Reviews

Pinocchio is definitely a slow burn. I liked Dal Po's conflicted and complicated character right off the bat. For me, more than anything, the intriguing story kept me more engaged than the romance, especially in the beginning-middle.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show's demonstration of how media and news really are. Fact is fact. You can't warp it into a distorted version of the fact. The show explores the consequences of media impact and the individualized sacrifices made along the way because of it. Pinocchio really pulled on those ideas and created a well-rounded world that was compelling to the viewer. If there was one sentence I could give Pinocchio, it would be: the truth always comes out. The theme of retribution keeps coming around throughout the drama. 'What comes around, goes around.' The audience also feels a sense of deja vu when past words comes back to haunt other characters.

Now, the main plot and dilemma. I liked how it played out. The brotherly relationship was poignant but also an explosive bomb waiting to happen because of all that has happened between them. However, although the plot is mostly pretty solid and concise, there were some aspects that felt rushed. I really wish they explored that plot line longer. The bromance and the strong sense of family got to me more than the romance which is surprising since I usually like romance dramas. Nevertheless, I appreciated that every decision, every word, said by characters had meaning; in other words, everything, for the most part, happened for a reason so there seemed to be little to no dragging.

I'm not sure why but In Na and Dal Po's chemistry just didn't click for me until around the 8th episode. I think their almost sibling-like relationship deterred me from completely falling for their chemistry.

I came in never seeing any dramas from Lee Jong Suk nor Park Shin Hye so I didn't have any bias. Shocker, I know. Lee Jong Suk's portrayal of emotions was raw and completely real. Shin Hye's character was blunt-loved her. Shin Hye made her hiccups so realistic that I almost believed Pinocchio was a real thing! Neither character outshone the other. In that respect, In Na and Dal Po complemented one another well, creating a more comfortable, rather than passionate chemistry. Because of that comfortable chemistry, their characters are always honest with each other and have complete trust in one another- it's great to watch! However, I didn't unequivocally trust their trust in each other until the 12th episode. It was then that I seriously respected In Ha and her love and trust in Dal Po.

I really liked the side characters, for the most part. In some dramas, the main couple is what keeps the drama alive. Here, the supporting cast makes the drama better, and more hilarious. I loved Cap and even the guy with the weird hair from YGN- Lee Pil Mo and Min Seung Wook respectively. I liked Jin Kyung in It's Okay that's Love but dang did she pull out acting chops here-completely amazing. Props to hyung as well, Yoon Gyun Sang; I'll definitely be on the lookout for your future works. I honestly didn't hate anyone since nearly everyone had their chance at redemption, which I wholeheartedly appreciated.

Music, unfortunately, was pretty mediocre, and forgettable.

I must say this though. I liked Pinocchio but I didn't fall in love with it. At the end of the day,though, Pinocchio is a great drama with lots of heart that explores morals, and has sincere relatable characters.

(8.5/9.5)

Leia Mais

One word: hooked.

If you're looking for a drama that will keep you hooked then don't hesitate! This one is so good! I LOVE this drama. It's one of the BEST kdrama I have yet to watch. Usually whenever I watch kdramas I always have to fast forward/skip some parts but in this drama I never had to because the pace omg... I love it. Please. I LOVE dramas with a quick pace! This drama is fabulous and IT'S NOT OVERRATED AT ALL.

Story: PERFECT. How did they ever think of such a good plot line? When I first saw that it was a soldier and doctor's love story I was like uh, this is an interesting mix but once I got in the drama I was like THIS IS GREAT. No plot holes. It was HILARIOUS and ofc it has your typical cheesy kdrama jokes but it was cute because it suit the main character's personality. I love how they remained consistent with their personalities because you can really see the development of the characters easily that way. It was brilliant and it flowed perfectly. It had a lot of English in it and there are foreigners in it which makes everything feel more realistic since it is about soldiers. I don't know how a blend of genres like this could happen but woooow it did and it's great! Oh and I usually HATE KDRAMA ENDINGS but wow this ending... please bring it on and make a DOTS2 lol. I WANT A DOTS2.

Acting/Cast: I'm just gonna be real lol... I watched this drama because of the cast. I have always been a fan of Song Joong Ki after Innocent Man, Song Hye Kyo (her beauty), and Kim Ji Won (her beauty). I never knew Jin Goo though but wow he's such a good actor. Onew was good as well. The cast did well and are a huge part in the reason why this drama came alive to me. I don't think any other actor would be as fitting as Song Joong Ki for Big Boss. The chemistry between the the 2 Songs (hah) were cute but I personally did not find them as cute as Jin Goo and Ji Won. THEY WERE PERFECT TOGETHER. Their love was so painful and trust me, they make you feel the pain. Whenever they were together my heart was warm and whenever they departed it hurt. Overall I loved the cast, I don't think this drama could have been this good if it had a different cast. If you watch this drama prepare to laugh and cry. I love it. Oh and just one last note, all of the cast are in their 30s besides Ji won who is 23. Just an impressive note.

Music: I. LOVE. ALL. OF. THE. OSTs.

Rewatch Value: I don't tend to rewatch but I might for this one... but I think giving us a DOTS2 would be better hey...

Overall: I have nothing more to say besides I WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND.

Leia Mais

I stepped out of my usual "comfort zone" rom-com dramas to watch this show, and I am extremely happy with that decision. You're All Surrounded is a little bit of everything. There is action, comedy, mystery, intrigue, and a touch of romance. Although the first episode, as usual, sets up the story, it was done very well and drew me in immediately.

Story - I thought the story was handled very well. There were lots of twists and turns that turned me into a "tv detective". You know - where you are sitting in your comfortable spot, watching your show and making guesses as to the "real" culprits and motives. :)
The only criticisms I have for this is that the cases handled by the detectives were too neatly intertwined (but it's a drama - not real life. We all know coincidences like this are not reality!), but they had to do this to move the story along. And also the Chief's backstory arc could have been stronger -I thought the concept was a little weak. Other than that, this show kept me very entertained and kept me intrigued about the mystery. The writers did a good job at drawing out the suspense and keeping you on your toes. I don't want to give away too much and spoil the enjoyment. I don't feel like there were any lagging or boring episodes and that every episode moved the story forward. There was a little bit of romance, but it was not the main focus of the story in any way.

Acting - The acting by the main cast was well done. Cha Seung Won did a wonderful job in this, as did Lee Seung Gi and Go Ara. I thought that the characters of Ji Gook and Tae Il were a little on the weak side, but I understand why their roles were not stronger stories. I think they did an okay job of acting out their roles as they were given. Tae Il was given a little bit of a backstory - but just enough to explain why he became a detective. Ji Gook wasn't given much of anything at all. They were just mainly there to help along the plot, so very much supporting roles and nothing else. The other side characters were well used and played their parts well.

Music - The music was not standout, but it served its purpose as a backdrop to what was happening on screen.

Re-watch value - I didn't mark the re-watch value very high because of the nature of the drama. Once the mystery and suspense are given away, then the second round doesn't have the same punch. However, it was very enjoyable and may be worth the RW regardless.

Overall - This is a fun and suspenseful show, and I think it's a worthy recommendation for drama lovers or even new kdrama watchers.

Leia Mais

I laugh really hard watching this KDrama :D I already hooked in this drama the moment i start watching it. Although the plot was common but the actors executed it well and made it look different from other marriage setup dramas. It is so revitalizing and fortifying. There was no dull and suburban scene. They also did a good job in their acting especially the female lead actor, her wittiness will make you cracked up. She was so enjoyable to watch, but she can also make you cry like a baby because she was good at drama too. :D Supporting actors were also good. The only problem is the acting of the lead actor. He's so lame and incompationate. When the scene needs high intense emotions, he was still not crying his eyes out. He was just staring at one place as if he was coma for art sake! Besides that, everything was cool! I love this drama, i loved this to the point that i woke up really early just to watch this until evening :) *Highly recommended*

Leia Mais

I really love gender bend stories. I know it's cheesy but when a man is questioning his sexuality, because he seems to like him/her in a special way, first of all it is hilarious and secondly it just holds the truth that love is blind, it has no boundaries.
I came across Bromance while it was still airing and decided to wait till it finishes. Since the rating is 8.0 I had my expectations pretty high but at the same time I kind of knew that I am not going to like it as much as other people did, because I have very high standarts. And sadly I was right, while it wasn't bad, it definitely doesn't deserve an 8.0.
The only thing that made this drama good was the two main characters and I am not even exaggerating.
The story and pacing is all over the place. At the start the story was progressing way too quickly and the second half was draaaaged on, there were hours of usseles fillers and sooo much cheeese. To be honest I don't even know if the thing that this drama had going on could be called a story. Bromance had just a few boring plot lines and the writers kept jumping between them so in the end I didn't care about the story at all. You could say it is a badly written slice of life. There were a lot of things that I wish they could have spent more time on like Zi Feng's past before he was adopted or the whole mafia thing...seriously why are they mafia? Why are they not mafia? What do they do? Am I the only one who was confused? Basically all the scenes with Zherui were stupid - unnecessary and unrealistic drama. The reason why Pi Ya Nuo dressed up as a man...I know it is hard to find a good reason for such a stupid thing but...really? Altogether the plot was uninteresting and pretty boring most of the time. There are more things I am unhappy about but spoilers...
Nonetheless the two main chatacters were such a delight. Zi Feng was very unique, he was a 'bad boy' but not a bad person, he was kind but not soft. I can not describe him well enought. There is one thing I have to give props to for this drama. I was uncomfortable during the first few episodes, because I couldn't get used to the fact that Pi Ya Nuo looks basically like a real man. She acted like a man, talked like a man but there were so many subtle things that made me think, "Ahh, she is a woman afterall" wich was perfect. While I did like Du Zi Feng and Pi Ya Nuo to bits, at first they seemed really weird, like their personalities were mature but they acted very childish. Later on I got used to it. I don't know, maybe that is just how humans are and I am just being stupid.
Other characters...*sigh*...most of them were fine, but that's all they were, the show could have perfectly continued without them. Then there were other characters that I didn't really like. For example Du Zi Han was such a mean bitch, I don't understand how no one seemed to mind that. Qing Yang - while I liked him at first, later on I noticed how stiff and boring he was. Bii's acting skills were pretty bad, but he's hot so I can forgive him since it didn't annoy me ;) I liked Han Shen's character development, but they didn't give him enough screen time wich is a real pity. While Na Na's character was very interesting and fun at first, later on I found myself uninterested, because her fate was predictable.
While the show as a whole is skippable, I still recommend it solely for Zi Feng and Ya Nuo, because they made this drama shine with their interesting personalities and undying love.

Leia Mais

There's nothing special and nothing terrible about this drama. It was fine. Yes, I skipped parts.
Wistful, storytelling, peaceful, weird sound cuts. It has a few Korean drama moments of surprise.
Woori is surprisingly fierce and determined to get what she wants. She's also no blushing idiot.
Well, she does become a bit of an idiot as the show goes on. But I like her face. She's so pretty!
I like that moment when Woo Young looks into her room and sees she's not in there. Captures a real human moment of looking at someone's area/possession and feeling that emptiness or that wondering of where they are.

Woori's new boy toy helps her out of every kind of scrape. He's doormat material until Woo Young challenges him. The male ego. So amusing to me.

Leia Mais

First of all I would like to say that it may scare away most people when they look at the 101 episodes but each episode has around half an hour and usually a Korean drama has about an 1h length? So we can see 51 episodes instead of 101? If it's that holding you from watching this drama then think that way, that's what I've did.

Overall it has a nice and enjoyable story with good acting but it's something that could have unfold with 20 episodes. It got me hocked because I got curious how the main couple story would end with all the plot and suffering. But I got a little disappointing towards the end, not because it was all bad but I think that everything was rushed. It's a shame because it could have been a great drama.

Leia Mais

This is a review for episode 1 only: Wu and Rainie's story.
I like the simplicity of their story. From strangers to acquaintance to meal buddies.
I also like the message within that love comes in many forms from fireworks and heart beating faster to comfortable relationship where one can share thoughts and feelings and being there for each other. The chemistry is good too. The only negative i wish the 2 otps have like another 15mins of screentime after the reconciliation.

Just to mention i did try several other episodes but found i couldnt immerse myself into it like i did with episode 1.

Ps you can watch without subs on maplestage

Leia Mais

This is a drama that I dropped after episode five, with no intention of ever finishing it, then actually went back to finish it anyway. Initially I liked the premise, but the show lost it's charm quickly. I think it was just too over the top at times for me to take it seriously, with super silly comedic parts, lots of dramatic tears, and a plot that tried to do way too much. Once I gave in to the style of the show, it started to become more watchable, but I never really fell in love with the story.

One issue is that I think there are too many main characters to focus on, making the story initially confusing, and it took way too long to set up all the relationships. It didn't help that I didn't find the characters lives very interesting until much later, and I think the cast is partially to blame.

I had a lot of problems with the overacting, and almost every cast member is guilty of it. Kim In Kwon and Kim Soo Ro are both charming in their roles, and I love their bromance, but they barely have screen time compared to the rest of the cast even though it's their story. Instead we have to rely on Rain and Oh Yeon Seo, who also have good chemistry, and are super cute eye candy, but their overacting multiplies by a million when they are together.

The only person I recognized in the main cast (and that was barely) is Rain. Rain looks so physically different that I didn't realize it was him, and I can't forgive his hairstylist for it. I loved Rain's cuteness in Full House, so I thought that would be a good sign. He has a lot of charming and adorable moments, but his dramatic moments were pretty bad. On the other hand, I did not remember Lee Min Jung being in Big, because I tried to block that show from my brain forever. She is equally unimpressive in this. She does share a few cute moments with Rain (very tame romance), and the cast playing her family (which I loved), but her dramatic moments were mostly a bore. Little Lee Re was the opposite, and made me cry several times. She was a much stronger actress than most of the adults. She should probably give her drama mom some lessons.

Oh Yeon Seo was hands down my favorite cast member, and I think she stood out as the only one able to handle the comedic and emotional scenes. Lee Ha Nui on the other hand was my least favorite. She is gorgeous, but her acting is comedically bad. I often laughed while she cried, making it hard to sympathize with her. Her character was also annoyingly arrogant, which doesn't help. Together they had a little bit of chemistry, but since it was so obvious that the show would stay far away from anything that came close to resembling a lesbian relationship, they never seemed like two people who actually loved each other. Then there's Choi Won Young as the one note bad guy, and the perfect bad acting match for Lee Ha Nui. I think I mentally skipped all of their scenes together. I would rather watch Lee Tae Hwan stand there... that would've been much more captivating

The other problem is that the story is super ambitious... unfinished business and revenge, 2 love triangles, gangster rivalries, family drama, family secrets, celebrity scandal, a chaebol war, oh and the whole afterlife thing... and it takes a long time to get it all straight. The writers do a good job of making all the pieces fit together eventually, but It wasn't until the halfway point that the story started getting interesting to me. There were a few moments when the writers managed to get me in the feels too, in spite of my not being that into the story, and I did tear up more than once. The fact that this drama did get more interesting as it progressed, instead of getting worse, is impressive though, and having a pretty good ending made me not regret watching it till the end. I also think it might even be better to watch it again after knowing all the characters, and the plot twists.

My favorite part of the show may actually be the soundtrack, which had a lot of tracks that I really liked on it. The Moonlight track in particular, which grew on me like the show did.

Overall, "Please Come Back, Mister" was not bad, but it's not good enough for me to recommend either. I don't think those who dropped it like I did are missing anything. I also understand why those who like the beginning episodes, and kept watching, gave it such high ratings. If you do decide to watch it, and you love the first 4 episodes, you will probably really love it by the end. Otherwise, I recommend lowering any expectations of greatness. I'd say don't take the story too seriously, trust that everything will eventually make sense, ignore minor plot holes, and give in to the bad acting moments.

For me it was the perfect filler drama to watch while waiting on episodes from more intense on air dramas - Oh, and Rain is often shirtless, so that's a definite BONUS. At the heart of this drama is a lighthearted look at how we live our lives, and how we effect those we leave behind when we go. Sometimes we may need to yell at the screen about what a stupid way to die that was, then relax and watch a drama like this, in order to remind ourselves what is truly important.

Leia Mais

"I have a winning strategy."

While you'll come to love that catchphrase if you watch Liar Game, it wouldn't surprise me if it were actually spoken by the producer who first pitched the idea of a Korean version of this classic Japanese manga story. If so, they were right: from the beginning of this fast-paced drama, all the way to its closing minutes, it gets its hooks in the viewer and never lets go. There are twists and surprises in every episode and you won't be able to resist the urge to predict what's going to happen next.
Although Liar Game is held back slightly by the clichés it employs (causing some of the twists to be too predictable), it is ultimately a satisfying ride for any fan of intrigue.

STORY
It takes about an episode and half or so for this story's manga roots to show. If you have any experience with Japanese manga/anime like Yu-Gi-Oh, Hikaru no Go, or even ones themed around sports, you'll immediately recognize the format of this show. Main Character is tasked with winning a complicated game against challenging opposition > Main Character uses math/numbers/cleverness to win said game > plot twist creates problem > Main Character uses quick thinking to overcome the problem and win the game at the last second in dramatic fashion. While Liar Game deviates from this formula slightly at times, you can still expect to see those steps play out for each major chapter of the plot. The major twist of the plot, too, is painfully cliché, especially if you're familiar with popular Japanese storytelling.
However, despite Liar Game's plot being rather formulaic, the twists and the games are consistently interesting, and the characters involved have all the charisma anyone could ask for from this premise. And clichés aren't bad if they're executed well, which Liar Game does with aplomb.
For more details on the story itself, just analyze the promo poster for this show that's probably in the upper right hand corner of your screen right now. That one picture basically explains the entire premise perfectly.

ACTING/CAST
If you start Liar Game, this category will likely be the reason you stick with it. Most of the Supporting Roles here will be in almost every episode, and they'll be important. So with an Ensemble Cast this big, each actor needs to bring something to the table that will grab the attention of the audience. They succeed. Choi Jin Ho, Park Jae Hoon, and Jo Jae Yun are the best of the supporting cast, but the top spot really goes to Lee El, who gives maybe the second-best performance in the show. How Lee El finds herself stuck in Supporting Roles after this performance makes no sense to me. She's unbelievably watchable and gorgeous to boot. She deserves bigger roles.
Of course, with any good drama, the Main Roles absolutely shine. Lee Sang Yoon is his usual self: very watchable and good-looking. Really, his only job is to step in front of a camera, look "less Korean" with that face of his, and not ruin the scene. And he does that perfectly. The guy is great. The female Lead, Kim So Eun, was essentially born to roles like this one: a perfect, sweet, naive angel. She just has the face for it, and like many of her peers, her eyes project an earnestness that befits the character. She's easy to like, easy to fall for; a good "helpless damsel" character, but with enough of a spin that she's not boring. Watching her in this is like watching a puppy: it never gets boring and you can't help but go "awwww" every few moments.
But the actor that really bumped the score here from an 8.5 to a 9.5 all on his own was, without a doubt, Shin Sung Rok. When I first saw him in You Who Came From The Star, I thought "Yikes... that face...!" But when I saw that he was in this, I thought "Oh good, that face!" Never has anyone in the world had such a perfect villain's face, and you will want to see him on screen more and more the more you see him. Beyond that, though, the way SSR *uses* his face in his role here is what will blow your mind. If you love villains, Liar Game has the perfect one for you.

MUSIC
Liar Game's vocal songs are unremarkable and forgettable. However, the incidental music is actually quite good. Music is critical in building tension in shows like this one, and the job is done well here. It's unlikely that the Liar Game soundtrack is going to sell a ton of copies or pull in more viewers, but it does what it needs to do and does it well.

REWATCH VALUE
Sadly, with shows that center on intrigue and mystery, you can't expect a ton of rewatchability. What keeps you hooked is not knowing what's coming next, so in general these sorts of shows will score low here. What helps Liar Game to achieve an 8/10 in this category is the cast. There are several performances that would be worth watching multiple times. However, the RV could have been even higher had they seeded a few more major plot mystery hints throughout the earlier episodes. Still, Liar Game doesn't hurt in this area if Rewatching dramas is your thing.

OVERALL
Liar Game is a thrilling, if familiar, mystery show with a stellar ensemble cast that will keep you guessing until the very end. If you enjoy Japanese manga/anime stories and have somehow never been exposed to Liar Game until now, this one should not be missed. If you're just looking for a fun, quick kdrama, Liar Game is perfect for you, too. Watch it for the story, stay for Shin Sung Rok. You won't regret it.
Or maybe you will? Maybe this was all an elaborate ruse. Maybe I am Shin Sung Rok. But as they say in Liar Game...

"If you want to know the truth, you have to play the game."

Leia Mais