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Gaet-na-eul cha-cha-cha (2021)
Love and Life Lessons
This was my 3rd Kdrama after watching Squid Game and My Name (both of which were great). Definitely a reprieve from those other two heavy-feeling shows.
This is a light show but full of heartwarming stories and a bit of a lesson on living your life to its fullest. The two leads are great with good chemistry, but it was the supporting cast and their small-town antics that help propel the show to another level. I docked it a star since the overly dramatic romantic slow-mo scenes can get obnoxious and cheesy.... but that's par for the course for a Kdrama romance.
Please watch and enjoy without thinking about it too much.
Hwayugi (2017)
Uninspired re-telling of Journey to the West
As someone who grew up with the story of the Monkey King as part of my cultural heritage, I can safely say that this is the most boring re-telling and/or re-imagining of the story I have ever seen.
Let me start by explaining the Monkey King: He is a completely mischievous, charismatic, self-centered, oft-times intoxicated (alcohol) reluctant hero who constantly pisses off the gods due to his behavior. He is constantly causing trouble and getting into trouble. Does this show's portrayal of the classic character hold true? Maybe for 10% of the show. Otherwise, he is a stick-in-the-mud brooding fellow who can't drink and is constantly pissed off. He is a completely reactionary character to all the happenings around him in this uninspired story.
Don't even get me started on his toxic relationship with the heroine of the story who flits from multiple damsel-in-distress moments in the overly long 20-episode run. There is a lot of over-acting by the Devil King and lot of side plots that take too long to develop and resolve. The production value isn't that great either. A single cohesive story told over 5-8 episodes would have been much better.
Ibeon Saengeun Cheoeumira (2017)
Honest struggles of modern relationships
I had no expectations before watching this show. I watched it since I am learning Korean, and it surprised me how funny and touching it was. Yes, the premise is a bit absurd, and the story can drag in the middle, but the acting and most of the dialogue about love, life, marriage and how it's important (or unknowingly important) to each character is interesting. Kudos to Jung So-Min for a beautiful job of portraying her character's emotions and thoughts through her eyes. Lee Min-Ki's performance as the genius, borderline Asperger personality wounded by past love was also tremendous. The stories of the side characters were entertaining, but I didn't always think they made wise decisions in their relationships. All in all, it's a good watch if you're interested in these themes of love, marriage, and friendship.
Kyungwooui Soo (2020)
Self-Loathing and Toxic Relationships
I've watched this entire series through to the end because I'm learning Korean, and it was definitely helpful in at least teaching me the phrases of "I like(d) you" and "I love(d) you" which are repeated throughout the show ad nauseum.
The show isn't all bad. I enjoyed the photography and the calligraphy depicted in the show. The side story of the young woman born poor with the boyfriend who would do anything for her is empathetic at least. There were some genuine touching moments in that regard. There were some nice comedic moments as well, but they were too seldom.
So, what isn't there to like about this series? It romanticizes toxic relationships/infatuations to the point where the viewer has to question why anyone would put themselves through 10 years of self-loathing wondering why the other person doesn't like them back.
I honestly could not root for the main couple let alone a love triangle that forces the male lead to confess his feelings due to jealousy. Even to the end, you can see how toxic the main relationship is, and it is disheartening.
I know there is still some taboo in Korea to discuss psychological and/or emotional problems. Perhaps, if they focused more on their personal growth apart, I would have found the series more engaging. For those who want to just cheer on an ill-fated Kdrama relationship, you can take a stab at this show. Thanks for reading.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Great MCU origin story
I just re-watched Shang Chi on Disney+, and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time in the theater. This movie redefines action in the MCU, and I hope it carries over into the new films going forward.
The first ten minutes are all in Chinese with subtitles. Yes, there is exposition and flashbacks in the movie as you're not going to understand the nuances of the plot, character motivations, etc. Without it. It's called storytelling. Get over it. There are references to cultural identity (as immigrants), family, and love.
Awkwafina and Simu have great chemistry. Menger is badass. Tony Leung is a legend and gives a wonderful performance as a complicated and tortured antagonist. There is great humor (not to everyone's liking it seems) and heart. My only critique is really the usual devolvement into the CGI battlefest that MCU movies always wind up becoming, but that's a minor quibble in a solid movie.
Eternals (2021)
Enjoyable but overly ambitious
Let me preface this review by stating that I'm a big MCU fan who has enjoyed the connected storytelling that these movies, and now shows, share. The Eternals moves the storytelling along in a more cosmic sense, but it was a mixed bag result.
So, does The Eternals deserve the worse ratings in MCU history along with being worse than the worse of DC's offerings? Not really. It is easily better than at least several MCU movies.
The plot is very ambitious to tell in a movie format, but it is pretty straightforward. Time jumps are clearly labelled and necessary for character development as we track these characters over 7,000 years. If you're confused by an obviously labelled time jump, you have other problems to deal with. The protagonists are compelling but there are too many of them for an origin story. The story is more mature with less humor than other MCU offerings, so this might turn you off by it. But, ultimately, it is a story about humanity and what it means to be human and somehow be influenced by it (or not) even if you're immortal.
The cinematography is gorgeous, but it doesn't always work well with CGI, especially in darker settings. I feel the the use of Stagecraft (how they film Mandalorian) would've been a better fit for this movie. I would even say that the story of The Eternals would've been better served as a Disney+ show.
I enjoyed the movie for what it is: an MCU origin story that introduces us to new heroes, how they are influenced by humanity, and the bigger perspective of how the cosmic side of the MCU fits in. The Eternals is going to be divisive but, fortunately, there are no cringe-worthy "Martha" moments to face palm over.