Pretendente Surpresa (2022)

Nothing new, but endlessly charming

Normally, I don’t really endorse straight, cheesy rom-coms. They frustrate me and for the most part I feel nothing when watching. But, a friend who holds a similar sentiment to me recommend it to me. I said to myself, however for the superficial of reasons( the fact that the cast is insanely beautiful), that I would try and watch two episodes at least and see if it was worth it.


At first, I thought the premise was cute and overall the first episode was good. A bit cliche and dramatic but still, good. It went on like that for a bit and I almost dropped it. To be completely honest, I don’t know what kept me going. The shows charm perhaps, or me relating so much to Shin Ha Ri, I have no idea. But I’m glad I did, because the more I watched, the more the show found it’s stride. Let’s break it down.

Acting

-As you read further, you will see my review of the storyline and why it has my lowest rating. The actors were not giving much to work with. It was a perfect execution however. Ahn Hyo Seop and Kim Se Jeong has incredible chemistry. I was literally always on the edge of my seat anytime they were together. Even their calls were amusing and their dynamic playing out on the screen was so refreshing. The acting of the cast was really good in general. It did have its cheesy moments, but I couldn’t help but laugh because I had fallen in love with the cast. And for once, the MCs looked like they were in love. It was utterly convincing that these two had fallen head over heels for themselves. I didn’t find myself straining to see their love and I find that amazing. Kudos to the amazing cast.

Characters
- This is a first, but I found Kang Tae Moo the best written character. He had conviction, he had a perfectly executed back story and the writers didn’t try to erase his painful past by introducing shin ha ri to “take away his pain” and make him forget. I love that Shin Ha Ri encourages him to remember the good things from his past and not try to shy away from it. Shin Ha ri was moderately well written as well, but her character felt a little less convincing. She felt like a worn out trope at times and I found myself exhausted. Nevertheless, her charming demeanour drew me in and amazing acting made her so likeable. I did notice at times that the writers tried to make her seem weak and a damsel in distress, but it didn’t end up working. The beauty of her character as an independent, determined young woman always shone through.

OST
-I don’t really notice things like this so I have nothing to say except that the opening song was so cute ahh!!

Cinematography/Production
- As expected from Korea, this was crisp and clear and didn’t feel cheap. They are the masters of cinematography in the Asian drama market and this lived up to expectations.


Story
- The story was nothing special and was filled with so many overused tropes and plot lines. Love at first sight, rich guy meets poor girl and proposes they date to fool his family, best friend of poor girl falls in love with close friend of rich guy…I could go on and on. It felt like I was watching a wattpad book come to life. There were some inventive plot points here and there: the double deception was interesting and Kang Tae Moo’s backstory felt a bit more believable. But, it still felt overused. And for many people who aren’t as patient as others, this might disinterest them really quickly. The writers might have wanted to stay on the safe side and appease the public with generic plot lines, who knows? Also, I genuinely did not like Young Seo and Sung Hoon’s relationship at first. It felt like an extension of Ha ri and Kang Tae Moo. Everything they did up until the 11th episode( where Young Seo finally meets Sung Hoon’s mother) depended on the main couple. The literal reason they never got together was because of the whole scam situation and the reason they almost broke up was because of Kang Tae Moo. They did find their footing at the end though and finally did things that only involved them and not external forces. Now, in no way is the story bad. The cast’s execution made it so much more bearable and believable so kudos!!

Rewatch Value
-10/10 watch again. I just finished but I can’t stop thinking about my babies😭😭I love them sm it’s insane. You should definitely watch this if you haven’t and I will be watching again the near future once I’ve processed everything.

Leia Mais

Great, but the Manhwa is greater.

I'm not gonna waste the time talking about how amazing this is, it's fully deserving of the 9/10 rating, but in this review I'll focus on the things that I did not like so much.

In the early episodes Ahn Hyo Seop tried to copy Park Seo Joon's character from Secretary Kim. I'm not entirely sure why the production team wanted this, I don't think this worked for the actor. As much as I'm not a fan of his, I gotta admit that once he stopped doing that, he was perhaps the best version of himself so far. He had reasonable chemistry with Kim Se Jeong and his acting ability & on screen maturity has seemingly taken a step forward.

Obviously I've read the webtoon and I'm unhappy about a few things. For starters they have removed my favorite part of the webtoon, namely Hari's hilarious attempts at trying to turn fake into real.
In the final two episodes we have deviated quite far from the source material & I disliked pretty much all the changes.
Young Seo's conclusion was perhaps a little cliche in the comics, but it was nice. Instead of that we've gotten this rushed thing with YS cutting his father off. I liked the original plot more, but this was okay too I suppose and they might have made Korean television history with this. I've seen countless kdramas with asshole parents & this is the first time when the parent gets cut off in way that does not conform with the values of Confucianism. I certainly approve of this message!
The scandal about "Hari stalking her crush for 7 years, then dating her CEO right after" is the scriptwriter's invention. Did anyone actually like this? Not me anyway..
The forced 1 year temporary separation was complete bull, I'm sorry. There was 0 need to do this. This is one of the worst kdrama cliches that the Manhwa does not have. Compared to other dramas this is once again not the worst, at least they did not break up, or anything. it's just sad that they wasted what little time they had with the 12 episode limit on something like this. The webtoon has a very long & fluffy happy ending, also it's not boring at all. I understand that there was no time to get all of that in, but the deviations were less than appreciated and that's putting it bluntly.
Also the webtoon has a really funny secondary love interest for Kang Tae Moo, if they wanted to increase tensions in e11-12, they should have gone with her mini ark instead. (not a real love interest, but everyone though so & it was really amusing how Hari needed to defend her territory)


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(There is a love triangle, but I think triangle haters can safely watch this, the secondary love interest had relatively little screen time & has been rejected very strongly in a timely fashion)

Leia Mais

Definitely worth the watch

Just watched this show and OMG I forgot how much I missed a strong and good second lead couple! I loved the main leads, they had good chemistry and their story was good. But the second couple was just perfect. It was about them that I thought after watching every episode. I think maybe one downside of leads is that they took too long to get together. Or rather, the FL took too long to realize she was in love with him and that made me feel a little impatient and more interested in the second leads bc they were already full on dating mode. But in general, both couples are wonderful and this show is absolutely amazing!

It's true that about episode 10-11 things get a little slow. I really expected one of the couples to get married at some point (I'm talking about the second leads), and I don't know how to react to the fact that apparently the leads spent one whole year talking through computer/phone (seriously?! that's why I like the second leads more). Although I love the fact that this show is only 12eps long, I also think that maybe they could go on like 2 episodes more just to wrap things up in a better way. Did his grandpa accept her? If so, I wanted to see that. Youngseo and sunghoon should've got married, they were already such a stable couple with a strong hubby/wifey energy, they deserved their wedding at the end. But regardless of that I don't think it was a bad show just because the ending was not that good, and amazing and perfect. It's a funny, romantic, not over-dramatic, surprising at some moments, well produced and directed series, and it's definitely worth the watch.

Leia Mais

Everyone needs to see this drama if they need a break from all recent ones.

„Rather than getting wrinkles from working overtime, isn't going on a blind date with a wealthy guy more productive?“
Oh how right you were, Shin Ha Ri.
My heart breaks now that this drama has come to an end. It became my comfort drama every Monday and Tuesday past these months.
I just know others are heartbroken as much as me, this drama gave me and others so much seratonin and I felt the same way just how I did when I first started watching dramas.
The drama doesn't have any suspenseful moments. Just a soft romcom that focuses on 4 people working, building their friendships and relationships in these 12 episodes.
I fell inlove with all 4 characters of this drama and I'm going to miss them so much.
If you like something light and funny, I definitely recommend this. Really good chemistry between characters. It's refreshing, comedic and really interesting to watch. No annoying characters except of one side character that everyone wanted to punch through the screen and the comedy is really natural. I'm so glad they kept this atmosphere until the end.
Shin Ha Ri is so quirky, just like the actress in real life which I found adorable. She’s not glamorous, but normal. And a bit of a clumsy girl but endearing. So many scenes made me giggle or laugh out loud. The grandfather was also so iconic. And the fact that he loves k-dramas himself- was iconic.
Kang Tae Moo has teleported to the list of hot cold CEO's that fall in love and turn into the sweetest things ever.
I'm going to miss them so much and their fun situational romantic scenes with comedy arising from some crazy decisions.

Leia Mais

All the kdrama cliches you could possibly think of, but in a fun way!

Absolutely loved this drama. I first read the manhwa when I heard they were adapting it into a drama with Sejeong and Hyoseop. I loved the manhwa as well and even though they changed quite a bit, I still love love love this adaptation. Character choices were believable and the changes made sense. Sometimes I would have to suspend my disbelief (I mean come on, how did none of them recognize who Hari was) but it's not too too bad. There were some scenes from the manhwa that I wish they adapted but I understand that they only have 12 episodes so they really have to pick and choose what to add and what to omit.

If there's one thing I would criticize, it's that I wish the ending was a bit more satisfying. That, or they could have done a special episode or two to really tie all loose knots, but yknow what, at least the ending wasn't completely terrible.

Overall a fun watch.

Leia Mais

Simple and feel good kind of drama

It’s been a while since I wrote a review and I thought this drama deserves one if only for those who are in the in-between the should watch or should not watch fence.

The story is so-so. It is your typical rich and average family conflict, very common in Korean rom-com so right off the bat if you hate this trope you may as well don’t even try. However, if you are like me and just want a light and feel good story to watch without being too picky of the plot then I highly recommend this one. Yes, it’s trope-y but not in a blood curdling kind of way. The comedy part more than made up for the trope, especially the parallel drama that the nation was watching, that was a hoot!

I love Se Jeong so I might be biased here, but her natural acting is why I love her! So sweet, not forced and just right. Watching her here makes me want to be BFF with her and I am at least 10 years older than her character, haha! The family and work crew were all adorable. The second couple were not bad, again very trope-y, but they added some depth and “hot” moments that were quite unexpected, for me anyway. The extra special bonuses in the laugh area are tied in first place, don’t know which one made me laugh more, grandpa and cousin!!!

All in all I would likely re-watch a few episodes now and then if I feel like I need a little laugh. So I’m going to end this review with a resounding yes I recommend it! Best watched with another friend under a warm blanket with lots of snacks around :)

Leia Mais

Get me a Taemu please and thank you

April 8, 2022

A Business Proposal has lined the cliché up and I am devouring all of it. Everything in this series is pretty much predictable and you can kinda see how it will end. However, episodes 1-11 were too good. The execution and the delivery of the cast carried the drama. So what I am trying to say is that A Business Proposal served all the clichés that we all love.

Although the reason for my 0.5 deduction is just cause the last episode was a little underwhelming. I am seeing other people’s comments and I am definitely going to read the webtoon. Because I did not get the satisfaction that I need.... I feel like it needs more and I feel like the timing is a little rushed. They could have given this series maybe 13 or even 14 episodes just to wrap it up nicely and not leave me with this unwavering feeling of unfulfilled.

But everything else is top notched. Along all the rom-coms released recently, A Business Proposal ate and devoured all of them. A Business Proposal really up the game for the Rom-coms for the first half of 2022!

Leia Mais

Pure serotonin in drama form

This drama is so sweet and so funny, it really is a mood booster. Kim Sejeong is a comedy queen in this, and Ahn Hyoseop has been a favorite of mine for a while. Their chemistry was great and I'd love to see them headline another drama together in the future. The secondary characters were all also really funny (especially the rivalry between Yeong-seo and her cousin!) and I can't recommend this enough as a pick-me-up if you're feeling a little down. And I will never again see or hear the word "archaeopteryx" without laughing, thanks to the delightful Shin Ha-ri, one of my favorite female drama mains ever.

Leia Mais

first I love this drama, second the creep in ep 5 and 6

So I want to say I had read this webtoon before and used to be one of my top favorites. Cliché but not boring.
I also liked it that the drama was adaptation and not exactly from the webtoon. So basically I have read the webtoon and know the plot and story, but the drama by changing/adding few spices to the story, level up the story. I enjoy the familiarity yet I love the new plot.
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this is gonna be a very little spoiler from ep 5 - 6
So a creep was introduced to the story as the neighbor of Jin Young Seo (FL's friend), and he put a camera in her house, which later after discovering it, it clearly shows how much Jin Young Seo is struggling in outside world (especially going to bathroom). Which is a very interesting detail as reportedly this type of stalking is unfortunately very famous is Korea and many people suffer from it. These hidden cameras are usually put in public toilets, motels and hotels. to the point that there are professional people who search for these cameras and that is one of the reasons why cellphone's cameras in Korea will always click loudly if a photo is taken. Though this is a very common crime happening in korea (probably unlike serial killers which is in most dramas - i do like them!) if was the very first time I saw a direct point to it in a kdrama and I do watch lots of kdrama.
So for this I wanted to say thank you to the screen write for bringing awareness. lets hope this crime no longer happens in real life.

Leia Mais

BRILLIANT and worth watching

i originally wasn't going to give it a try thinking it'd be the same old cliche romance nothing new. BUT i saw the first ep and was hooked. i binge watched the rest of the eps right after.
i haven't read the webtoon so i don't know how similar or different the storyline is from it. but I'm loving it very much.

the male lead (tae mu): i first expected him to be the same old cold hearted CEO who takes 3456654 years to accept he's a human and could feel. BUT tae mu was not at all like that, he didn't take much time to realise and accept he had feelings for Ha-ri. he even is working hard to build up a relationship with her.

the female lead (shin Ha-ri): her struggle with keeping up with two identities and doing her friend a favour as always was really fun to watch. really love her dynamic with her bff. her crush on the chef was sad but she's finally got someone that is willing to put effort into forming a relationship with her.

the 2nd lead couple's story also has me hooked cuz they were slow and now they're racing lmao but i love their chemistry nonetheless.
the lead couple also has great chemistry. doesn't feel forced or overacting.

the comic timing is superb. it's written so well and the actors have acted so well that u can feel the 2nd hand embarassment played by them in some scenes in your bones lol.

overall i had a great time watching it so far and I'm looking forward to upcoming episodes. YOU SHOULD DEFINATELY GIVE IT A TRY YOU WON'T REGRET 1 BIT.

UPDATE: the last ep aired today and i still don't regret watching a single minute of this story! no over the top drama just sweet, full of love and extremely funny. gonna give kudos to the actors, director and writers. ROM COM LOVERS THIS ONES FOR YOU GUYS TO BINGE WATCH TRUST ME

Leia Mais

Superhumanly charming

Let me make a proposal: Can we please get 1000 more episodes of this show???

How is it already finished? It was sooooo fun, heartwarming, touching and funny - it's going to be a while (if ever) until we see another drama of this caliber.

The story sounds a little cliche at first: Kang Tae-Moo is a rich president of a food company whom his grandfather sets up on blind dates because he wants to see Kang Tae-Moo with a wife and children. He sets up a date with Jin Young Seo, the daughter of another wealthy man. Kang Tae-Moo sees this as a waste of his time but indulges on it to satisfy his grandfather. On the other hand, Jin Young Seo knows that all her blind dates are wastes and pays her best friend Shin Ha Ri to go on the blind date to scare off the president. What follows is the most hilarious blind date scene ever where Shin Ha Ri plays the sexy slutty girl to make sure that Kang Tae-Moo disapproves of her. I've seen this scene dozens of times and it just never gets old. However, Kang Tae-Moo takes a liking to her and Shin Ha Ri's lies become more and more intricate where we see a series of fake - and eventually real - dates between these stars.

I always find it amusing that some of the jokes only work in Korean (or Asian) shows. For example in the quoted scene above, Shin Ha Ri takes off her coat to show a little (but really very little) skin and is thinking to herself that nobody likes a girl with much skin - portraying a sluttier girl. But this only works in Korea, no western guy would be against a little skin. There are other typical scenes which appear to be quite intimate to Koreans while really not so for westerners - but I guess those are elements of every K-Drama (compared to western TV shows). I do like this because it gives many scenes more special.

The side couples are also cute, especially the best friend couple. They've been sweet throughout the entire show and it's amusing seeing that they sort of figured out many things a little earlier than the main couple.

Some parts were quite overdramatic but still mostly funny. I also strongly approve that the couples get together early in the show, so we get to enjoy seeing some together time of these couples. Shows or books that end after the main couple actually become a couple usually seem unsatisfying but this show allowed us to enjoy the actual relationships!

The filming is always beautiful filled with great colors. The actors are also amazing and sweet in their own respects. It's fun to let Kim Se Jeong sing a little and to have Shin Ha Ri be the girl who enjoys singing and acting with us knowing that Kim Se Jeong represents all of these! I'm definitely a new fan of hers.

My heart is still melting and I won't get over next week where we won't be seeing another episode of this fantastic drama.

Leia Mais

Go watch, right now!

This show deserved to be a 16 episodes. And here is why:

The drama is incredible funny, cute and romantic. But, the final was little bit rushed for me?
But I do get this sensation when I watch some dramas with 12 episodes with good plot.

This romantic comedy was till now one of the best I've watched since 2016 when the best ones was aired, it's been ages since I have felt this anxious waiting for news eps to come out.

For some people that don't like clichés, maybe this one it's not for you. Probably, you know that romcoms most of the time are really cute, romantic and "cringe", but that's why we like so much 😂

I have to be thankful to the casting team, because they did a amazing job while casting the main leads.
I never expect the combination between these actors and I just love it.
You know when you get good feelings because of the cast, right? That's what I felt while watching the BTS videos of them.

Now, talking about the final. It may contain spoilers.

1. It was a rushed ending. They could have done so much better with the story, it was going be amazing seeing the things that did happen in the Manga.

2. They could have make the 2nd lead couple better. They cut of their screen time in the middle of the drama almost, if we did get more episodes they could have been more explored.

Seeing all of them getting married was something we would love to see in the final episode, since all of them got engaged.
Somethings I would love to see:
1. YooRa getting sued for exposing Hari life and for defamation. I would be so happy!
2. More of her family, I thought Hari family was so cute. I would like to know about them.
3. What really happened with Youngseo mother, I got really curious about how things did turn to left her kid to go to the Germany, like what?
And so many things...

I have to say about the chemistry between all the main leads. Couples and friends.
And a shout out to both bed scenes, because they were FIRE 🔥

I truly recommend this drama to however who is reading this, if this suit your type of drama.

And, no, the rushed final doesn't make the drama bad. 😅
Thank you for reading!

Leia Mais