Controversial from the very title, but an overall interesting premise. This drama was something I stumbled upon while browsing through choices on Netflix. Its main themes were love, music and the social hierarchy, and it had great reviews. That seemed like a recipe for a successful show, or rather one I would enjoy. Let's examine why it didn't fully reach my expectations.

STORY
The controversial concept of an older lady falling in love and having an affair with a young man (and a student at that) is a taboo topic that is rarely approached in movies and shows. This drama approaches it very well and I have no complaints there. With that said, it starts off really interesting but by the time you reach the end of this drama, you might feel like you've aged ten years. Everything was really dragged from a certain point. The whole corporate storyline was confusing (but I'm sure it's just because the Netflix subtitles were awful) and a whole lot boring towards the end. The suspense of the forbidden love is what kept me going until the end.

ACTING/CAST
The casting choice was very interesting. Though the supporting roles lacked the ability to capture my interest, the main actors stole the show for me. Yoo Ah In is a fan favorite and I absolutely loved his acting. It was superb and exhilarating. He managed to capture the essence of a young and passionate pianist who falls deeply in love with an older woman who finds him as astonishing as he finds her. Kim Hee Ae was a bombshell in this drama. Swept me off the feet with her charismatic elegance. She portrays a strong female character who is a slave to the corporate system and manages to correct her errors by finding herself in the arms of a young student. Hye Won is in a loveless marriage when she meets Sun Jae. The actors have incredible chemistry and for a moment you seem to forget they aren't supposed to be catching feelings. But as I said, everyone else seemed stiff in comparison to them.

MUSIC
Everything in the drama revolves around the art of music. Hye Won and Sun Jae fall in love by their mutual love of piano. Those were my favorite parts of the drama. Whenever there were scenes of Sun Jae playing the piano, I gushed so hard. Yoo Ah In manages to pull off being a virtuoso pianist so well. You could feel the energy emanating from the screen. It might be boring to those who perhaps don't enjoy classical music, but it was a breath of fresh air in my opinion.

OVERALL
I will not rewatch this, simply because I think it could have been shorter thus more enjoyable. Those who like realistic portrayal of love, the struggles of meeting your own expectations and those of the society, will enjoy this drama. And those who like Yoo Ah In too, I guess. (He was great in Chicago Typewriter, but he is on a whole different level here.) It is mostly worth it for those who study music. For me, it's a tad bit nerve-wracking and slow paced.

Leia Mais

After reading the short summary, I envisioned something completely different than what I've just watched. But it still didn't disappoint at all. I quite like the Grim Reaper characters in tv shows so this was a must watch for me. The formula for success is dark, handsome and clueless main characters, apparently.

STORY
Throughout the first seven or eight episodes I was completely confused. It may seem like at first nothing really makes sense or the story isn't really going anywhere. But if you stay until the end, only then will it make complete sense. It also seems like a cliche, a detective falls for the woman who helps him solve the cases, but it's really not that simple. The last two episodes had me bawling my eyes out. It's emotional and the crimes are cleverly intertwined and it grabs your attention from the start. The first scene in the show makes so much sense in episode 17. I was a bit disappointed by the last few minutes though. Not the most satisfying ending to an overall great show.

ACTING/CAST
There isn't really much to say about the casting choice. Everyone is really good at portraying their characters and my favorite would be either Detective Han or Ha Ram's father. Although, I wish we got to know his side of the story a little bit better. All the supporting roles are amazing as well.

MUSIC
There was this one song that each time it played, I prepared myself for a heartwrenching moment. It's a nice soundtrack, the music isn't that important since the story itself is always progressing and gripping that you don't have time to pay attention to the background noise.

OVERALL
It's a great show that I'll end up rewatching again. It's not for the faint of heart since it has a lot of gory scenes, details and deaths. The climax of the story is amazing, but the end fell a bit short for me. Still, recommend it to those who like detectives and crime stories.

Leia Mais

Romcom disguised as fantasy/horror

For a Netflix show, this has some crappy CGI. But it didn't really put me off as the whole show is more silly and comedic than serious and horrific as I've been led to believe by the trailer. If you are planning on watching this, prepare for 20 long episodes whose storyline could've easily been shortened to 12-15 episodes max. It's a whole lot of fun with plot holes galore.

STORY
The series follows demons who are trying to become deities and an airheaded human who can see them, who's also destined to save the world (even though the stakes never seem so high). The premise of the main storyline is extremely interesting even though it's nothing new in dramas, but it ultimately failed to wow me in the last episode in which the entire story seems to plummet into a confusion of random developments. Stories following the side characters were much more fun and engaging to me, but only one of them is completely wrapped up in a satisfied way (Ma Wang's story). By far my favorite was the potential of the geumganggo and I would've loved to see so much more done with it (philosophically and otherwise), but I'm also satisfied with the story we got along with it.

ACTING/CAST
Through the first part of the drama I was absolutely in love with Lee Seung Gi's portrayal of Son Oh Gong, but by the end all of the side characters really stole the show for me. Perhaps my favorite was Jin Seon Mi's coworker Lee Han Joo because he is so ridiculously human as opposed to all of the other demons/evil spirits which was refreshing. Also, whoever was the costume designer behind Ma Wang's and Son Oh Gong's coats and eclectic formalwear... Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. As for the female lead, I have nothing to say bc wow, she was boring and she could've been done so much better. Other female characters were done so dirty or were just underdeveloped (Secretary Ma, Bu Ja, Summer Fairy, Alice even).

MUSIC
If ''Let Me Out'' and ''When I Saw You'' isn't featured in an episode of Hwayugi, is it even Hwayugi? Those two songs and ''If We Were Destined'' are my favs. Others are ambiental and nice, it's a good soundtrack, albeit forcing some songs too much and too often.

OVERALL
I probably won't rewatch it, unless there's going to be a second season after that open and ambiguous ending (but that's sth that the Hong sisters are famous for, so there's probably not going to be another season). It's fun and silly and brimming with crappy CGI and great side characters, it never takes itself too seriously even though I wish it has at certain times. This is for people who like bromances and overpowered main characters, who don't mind crap effects and long shows.

Leia Mais

Of course I had to watch Coffee Prince after falling in love with  Gong Yoo's acting. Of course. But one of my friends warned me that old dramas aren't that good, that they're less relatable and some even have horrible production value. Despite that, I watched Coffee Prince. And, oh boy, I'm so glad I did. This is obviously a classic in the drama world. I watched it ten years after it came out, but the humor and some problems are still relatable. Gong Yoo had amazing wardrobe choices (if you have a preference for good fashion, watch him in Goblin). And the subject of gender bending is tackled really nicely.

STORY
Girl dressing as a boy trope is my guilty pleasure. Naturally, I really enjoyed it in this drama because Yoon Eun Hye really looks like a cute boy. I don't want to go too deep into the story, but I'd like to point out that for a 2007 drama, it's an original concept. I would've wanted to know more about the side characters and less about the romance between Choi Han Seong and Han Yoo Juu (I found them to be a boring couple tbh). The angsty romance and quirky characters made it so enjoyable. The ending was cute, but left me with a lot of questions as well.

ACTING/CAST
I really have no complaints about the actors. All of the main roles done their jobs really well. There were some annoying characters and overly acted scenes, but I'm brushing that aside. Gong Yoo's chaebol character was my favorite. He frustrated me so much, but I loved him for it. Also, Kim Chang Wan's character made me die of laughter.

MUSIC
I was too engrossed in the story to pay much attention to the music, but listening back to the OST made me remember some scenes with fondness.

OVERALL
It takes some time to get involved in the story, but I promise it's worth it. It doesn't have tragic parts that make you so sad, I didn't really cry while watching, but I had so much fun and laughed so much. If you're looking for a fluffy romantic comedy and you're also able to watch them use flip phones without cringing, then this is the drama for you.

Leia Mais

For my first ever drama review, I wanted it to be a review for Goblin. Personally, Goblin was an amazing journey for me. When I watched the first episode, I felt like waking up from a sleep I didn't know I was in. To some, it is overrated. And, yes, maybe it is. But it's the kind of drama that you need to experience before dwelling into other genres. I felt a personal connection to all the characters and to the story itself. It has great production value and an amazing cast.

STORY
The storyline of Goblin is simple, but throughout the episodes, you get to see different aspects of it. It branches out in a lot of ways, but stays the same until the end. Scenes from the past get repeated a bit too much, but I felt it was necessary because each time they brought some new emotions and even paralleled with scenes in the present time. Story of the past ties nicely with the present (and eventually future). The show doesn't leave you confused and, although it is in times predictable, leaves you wanting to know why certain things happened.

ACTING/CAST
A set of amazing actors who portray their characters so well that you will laugh with them, cry with them and even be agitated by the same things as they are. Gong Yoo is without a doubt perfect for this show as is Lee Dong Wook, Kim Go Eun and Yoo In Na. Others in supporting roles are great as well. All secondary characters actually have interesting backstories that go well with the main story.

MUSIC
The OST is simply amazing. One of the best soundtracks I've ever heard. Each song is beautiful and appropriate for each scene. I find myself playing the OST on repeat a lot. Music is always a big part of shows and here it really emphasizes all the emotions. (Sometimes you hear a specific song and you just KNOW what's about to happen - you will either cry or die of laughter.)

OVERALL
I will most definitely rewatch Goblin. Tbh, it's my favorite drama of all time (probably because it's my first). Honestly, with the writing and the production value, it's no wonder Goblin is a fan favorite. It really touched me and opened my eyes to so many things. It often left me laughing and crying at the same time which no show so far has done for me. Definitely recommend to everyone, even though it might not be everyone's cup of tea. For me, it wasn't just a cup, it was a whole bowl of tea.

Leia Mais