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mroumanos
Reviews
King deo raendeu (2023)
Sweet and romantic
I have no idea why this series has such a low rating. It is a slick production and the plot develops for the main and secondary characters (the friendship of the three females and their romantic partners) in a very satisfying way. It is also so well cast. I love the OST and added five of the tracks to my playlist with my favourite two being Lim Kim's 'Confess to You' and the very beautiful instrumental, 'Lovely Night' by Kim Jee Hyun. I was quite amused by some of the clever subtexts that popped up in the series. The remark by Lee Jun Ho's character, Gu Won, about the familiarity of the palace in Episode 7 channeling the location in 'The Red Sleeve' as well as in Episode 8, when Won touches a green track suit, number 199, referencing Anupam Tripathi's character in 'Squid Game'. Just too cute and funny! Admittedly, a lot of the negative criticism about these two episodes are well founded as Tripathi's character is a negative racial stereotype but as a Middle Eastern person myself, I cannot get too upset about it as it is played for comedy and should not be taken too seriously however I do understand if people got offended. Overall it is a great series that moves along at a comfortable pace that is very entertaining especially if you want some romantic escapism. As usual, all the tropes you expect in a romantic genre k-drama executed extremely well with the obligatory amount of closeup facial shots of the two very attractive main leads (always love anything that Jun Ho is in and loved I'm Yoon-ah in 'The K2') which add to a most enjoyable and sweet series. As always our favourite k-drama granny, Kim Young-ok is impressive. A delight.
Lebeleob (2019)
Interesting storyline but do not expect a rom-com
I liked this drama very much. I found the storyline to be very interesting which sustained my attention throughout the 12 episodes. Loved how it did not go down the usual romantic tropes pathway but focused on the development of the challenges and suspense of the events which fed the plot. The ideas of competitiveness, loyalty, family and determination to overcome the obstacles the business faced progressed well and engaged my interest. These were the main purpose of this series rather than being a rom-com which it appears is the main criticism of other reviews. The developing relationship between the two 'brothers' was a highlight for me. The second female lead, Bae Ye che played by Kang Byul added a rom-com trope which fueled the romantic complication without making her vicious or cruel so thus steering away the usual stereotype you see often in these dramas. Son Sang Yeon as Kang Hoon depicted his character well, a mix between the viewer feeling sympathy for him but at the same time wanting to reprimand his actions! Sung Hoon's portrayal of Ahn Dan Te throughout exposed both his character's self-assurance and especially his vulnerabilities through his usual exceptional performance which gave depth to the main character. Han Bo Reum as the lovely and determined Yeon Hwa is excellent. The resolutions for the supporting cast tied up the ending brilliantly. The final scene with the two main leads captured the comedic overall mood of the series which we saw glimpses of throughout the series (love the scene with the mouse and the office chair!! No spoilers here...!) Once you realise that this series is not a rom-com (although the initial bees scene and the clashes between the main characters may be considered romantic!!!) you will enjoy the storyline more. I felt the growing attraction and respect between the two leads was a more realistic portrayal of their relationship as they navigated the business issues that plagued the company. It wrapped up very well. Also the English title, Level Up, is very clever in its literal connection to gaming and metaphorically to the characters' developments. Well done.
Jiokeseo on Pansa: Episode #1.6 (2024)
Brilliant actors
Loving this series and especially Park Shin-hey. She is nailing the role and the chemistry with Kim Jae-young is spot on. Her portrayal of Bitna is definitely my favourite although I loved her in The Heirs and Memories of Alhambra. I am also so impressed with Yang Kyung-won's acting in Episodes 5 and 6. His portrayal of the father is brilliant. Great casting. Loved him in Crash Landing on You, Welcome to Samdalri, Vincenzo, Big Mouth and Captivating the King. A great versatile actor. He isn't identified in IMDB for his role in these The Judge From Hell episodes so at first I was not sure it was him. He mastered the character brilliantly. I hope to see him in many more outstanding roles in other series.
Graduation (2024)
Brilliant acting and writing
What lifts this drama apart from the brilliant acting is the writing. The dialogue spoken by the characters nails the emotions, aspirations and ambitions most cleverly. The politics of the tutoring Academies projects a Game of Thrones vibe in the interactions and interrelationships that are exposed. Kim Jung-young (Seung-hee) and Seo Jeong-yeon (Ms Choi) played their roles to perfection in contributing to the tension and drama of the story. Who would have thought that there could be so much reeling and dealing behind the scenes revealing the competitiveness that exists in the education climate in South Korea? The momentum of the story is driven by the strong characterisations. I particularly liked the revelation of the growth in Mr Pyo's character portrayed by Kim Song-il (loved the way he delivered his lecture in one of the later episodes). His importance to developing the plot seemed at first understated but later enhanced his contribution which was a highlight in displaying the brilliance of the script. The two main leads, Jung Ryeo-won as Hye-Jin and Wi Ha-Joon as Joon-ho are amazing. I couldn't help but feel their emotions due to their exceptional performance and outstanding script. So Joo-yeon as Ms Nam (loved her in Doctor Romantic 2&3) is a pivotal character in the ethical issues such as loyalty and professional integrity that emerged in this series. The scenes where the teachers lectured the students was so interesting and the young actors stood out in their roles. Love the OST especially the track, 'Now and Then' which was a most poignant background at some of the more emotional and romantic moments. 'Catch Me' added to both some toe-tapping lightheartedness but also as a metaphor to the ambitions of the characters. Highly recommended and definitely worth watching. If anything, will watch again the interchange between Jo-hoon and Seung-hee in Episode 15. The dialogue in this scene was so well constructed and progressed like a game of chess in exposing the deceit and manipulation. For me, this exchange was the climax of the series.
Qu you feng de di fang (2023)
Warm community
After watching zillions of K-drama series, I am beginning to watch and appreciate C-dramas and this series is an absolute gem. A production in a gorgeous setting with endearing characters and story line which engaged my interest for the entire 40 episodes. Love Liu Yi Fei (The Tale of Rose), the FL who has the most soothing voice tone as well as the ML played by Li Xian (Will Love in Spring) who is superb as usual. Wu Yan Shu, who plays Grandma, is so lovable and down to Earth and her relationship with other characters is just adorable. The series has a warm spirit which is complimented by the beautiful OST. The tracks of Meet Yourself, Saddle of My Heart, Beautiful Smile and my favourite which always gives me goosebumps, Days, are favourites in my playlist. Having English lyrics within some of the songs, adds to my appreciation and the melodies are so hummable!
Sheng Huo Zai Bie Chu De Wo (2024)
Meaningful message
The message about the impact our choices in life have, resonated beautifully in this excellent production with the top notch cast. I really enjoyed this series and found the main actors especially the leading actress (Elane Zhong as Xia Guo) and her two leading men (Xueyi Liu and Lin Yu Shen) did a superb job as well as the supporting cast. I particularly love the actress who played Yu Jian's mother. She nailed this role. The brilliance in the editing of the different 'what if' pathways developed the storytelling in a most outstanding way. It sustained my interest and engaged much thought about the choices we make. I also like how the writers moved the story along with relevance and in a subtle way to refer to the pandemic and how it effected us socially and economically through the experiences of the characters in getting on with life. I am enjoying many of the recent c-dramas (2023/2024 releases) and this one is up amongst my favourite ones which include Will Love in Spring, Meet Yourself, I May Love You and Hidden Love.