Jinxxa_Wolfe

KING THE LAND (2023) is a hilarious Kdrama about a hardworking, young woman that works in a five star hotel and the love, rivals and friendships she acquires there. The show is very funny and quite enjoyable, though a bit predictable at times. It has all the ups and downs of a rom-com drama, all the while keeping the laughter going.

"Amid a tense inheritance fight, a charming heir clashes with his hardworking employee who's known for her irresistible smile, which he cannot stand."

Im Yooh Ah, a very hilarious talent, was great as Cheong Sa Rang. This series was fun, with a lot of heart. Overall, this was a good watch and definitely worth a chance.

QUEEN MANTIS (2025) is a really good Korean drama, based on the original french drama, La Mante.

It is a slow burn crime series, concerning a serial killer and her copycat serial killer. While not a thriller or action packed series, the mystery keeps the viewer progressively more and more engaged. The violent crimes perpetrated are upsetting and grotesque making this series quite dark and not for the faint of heart. There is quite a bit of graphic gore and murders depicted.

While the show is definitely a slower mystery, rather than a fast-paced thriller, I highly enjoyed it. The concept of copycat killers is an interesting and very mysterious one, and this drama shows how tricky it could be trying to find the true motivations of the 'copycat', before being able to finally catch them. Vaguely reminds me of another excellent Taiwanese series called 'Copycat Killer', with a few notable differences.

"A cop must work with his mother, known as the "Mantis" - a female serial killer who murdered 5 men decades ago - when suddenly copycat killings emerge. He's hated his killer mother his entire life."

The story, locations and acting were all great, honestly. The characters were memorable and unique and most of them were very compelling. Go Hyun Jung specifically, as the mother / serial killer, Jeong I-sin, was simply superb in her complex role, adding the perfect balance of cunning and crazy to the character. She is unforgettable in this role.

The ending was intense and beautifully done. I would definitely appreciate another season, as it seemed to imply there might be, judging by the ending. Overall, this was a great watch. Glad I gave it a chance. Recommend.

HIGHTOWN (2020-2024) was a mystery show that had potential but was ultimately a dissatisfying mess of a watch. Perhaps I'm just not into watching the tireless and near endless scenes of party life, casual s*x and almost constant drug abuse (whether accurate or not) on affluent vacay destination of Cape Cod.

I think if any of the characters were better written or more compelling, or had some moral fiber, it could have been better. The character of Jackie in particular was especially immature, privileged and unlikable, never learning from her mistakes and therefore a weak character arc. While I really liked the actress, the character writing itself was far too pitiful.

"Set in the world of beautiful but bleak Cape Cod, one woman's journey to sobriety is overshadowed by a murder investigation dragging her into its fold."

The acting was decent and location nice, but with so many unlikable characters the mystery itself took a back seat, often times for unnecessary s*x scenes and partying. I've heard people say this was an accurate representation of the lifestyles on Cape Cod. That may be true, but it's still not interesting to watch and invest in. Just not for me.