with ghosts and fulfilling their needs and wants (whether good or bad) and then dealing with vengeful ghosts who held a powerful capability to attack the living.
On another note, considering these kinds of themes/ideas explored are unique to a specific writer for a drama, I was wondering which writer(s) wrote HDL and it turned out to be none other than the talented Hong Sisters (both of who also just happened to write the script for the Master's Sun all those years back). So, in that respect, perhaps one of the many reasons why I didn't enjoy HDL as much was because I found myself re-watching a drama which had almost the same premise as its predecessor. Having said that, HDL was just not hype-worthy sorry to say, but what I will say is that it was exceptional in many other aspects other than its storyline.
Firstly, I'll give it to the people in the costume department for the array of outfits Jang Man-wol (JMW) had the fantastic opportunity of wearing throughout the drama. I've never seen anything quite like it before to be honest, whereby the female lead had about ten different outfits, hairstyles, and accessories per episode thanks to her elegant, impeccable taste in fashion. Secondly, the production was quite amazing wasn't it? I could not fault one episode which did not scream "attention to detail". In particular, I was in awe of the hotel setting just because of how classy and grandeur it looked both inside and out.
However, was this enough to save the storyline? Let's start with the Mago deities (for now - will explain a bit more below).
If I can recall correctly, there were about six deities in total which starred in HDL (i.e. The rich, poor, life, death, health, and love deity). Each served a different purpose, but it was mainly just one which really contributed to JMW's existence (save for the rest which had more involvement with GCS's character). The biggest weakness for me though was the fact that I couldn't seem to grasp why JMW had that long-standing curse imposed on her when the reality is the main Mago could have given the sword to anyone. (Actually, I'm not even sure where that moon sword came from). For example, yes, I can see how JMW's character was by far the most significant in terms of the drama's storyline - she did after all commit fraud, murder, treason and ended up killing the one man she loved (who then Mago thought could be reincarnated into some firefly for the next 1000 years). But if you killed someone, why have them stick around to save you? By the end, I realised that in order for JMW to move onto the next life, all she needed to do was retrieve from her memory collection of how she killed that guy before letting him escape from the jar and assisting him with the next phase of his life. And so, then what of GCS? For me, he was nothing more than a scapegoat that Mago planted into JMW's life.
In terms of JMW's character, I really did not like her one bit. I've seen many dramas where the leading lady is not painted out to be the damsel-in-distress, and I can tell you now that JMW is in fact one. Either way, I felt very disengaged from her character for many reasons and whilst I understand that these are all the traits which pins down her character, I can't help but to feel that these are traits which makes me dislike her even more.
First, she thrives off money and luxurious purchases - without this materialistic aspect, she would be nothing she says. Not to mention, she's addicted to sourcing only the finest of French wine and foods which only adds to the increasing debt; hardly making her self-sufficient and independent. Second, why was GCS made the sacrificial lamb when JMW's previous human managers could have done been given the same responsibilities and duties as GCS thereby speeding up her process of heading to the afterlife by helping resolve the wishes of her hotel guests. Sure, I get her past managers weren't all men, or as young, handsome and savvy like GCS, but at least they were too humans who were emotionally present and could have helped her realise her mistakes sooner if Mago planted that flower inside any one of them. Third, her character lacks depth and JMW for the most part did not budge an inch until the last episodes.
GCS's character was well... I'm not sure? I love Yeo Jin-goo, but his character I feel was more like a supporting cast type of character rather than a breaking lead role. He went and helped JMW be a better version of herself, and even risked his life by helping out the ghosts who were either wronged or died under very sad and distressing circumstances. However, all the ghosts' side stories were more touching than JMW and GCS's stories combined. At least, and for the most part, each character ghost had unique storylines.
As we are all aware, what is a drama without a plotting romance between the two leads? Sadly, and much to my dismay, I felt absolutely zero connection between JMW and GCS. Whilst you could see that GCS cared deeply for JMW, and JMW very subtly did the same, there was no romance to simply put it. For there to be romance, you have to feel it - the intensity, the chemistry and the pain in the eyes and portrayal of emotions. Here, I can't help but feel that everyone who says they witnessed the deep love those two characters are lying to themselves. You want to see real on-screen romance? Go watch Crash Landing on You, that Winter the Wind Blows, the Master's Sun, Healer, Reply 1997, Secret, She Was Pretty, etc.
Storyline
Well, this one was just lacking in all aspects. I understand JMW spent 1000 years living to right her wrongs but as per my previous statement, why did it take 1000 years when another human could have landed the scapegoat role within the 1000 years? Even the receptionist/bell boy, bartender and room attendant's stories were far more touching and compelling, and even if it was only showcased for what seemed like 20 minutes each (which was too little IMO).
There is no plot hole - the plot is simply finding out what murder she committed (which was hardly a surprise by the end) and then being freed from the chains of the tree which tied her spirits down initially, including all her grudges. When I read the plot analysis and saw the sentence "for a crime she committed but could not remember", I just thought well, what crime could be worse than murder itself? It's pretty self-explanatory isn't it? But the most predictable was her finding out the crime and then being sent to the afterlife before coming back as herself (I think it was) at the very end. But come to think of it, the only plot holes were that of the ghosts - why did they die? How did they die? What were the circumstances surrounding their death? In many ways, they weren't all that interesting considering most didn't even talk and had to keep leading GCS on a chase/mission to help them get to the afterlife. That said, they were nonetheless still far more interesting than JMW's story.
As for Mago and the five other Mago's - why are there so many is my question? I understand the purpose of each one, but I found the whole premise of having a "deity" by the end extremely convoluted and random. The deity of health and wellbeing for example - I mean, what does she do with all the other medicines she makes apart from the flower-based drink JMW eventually drinks?
Deity of wealth - extremely random and unnecessary given she appeared for less than 5 minutes to give JMW advice and then poof into thin air. The grim reaper Mago I also felt was extremely unnecessary because in most dramas, there is only ever one grim reaper who does the job. All in all, there could have just been the very one Mago bcos most followed the actions of the very first one, instead of each making their own dutiful decisions.
Final comments.
Camera compositions and flashbacks - I have never been bored with so many of the same camera positions in one drama. The tree, the entrance, the open space of the hotel, etc. And too many to name got a bit boring. Not to mention, the flashbacks were repetitive and didn't add to the excitement of the drama.
Pooreun Badaui Junsul (2016)
A children's TV show at best
If you're looking for a riveting and compelling storyline with gripping plot twists, then this drama is anything but. Like many other fantasy dramas, Legend of the Sea (LOTBS) is a light-hearted rom-com which tells the story of a girl and a boy (well in this case, a modern-day mermaid and a talented con-artist).
Characters
Cheong Shim/Se-hwa (played by Jun Ji-hyun) was an absolute cracker of a character; her fearlessness, cheek, wackiness, and great sense of humour won many people's hearts throughout the entire series, including my own. Could the casting director have picked anyone more suitable to play Cheong Shim other than Ms Jun herself? Absolutely not. Jun has this very captivating gaze about her when it comes to rom-com roles, and not to mention, her ability to act funny is both natural and effortless. But insofar as Jun's capabilities go, I have yet to see her act in more serious roles other than in 'My Love from the Star', and this drama itself.
Heo Joon-jae/Dam-ryeong (played by Lee Min-ho) on the other hand was less captivating as the leading male protagonist. Lee Min-ho's prior roles included Gu Jun-pyo in BOF, Jeon Jin-ho in Personal Taste, Lee Yoon-seong in City Hunter, and Kim Tan in the Heirs, and here, it just felt as though he was reprising his prior roles by taking on the same, boring, old personas - cold, callous, egotistic, but also funny, flippant and a huge romantic at times.
The supporting actors weren't any better to be honest, despite the years of experience three quarters of the cast had prior to starring in this drama. Don't get me wrong, I've seen some fantastic acting from quite a handful of the cast members, but their acting here just made me cringe so much. That said, the only person which really stood out to me was Heo Chi-hyun's character (older step-brother of Heo Joon-jae). Unlike his young step-brother, Chi-hyun was a good kid who grew up to be a successful businessman following in his step-father's footsteps. A rebellious Joon-jae was therefore no match for Chi-hyun, yet all Chi-hyun wanted in life was for them to be brothers before anything. Of course the storyline didn't allow for this to happen, but I'm thankful that at least the actor who played Chi-hyun did a fantastic job at it by keeping his character's emotions and performance in check.
Storyline
Despite Park Ji-eun having written the scripts for two of the most commercially successful dramas ((My Love from the Star (2013-14) and Crash Landing on You (2019-20)), this script just couldn't compare in any shape or form, and was more or less the same in terms of dullness as her scriptwriting in the Producers (2015).
Park is no doubt a talented writer, but her ability to develop an engaging and compelling dialogue really hit a low here (but perhaps not lower than that of the Producers). Needless to say, the effectiveness of the dialogue was watered down by a lot of small talk which failed to capture the essence of crucial moments. The over-use of petty remarks, or fatuous lines which contributed nothing to the plot, or character development was well and truly disappointing.
It's not often I turn my attention away from something I'm watching, but I just couldn't get past the extremely lacking dialogue in this case. In fact, it became far easier and less tedious to play this drama on in the background when I was doing something else. A drama's dialogue should be engaging from start to finish, but if, as a viewer, you feel more determined multi-tasking whilst watching a drama like this on the side, then that's sufficient to say that such a drama is unfortunately not worthy enough to warrant your full, undivided attention.
There were also many times where the writer was pushing for suspense, but everything just came across far too easy, cheap and predictable. For suspense to be elicited, the scenes should be gripping and heart-pumping, but what good is it if the stunts and tactics are of a Tom & Jerry kind, but worst?
Come to think of it, this drama would have done better as a 90-minute historical motion picture for kids; Disney style. Instead of going through the 20 episodes to find out what happens (which is basically a predictable fairy-tale ending between the two leads), this drama could have been easily condensed into a movie using all the Joseon period flashbacks. Se-hwa and Dam-ryeong's poignant love story was already far more compelling and moving than that of their modern-day reincarnations, so for what reason did it need to be dragged on and made into a series? Furthermore, the key themes of fate, tragedy and revenge were heavily centred upon, but very poorly executed.
A couple of scenes which demonstrated this:
1. There's an emergency situation and A's phone is ringing on a bedside table; however A is unaware of this and by the time A picks up their phone to see a missed call from B, it's already all too late;
2. B dies as a result of having their drink poisoned by C and an autopsy is carried out, yet police is still unable to figure out the circumstances of B's death;
3. C pretends to fake mourn over B's death at the mortuary and everyone somehow falls for it;
4. D jumps in front and takes bullet for A only to end up in hospital (mind you there were 10 police officers at the scene, yet D somehow ended up getting shot...).
But, if there two things which I have to give this drama credit for, it would be:
1. the very unlikely noona and dongsaeng romance between Tae-oh and Shi-ah which was far more intense than Shim Cheong and Joon-jae's; and
2. great staged hostage situation by Joon-jae and his sidekicks (reminded me a lot of Signal).
Other than that, one would have hoped that a drama starring an A-class ensemble would without a doubt trump a B-/C+ storyline, yet this could not be helped considering the direction, production and writing was just a big, sloppy mess from the get-go and there was nothing that could salvage it.
Itaewon Keullasseu (2020)
Park Seo-joon was the reason for the success of this drama
PSJ was the reason for the success of this drama. You could put a bunch of actors in a room, but no one would have been able to portray his character (Park Saeroyi) like PSJ did himself. This drama was released at a time when Crash Landing on You (CLOY) was becoming one of the highest-rated shows of all times, and whilst this didn't quite compare to CLOY, it did however peak my interest in other ways. For example, the supporting cast involved characters from all different walks of life and is a good affirmation of that saying: "never judge a book by its cover". It highlighted discrimination, gender issues, corporate power/greed, and perserverance very well. There were some scenes which were a bit lacking and the chemistry b/w the lead actors could have been stronger, but overall this drama was well written and directed.
Storyline -- started off great but then overly exaggerated towards the end with unncessary back and forth revenge acts, and in particular, Jo Yi-seo's character who was just annoying, irritating and difficult to watch
/ Acting -- great execution and compelling performances by Park Seo-joon in his portrayal as Park Saeroyi, and from Yoo Jae-myung who played Jang Dae-hee (CEO of Jangga Pub)
/ Characters -- I loved that each character came from all different walks of life and was determined to put up a fight regardless of societal standards and values
/ OST -- wasn't that big of a fan of the (pop rock) OST to be honest but maybe just a few song selections here and there
Sigeuneol (2016)
Captivating plot developments that will have you on the egde of your seat
I often have doubts about crime dramas due to alot of the unoriginal developments in storylines, but Signal could never. This was a drama that did NOT disappoint from start to finish - in fact, the heart-stopping end to every episode had me wanting more. The artistic camerawork, captivating nonlinear narrative, sophisticated direction, unique plot twists, compelling performance, highly-constructed alternate timelines, and last but not least, the suspense and anticipation was what made a drama like Signal worth watching. The drama was extremely unique and satisfying to watch in that it hinged on one specific object, and that object's ability to dictate the fates of the main characters, including every decision bound by it. Finally, the series also received widespread acclaim from audience and critics alike so what more can I say?
It's only missing 1 star because I couldn't quite grasp how that walkie-talkie ended up sending radio transmissions in the first place, and felt disappointed that those mere last 3 minutes didn't allow the audience to really get a taste of satisfaction (despite the great outcome being deduced). Extending to include just some couple more scenes to see everything tie in (so I could finally exclaim with joy and satisfaction the words: "FINALLY/YES") would have really been the cherry on top.
Storyline -- original screenplay, highly engaging, well-developed script
Cast (supporting included) -- remarkable performance by each actor's ability to convey characters emotions and thoughts through eyes and body language effortlessly
OST -- adapted from pre-2010 Korean OSTs was a daring but genius idea, and only gave the drama way more character and flavour
Sarangeui bulsachak (2019)
Currently watching it a second time and here's why ...
For a KD to portray and pull off the North Korean culture and dialect deserves an award in itself. So many dramas fail to capture the depiction of North Korea in the positive sense of things, but this KD does everything in its power to show both the good and bad side of the country including the value of belonging in a community. The character development of both leads and supporting cast was also incredible to watch given no one outshone one another, and each character (whether their part was big or small) had an equal opportunity to tell their life story. Moreover, to unite the two Koreas by plotting a developing romance between two people with completely opposite lives and mantra was a genius idea. The energy and undeniable chemistry you felt from the screen b/w the two leads is honestly unmatched, and the fact that I cried in almost every episode goes to show how big of an impact most of the scenes had on me to feel the way I did.