Melakward
Florida, USA
Was it worth it: Is there a word stronger than “absolutely?”
What I liked the most: For a Sageuk (period drama), it was very “loose.” You know how that type of drama tends to be very deathly serious? Not so much for this one. I loved the relaxed atmosphere.
What I disliked the most: Though it tried to fight it, the politics creeped their way in towards the end.
Moment Meter: 8/10 – Wholly satisfying.
Other thoughts: I’ve had my eye on Bo Gum for a while and he’s officially on “the list” now, so I will officially be watching every drama he’s in (past and present). Jinyoung is also a big bias-wrecker for me and I was torn between the fact that he did very well (which will probably result in more fans) and the fact that I am very selfish and want him all to myself (meaning I don't want him to have any more fans). :-\
Note: Certain actors will automatically make the drama better (for me), so the rest of the review will be biased. It can’t be helped. Consider yourself warned.
The beginning was extremely satisfying. All of the situations and the cavalier atmosphere made it incredibly watchable. The politics that ALWAYS afflict Sageuks kicked in a bit toward the end, but they did well to have the politics fuel the personal story rather than the personal story fueling the politics. Jinyoung got to play the cool guy, much to my delight. Bo Gum did an amazing job. Kim Yoo Jung also did a great job, though (as typical for this type of female role) as time progressed, her somewhat outspoken character had very few words to say when things ramped up. It helps to have a little experience with Korean period dramas to get into the flow right away. The pacing was consistent and kept my attention.
Conclusion: A very easy to watch Sageuk. It was a bit overshadowed by all of the other dramas out at this time, which is a shame because I thought this drama was above average; bordering on excellent. I loved it.
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Was it worth it: Eventually.
What I liked the most: The acting by everyone, with maybe one exception, even the times it made me uncomfortable. Yeo Jin Goo was amazing.
What I disliked the most: Everything that happened between the pre-story and the main character evolving into his final form. Jang Geun Suk is not built to play the naive fool.
Moment Meter: 0.5/10 – There was just enough to make me crave more without actually delivering. Frustrating.
Other thoughts: This drama felt really long and at times all over the place. I’d say that it bit off more than it could chew. There were good characters that sadly had no time to be developed. I know they had to loosely stick to the history, but that also dragged things out a bit. The beginning was great. The middle was bad (and disgusting). The ending was entertaining but lacked solid closure. I can’t wait to see Yeo Jin Goo in more, though Jang Geun Suk would have to pick the right roles for me to appreciate him. Not sure why Im Ji Yeon (Dam Seo) is listed as a main role.
Conclusion: Nothing outstanding, but not the worst drama either. Try toughing it out until after the main character gets trained before giving up on it. It gets a lot better from there.
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Was it worth it: Not as much as I thought it would
What I liked the most: The fact that it addressed breast cancer in males.
What I disliked the most: The story line involving the older characters. Slowed it down for me.
Moment Meter: 3/10 – There were some here and there, but not many that I can recall.
Other thoughts: It was very hard to get into this drama. They drop you in the middle of it and you’re forced to figure it out as it goes along. Everyone acted a bit too “eccentric” to be truly believable, but towards the end I understood how the characters worked and it wasn’t too bad. The beginning is awkward and doesn’t move smoothly at all. The drama became a lot better towards the middle and end. Everything was little more charged and exciting and made a lot more sense. It didn’t feel like a tremendous waste of time, but it’s not my favorite.
Conclusion: You really need to hang in there for the first half of the drama before it picks up. I’m not sorry I watched it, but all of the leading actors have way better dramas out there.
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Was it worth it: I can't think of a strong enough word for "yes" that conveys how awesome it was.
What I liked the most: The main relationship mostly, but the drama was amazing throughout.
What I disliked the most: Spoken English by native-language Korean entertainers tends to make me cringe a bit, but it wasn’t as painful in this drama as it usually is.
Moment Meter: 10/10 – The drama was nothing but moments. Beginning, middle and end. It was fantastic.
Other thoughts: This was a strong drama. It affected my life outside of watching it. It felt like I’d watched the whole thing in 3 days (when it was really more like 7), and I literally had a feeling a dread when I was nearing the end of it. I cried like a baby. In fact, I teared up at work today while thinking about this review. This drama pushed me into a life-crisis. Literally. I’ll be up front and say that Joong Ki was a big factor in this, but the writing is so solid that loving Joong Ki is not a must to enjoy this drama. May have to re-watch Nice Guy after this to maintain current Joong Ki high.
Conclusion: Punched me right in the feels. I'll be carrying this one with me for while.
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Was it worth it: Absolutely.
What I liked the most: The pacing was spectacular.
What I disliked the most: The 10th price annoyed the crap out of me 85% of the time he was on screen.
Moment Meter: 6/10 – I’m torn on this one. A moment to me may not seem like one to others.
Other thoughts: This drama flew by for me. I was astounded to find I had less than a handful of episodes left when it felt like there should have been more. This is an achievement for a Sageuk. I swooned for Joon Gi as I do every time I watch a drama of his. IU also did an excellent job. The female characters had very active roles and remained vocal to the end; again, something that’s hard to find in a Sageuk and something that I value highly. I had a hard time finding the reason why IU’s character had to be a time-traveler, but it was made very clear at the end. There are a lot of characters, but not as many as you think, so try not to get too overwhelmed. All of the casting was spot on, and I actually downloaded a song from the show to put on my phone (Im Seon Hye – Will be Back). The ending was left wide open for a continuation, though I’m scared that it may not be as good and drag this one down.
Conclusion: The story moved along well and there was a little bit of something for everyone. Pro Tip: Don’t get emotionally attached to any of the characters. You will regret it.
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Was it worth it: At times
What I liked the most: The supernatural element. Any sort of impossible or magical note in the drama is a plus in my book
What I disliked the most: Some of the behavior from Rain’s character. It was erratic and ridiculous at times.
Moment Meter: 3/10 – There were some good moments, but the content in between them watered the moments down a bit.
Other thoughts: This drama started strong, stayed good for a while, became too ridiculous to take seriously, and then picked it back up at the end. There were two separate story lines, and I definitely liked one over the other (hint: not Rain’s story line) but collectively they weren’t horrible. The “Han Gi Tak” story line was strong enough to be a drama all on its own, whereas the “Kim Yeong Soo” storyline started strong, but then really sucked in the middle. I don’t dislike Rain, but he’s not a favorite either so he wasn’t enough to save it for me. They could have done a lot more with it. Or at least made it make sense.
Conclusion: It seems like they had too much time to fill, and they struggled to fill all of that time with quality content. The times when they got their act together were good, though.
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Was it worth it: As worth it as it could have been.
What I liked the most: It didn’t pull any punches, especially towards the end. Have tissues ready.
What I disliked the most: Maybe it was just the character, but Suzy was extremely annoying. Especially when crying.
Moment Meter: 4/10 – There were a couple of good ones in there.
Other thoughts: I wasn’t expecting too much from this drama so I was pleasantly surprised. I’m a fan of the male tsundere character type so Woo Bin’s character grew on me fast. The immediate plot kept me entertained to the point where I kept forgetting the main underlying issue and needed the reminders that they squeezed in there every now and then. It was very engaging and rarely lulled. About 60% of the time, Suzy’s character annoyed the crap out of me. Especially when she was whining. I lost grasp of the story for a bit when they jumped from past to present but not enough to faze me completely. Woo Bin is an actor I look out for but he’s not on “the list,” so if you’re a die-hard Woo Bin fan you’ll probably really enjoy it. The star power wasn’t enough to take it up another level for me.
Conclusion: It watched like a generic drama to me. It was entertaining, but didn’t really stand out in an extraordinary way.
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Was it worth it: Eh.
What I liked the most: The constant presence of ghost. Typically they drop the thing that makes the drama interesting when the feels start up, but they kept them around to the bitter end.
What I disliked the most: The suspension of belief in regard to the fighting. They could have toned it down a bit.
Moment Meter: 4/10 – There were a good amount of moments in there.
Other thoughts: The ghosts were spooky! Gave me the creeps. Lots of people died in this drama for multiple reasons. No pulled punches there. The “comic relief” duo did their jobs well without being too obnoxious. The story slowed down towards the end, but the finale was pretty exciting. The overall pacing was kind of strange; quick at times, and then really slow in other places. Maybe I was just impatient for the exciting parts.
Conclusion: Not something I’d rewatch, but I’m not asking the heavens for that chunk of my life back either.
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Was it worth it: Probably?
What I liked the most: The cons. It’s fun to see the guys you’re rooting for get the upper hand.
What I disliked the most: There was a lot of content overlap and it got a bit muddled towards the end.
Moment Meter: 2/10 – Not too many romantic moments, but there were a few feel good “gotcha” moments in there.
Other thoughts: There are a lot of characters, so you have to pay attention, especially to names. The constant cons can also break your brain if you’re not paying attention. After a while you just start second guessing everything. There were some cute parts. It had a bit of an Ocean’s 11 feel to it at the beginning. The ending was pretty solid, but again, you have to pay attention. I would have liked to see more between Yang Jeong Do and Cheon Seong Hee, but then again I’m a sucker for romance. Rewatchable only if you were lost the first time you saw it.
Conclusion: A solid drama. It could have been cooler given the subject matter, but not bad all together.
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Was it worth it: Just barely.
What I liked the most: It had a romantic element to it, and I’ve been starved for that lately. Also bloopers!
What I disliked the most: The romance in it didn’t amount to much. Also Kang Min Hyuk’s acting.
Moment Meter: 2/10 – The seedlings were there, but nothing bloomed. I guess the age gap was too daunting.
Other thoughts: Kang Min Hyuk is not built for melo roles. His acting made me really uncomfortable most of the time. Ji Sung was phenomenal. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Hyeri in the future. The story moved well and didn’t get too gritty for something that revolves around a band. The focus was more on the band than the music, which I appreciated. There were a few emotional moments that got to me and I teared up a bit. It was consistently entertaining and rarely lulled.
Conclusion: Not bad, but not amazing either. I probably wouldn’t re-watch it but I don’t regret seeing it the one time. Watch past final episodes credits for bloopers!
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Was it worth it: I’m still not sure.
What I liked the most: The individual cases were pretty interesting. I also loved Lee Se Young’s character (Han Gyeo Wool). She was a badass hacker. What’s not to love?
What I disliked the most: The vampire aspect, sadly, and the directing. Specifically, the order of events. The title is also misleading.
Moment Meter: 0/10 – There were none, essentially.
Other thoughts: At the beginning, I was very confused so I couldn’t get into it. There were GAPING plot holes and it too made no sense. Once the episodes only slightly revolved around the main characters and were mostly about the individual cases, it was a lot better. They filled most of those holes by the end of the drama, but until that point I was mostly annoyed at the confusing vampire-related parts. Like other reviewers, I had no emotion invested in the main story. PRO TIP: Vampires don’t seem to be a shocking thing in the universe that this drama takes place. They are mysterious creatures, but not unheard of. They don’t establish this during the drama, so you’re left to fend for your already-confused self. You’re welcome.
Conclusion: You really have to trudge your way through the first 3 or 4 episodes before things start making any sense, but after that it’s smooth sailing and, dare I say, actually pretty good.
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Was it worth it: Yeah.
What I liked the most: I knew nothing going in, so I appreciated the unique plot gimmick.
What I disliked the most: The story got a little hairy towards the end and I checked out for a bit.
Moment Meter: 6/10 – Lots of good ones, especially at the beginning.
Other thoughts: My jury is always out about Jong Suk’s acting ability. Is he really a good actor? Or am I subconsciously forgiving of it because of his very appealing face? I don’t trust myself there. That aside, I really liked the premise of the story. It was unique and I’m a sucker for suspended belief. At times the technicality of things slowed the story down a bit, but it was also somewhat necessary too due to the unusual story. Han Hyo Joo did an awesome job and I found her to be very likable. This is another one where you really have to pay attention or you will quickly find yourself lost.
Conclusion: The story line was unique and the actors were gorgeous. A little better than your run-of-the-mill drama, but not a chart-topper for me.
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Was it worth it: I’d say yes.
What I liked the most: The bad guys weren’t overly evil and all characters were reasonable to a fault.
What I disliked the most: The trait that made the main character cool was gone by the middle of the drama.
Moment Meter: 4/10 – I seem to recall a few heart pumpers.
Other thoughts: For the first quarter of the show I was in denial about who the male lead was, probably due to the huge age gap. I liked that the main female was a scrapper (tough), and that the female antagonist wasn’t overly evil. I’m always pleased to spot Kim Min Suk in a drama and hope to see him in more. Park Shin Hye looked sickly in the beginning, but rounded out later on. The individual medical cases were interesting. The story was told well enough to get you to invest feels in the characters. It’s not an instant classic, but it was pretty entertaining nonetheless.
Conclusion: It was consistently entertaining, but shows with “cases” (like medical or detective shows) are naturally more engaging because of the micro stories that are built in.
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Was it worth it: Absolutely.
What I liked the most: “The kisses,” she said unapologetically.
What I disliked the most: The music during the “tense” moments got cheesy. I rolled my eyes a few times.
Moment Meter: 6/10 – Lots of moments. The quality of the moments, however, ranges from straight cheese to heart attack.
Other thoughts: I’m a Jung Il Woo fan, because even though he isn’t drop dead gorgeous, he has some flattering angles and a knack for intense acting. Combine that with the fact that he had the tsundere character (like usual), and this was a hit for me. (He’s also a phenomenal on-screen kisser)
Note: Certain actors will automatically make the drama better (for me), so the rest of the review will be biased. Consider yourself warned.
It watched a lot like a reverse-harem anime, which I enjoy from time to time. Park So Dam nailed this role, and has good control over the tones in her voice. I’m not too crazy about Ahn Jae Hyun’s acting. He didn’t do poorly, but I didn’t get as much feeling from him as I did the others, and one of them is a musician before they’re an actor. I liked the story and it moved along well without stagnating too often.
Conclusion: Actor bias boosted this one up for me, so I would have enjoyed it even if it were complete garbage. Was it unpredictable and fresh? Not entirely, but it hit all of those juicy KDrama notes that keep me coming back for more.
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Why I watched it: Seemed interesting, and the story revolved around a younger age set.
Was it worth it: Surprisingly so.
What I liked the most: One of the kid’s reactions. They were so over the top at times that I literally LOL’d.
What I disliked the most: That same kid was really annoying at the beginning. I’m glad he quickly grew out of it.
Moment Meter: 1/10 – Not a whole lot of heart-stopping moments, but it was entertaining none-the-less.
Other thoughts: For only 3 episodes, they delivered solid, well-paced (as in, not rushed) content. It was very engaging and easily worth watching especially because it’s only 3 episodes long. Very well done. There was even a hit of unpredictability. I always like some surprise turns in my dramas.
Conclusion: Didn’t waste my time and I don’t regret watching it.
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