Sorriso Real (2023)

Definite must watch

I loved it. I smiled. I laughed. I loved how they displayed emphasis on the service industry and how hard these people have to work to keep a job in addition the little politics at play. It was a good balance of everything. I enjoyed the relationship between the leads. They had really great chemistry and the acting of the grandma was so amazing. No excessive drama. No psycho people. No stupid love triangle’s. No ridiculous break ups.

The cast did an amazing job. I honestly liked them all. Of course there was an antagonist but you’ll get a clear idea why. Yes there was a little plotting but I can finally say in this series that the little traps, mishaps passed like wind.

Leia Mais

Accept it's a fluffy rom-com, not RL, and it'll be a fun watch

Aug 2023
A great big squishy ball of fluff, in the traditionally wonderful vain of many successful rom-com K-dramas.

You get the flashy backdrop of a wealthy family run conglomerate; the main story centres around the successful 5 Star hotel, while also featured are the company's Airline and a high end clothing branch, where each of the FL's 2 besties work.

Within these settings are power struggles, prejudices over education, divorce and social standing, with a smattering of greasy palms, connections and the usual jealousy, spite, bitching and abuse of the have nots/underlings. Some characters are wonderfully nasty and underhand... I was having a right go at the TV on many occasions! ;-D

Then, of course, there is the most important, most focussed on, romance between our drop dead gorgeous ML and effervescently can-do, pretty FL, who when at work speaks in the same way UK announcers did in the 50s ;-D and smiles through 99% of everything that a busy day as Hotel Concierge can throw at her.

Due to a childhood trauma, our ML hates what he sees as the false smiles automatically plastered on the faces of a large percentage of the hotel's staff and refuses to either conform, or acknowledge them.

With our FL gaining success with her attitude and having more and more dealings with our ML, it's very much an enemies to tolerated colleagues, to friends, to lovers.

There is almost every cliché in the book, from one falling into/onto the other, a bike ride, fairground visit and sudden overnight stay, to money getting offered to get rid of people.

There are also the trials and tribulations of the FL's 2 best friends sewn into the story and plenty of light moments with the ML and his dork of an assistant.

This fit absolutely perfectly with what I wanted to watch. There are imperfections (I never really understood why someone who disappeared, did) and realism is often overlooked to make things and people beautiful, and the story work... but the drama is a rom-com and from the very amusing first arrival of our ML, does not set itself up to be anything remotely true to life, so no disappointment in that respect, for me.

There was one scene near the end, with the FL's grandmother (played by a favourite senior actress, Kim Young-ok) that was so touching, I needed tissues.

The music I did find exceedingly odd at times, especially when a group of them visited Thailand... it was almost hilarious, with what sounded like bangra, and Ska!!! I've heard traditional and modern Thai music and it didn't sound like that!

It's no more than a bit of fun, and a great feel-good drama. I quickly ate up every second of it!

Leia Mais

the couple oozes chemistry, I loved it

Watching the Kdrama “The King Land,” my experience was simply captivating in every aspect. Every meticulously crafted scene kept me hooked from the very first episode. The gripping plot, coupled with exceptionally well-chosen actors, elevated this drama to a new level of excellence.

In particular, I must highlight the phenomenal acting of Lee Junho and Lim Yoona. Their impeccable talents brought depth and authenticity to the characters they played. The way they portrayed their emotions, challenges, and growth throughout the story was simply impressive. Every scene they shared on screen was brimming with chemistry and skill, adding rich layers to the narrative.

Lee Junho once again proved himself to be a versatile and charismatic actor, masterfully capturing the essence of his character. His ability to immerse himself in the emotions of the role is undeniable, and he truly embodied the spirit of the character, making him memorable and endearing.

Lim Yoona likewise delivered a remarkable performance, displaying talent beyond her years. Her captivating and genuine performance brought a unique vitality to the character she portrayed. Her presence on screen was magnetic, and she excelled in every moment she shared with the cast.

In addition to the performances, the direction and cinematography deserve applause. Every frame was carefully composed, taking advantage of stunning settings and visually appealing aesthetics. The soundtrack also perfectly complemented the tone and pace of the drama, adding an emotional atmosphere to the more intense scenes.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling journey and full immersion in a world rich with emotion and meaning.

Congratulations to the production team, cast, and everyone involved in creating this incredible Kdrama.

Leia Mais

Fun story fun characters fun show

TLDR: Popcorn fun with cute moments and great chemistry

Disclaimer: Average for me is a 5 so everything above that is pretty good to perfect and everything below that is pretty bad to horrendous. I know nothing about film making so couldn't tell you anything about how well the technical aspects of the show were executed, but I can give my opinion on how much I enjoyed it relative to other things I've watched.

Overall: If I could describe this show in one word it would be refreshing. Simple story with enjoyable characters trying to be their best selves. Everything adds up to be one of the most fun shows I've watched recently

Story: I liked the story a lot more than a summary would suggest. Its not super complex, there isn't a masterfully crafted plot that will keep you glued to your seat, but I think that is what made it so enjoyable for me. The main focus of the story is the romance, friendships and the politics/inheritance. The romance had its ups and downs but overall it was a fantastic watch. I will I admit I almost dropped this at episode 5/6 when the obligatory major accident happens that forces a lead to realize their feelings, but thankfully that was the only instance of eye rolling cliche that really got to me. The rest of it was a fun ride watching the leads get together and just enjoy life. Maybe this comes down to preference but I am a huge fan of just letting things happen organically. If there is no reason for a couple to break up then forcing it for the extra drama only detracts from the show. If two grown ass adults know they both have feelings for each other it makes no sense to complicate things unless there is a legitimate reason outside of "we needed to fill 2 more episodes". The show even pokes fun at this trope in the latter half of the show. This drama creates a great balance of having outside pressures in the relationship, but also realizing that talking to your partner and open communication can in fact solve many problems. Can't tell you how much of a breath of fresh air it is to not see a couple who supposedly love each other break up at the drop of a hat all while pining for each other. Like no, you can be together, you are in fact 30 years old, be an adult.

The politics were ok. There wasn't a whole lot of drama and the outcome was pretty clear from the outset even without knowing all the tropes, but I thought it served the show well. Sometimes there don't need to be all these unnecessary obstacles just for the sake of artificial drama and this show understood that. The office drama I thought was handled very well. Sometimes it was a bit over the top but relative to what some other dramas bring to the table this was downright tame. I often get annoyed when the villains/antagonists/bullies in a show are super aggressive and openly antagonistic because I feel that realistic bullying looks much more subtle. The off hand remarks, office gossip, and tensions between co workers were subtle enough while also showing how oppressive the tiny things can be. The way the characters handle these things is also well done and had a mature flair to it that isn't often seen. The multiple perspectives from the friend group also allowed them to explore how different people can successfully navigate these situations while still being an adult. Whether it is the snarkiness/sarcasm of the department store worker or the kill them with kindness attitude of the lead, there are different ways to handle this without exploding. (Not that one way is better than the other, and sometimes a good explosive scene is just what the doctor ordered, but in dramas it has become the norm and hence much less enjoyable to watch)

I'll give the show credit for balancing the multiple story threads well. I was invested in all three of the friend group's lives and wanted them all to succeed. Sometimes this idea can be hard to do well because certain parts of individual stories are going to be more interesting than others which makes it very easy for me to dislike a character just because they aren't part of the more interesting plotline. But as I was watching their lives play out I was genuinely interested in every characters life. Nobody overstayed their welcome or made me wish I was watching a different character. I think Kang Da Eul's story was the only one I was sort of mixed on. Her home situation wasn't meant to be taken as seriously as the others given the shows portrayal but I kind of wish they did. Instead of the uno reverse they did which I think was supposed to be funny I wish there were some scenes where she gave some serious thought about what she wanted and the pros/cons of staying or leaving.

Characters/acting: I loved the leads but the FL was always going to be the standout from episode 1. It was great to see a FL that was competent and independent without needing the ML to simply exist. She was consistent throughout the show and stuck to her guns even when things didn't go her way. She had a direction and goal in life and just happened to meet someone that she wanted to share that with rather than being directionless before running into her other half. The performance was excellent, though I don't think the role demanded too much from the actress, she did a fantastic job with what she needed to do. The ML was good as well. I think the story failed his character early on, the whole petty act during episode 5 was the only real point where he acted out of character but everything else was good. If he had stayed a 30 something year old adult throughout the show I would've put him squarely in great but for those 2 episodes he turns into a middle schooler who is afraid to admit he has a crush. Spoiler but in an alternate universe not too different from the show the FL dies because the ML was petty which is something that was kind of hard for me to get over but I eventually did. That aside the performance was good with some great chemistry between the leads. I liked that the ML stayed out of the way of the FL and didn't start to dominate her life in the way that is all too common in the office romance shows. I loved their cute vibe and wish I could've seen more of it.

The second leads were also good. My personal favorite was Kang Da Eul. The performance was fantastic and I loved the sarcastic energy she brought to the table. Sort of mixed feelings on her story but I thought the character added a lot of fun to the group that would've otherwise been missing. Her relationship was kind of played for laughs with some mini revenge/comeuppance which was kind of sad to see as I wish she did find someone better for her but can't complain too much. Oh Pyeung Hwa was also good. I thought her storyline was a bit more basic than the other two on both the office and romantic side but I think she served as the baseline which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I still enjoyed her character and her relationship but don't think the chemistry was as strong as some of the others in the show. The standout though was always going to be how the 3 bounced off of each other because they were the definition of the sum is greater than the parts. Their friendship felt real and I enjoyed all their scenes together. The dialogue felt smooth and real while also showing how the personalities of the characters mix together.

For the side characters No Sang Sik is the MVP. He was over the top and goofy in a way that the show desperately needed and he never felt overbearing. When he slid those glasses down in the airport I was like, yes. I'm glad they didn't give him too much of a romantic side story because his character really shined in not taking him super seriously. The actress for Lee Ye Jeo was also amazing and I loved the performance despite the little screen time. The rest of the side characters were good in their roles but nothing too amazing for me to comment on.

Music: Not much to say, I watch in 1.5x speed and didn't really go back for any of the songs but they weren't bad either.

Rewatch: Rewatch value is the most subjective category for me because there are some fantastic shows that I know I will never rewatch while some objectively worse dramas I'll watch 5 times over. The story is good but not great, the leads are fun but not my favorite, and none of the side characters would crack my top ten list, but gun to my head this is the first drama I'd watch again if I had to choose one. Maybe everything just combined well together to create the perfect version of popcorn fun or maybe this just fits my guilty pleasure but I already know I'm going to be watching this one again regardless.

Leia Mais

Very cute and models mature, good relationship

Please note I am for the sake of this review ignoring the controversy around the portrayal of the Arab prince. I don't disagree with the idea that it was a mistake, but it didn't spoil the show for me.

I just want to note that both the leads (and supporting cast) did an amazing job. The leads' relationship and chemistry was so good. Mr. Lee and Ms. Im pulled off what could have been too cheesy to watch, but they nailed it and made it fun. Yoona is, of course, beautiful, but also able to play cute so very well. My wife and I smiled and laughed a lot.

The ML, despite being rich and kind of damaged, modeled a very mature, calm, and loving relationship. When the FL made decisions that could have been viewed as hurting the ML he did not get made or throw a tantrum. he did his best to understand and support her.

Also, the trauma level is low enough to not drag down the whole story.

Well worth a watch. Just fast forward past he Arab prince stuff :-)

Leia Mais

If you like dreaming about something good this drama is for you.

I wouldn't recommend this drama to people who want something new and original. But instead you can watch this drama and forget about hard life and darkness in the world just to dream about something peaceful.
Honestly, I felt relaxed while watching it. And actors are pretty good and appealing. If you pay attention to details you would like the vibes and colors. You would see that this drama can give you power to search for your dream job or any activity you want to try. There are four characters with different stories about the role of "mom" in a life of a child.
So to all haters I would say, just think of something original by yourself ☺️

Leia Mais

Ill-defined and unfunny

I could stare at Lee Jun Ho all day long cos that man is both gorgeous and a talented actor which is why I hope he fires whoever told him to choose King the Land as a follow-up to the enrapturing drama that was The Red Sleeve. I tried so hard to care but I was bored of the excessive and sometimes vulgar display of wealth, likewise the ingrained classism that continues to permeate most K dramas. In addition, there was something so uncomfortably trite about yet another subservient female lead and her equally poor female friends. Like, aren't these showrunners tired of this formula? I certainly am.

This is deserving of a 1.5-star rating, however, the site moderators are a bit overwhelmed with the Arab Prince controversy and have been deleting anything below 3.5 stars, so that's what I'll have to rate it.

Leia Mais

Sloppy Show

Story was tolerable but it could have been much much better. The directing was terrible, they were too lazy, they did not care how the show turned out. Very disappointed.

The cast were good. I know the ML and FL and other cast members are good, however they can only do so much. The acting team could not show case the full potential due to the laziness of the production team.

There are several instances you could see that there was no effort to make a better show. Let us do the minimum and get by was the goal. If the production team is reading this review, I humbly request you to stop creating these types of shows and switch your career to something you would put some effort.

Leia Mais