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The don't make them like this anymore... and I'm glad they don't.
After I Hear Your Voice I was looking forward to another drama by the same writer/PD team and with the same ML, but Pinocchio is kind of a hot mess:1. Red flag romance where FL is alternately ML's emotional punching bag or cheerleader while ML can't decide between punishing her or himself for their relationship.
2. A plot that's a series of coincidences explained by the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon which is... a choice.
3. Guessing game of "who's the real villain" where the real villain turns out to be the most cliche option possible.
5/10 for an important underlying message about journalistic integrity, touching side stories and a strong ensemble cast. Otherwise, it was hit or miss for me and mostly miss. The story picks up pace after a slow start, but then drags to the point where by Ep12 it lost the thread, by Ep16 it should have been a wrap and at Ep18 it was simply dead in the water. There's some compelling plot lines that get abruptly cut off and a total change of focus in the second half that replaces the previous themes with a revelation that's nothing more than another generic corruption plot. Yawn.
The romance was more rage inducing than yawn inducing. I'm wary of older dramas exactly because of dynamics like this one. ML is an emotionally immature jerk who every once in a while makes a grand gesture which magically redeems all his other behavior. Yes, he has tough circumstances - but continually taking out your trauma on someone else is a HUGE red flag. And FL just rolls with the punches - she even apologizes to him (more than once!) for not being more understanding. There's a few scenes where she asserts herself but she's mostly a sponge for ML's man pain.
Speaking of FL, I expected her to play a much larger role in this drama considering it's literally about her family and she's the one with the titular Pinocchio syndrome but somehow ML is always the center of attention. FL struggles for years to get a job in journalism - genius ML does it in three months. FL builds a relationship with her mom - she torches it in favor of ML's revenge. FL's family is torn apart when ML's identity comes out - she's more worried about him than them. She isn't given much agency or identity outside of her romance with ML which is another HUGE red flag.
Even SML and SFL exist just to provide comic relief or act as plot devices to further ML's story. The rest of the ensemble cast is great and frankly far more interesting, but to waste two leads like that is incredibly lazy writing.
The best thing I can say about Pinocchio is it has a good message and tries to portray people in tough situations attempting to do the right thing. But that gets drowned in the noise of the other needless drama.
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A good drama, albeit a bit overhyped
This is a well crafted, well written and above all, rightfully applauded drama for all the right reasons. Most of the characters are layered, have intriguing personalities and goals and are acted well, to boot. The flow of the story is mostly consistent, with a few weird choices which were pulled off adequately. Like others said, the synopsis for this drama definitely makes it out a rather boring slice-of-life show, when it`s so much more. Despite this, it didn`t wow me as it did other users on here. My issue with this drama lies in my own taste however, which have eventually led me to not be as invested in the whole presentation, nor connect with the characters. First off, I have to critique the title a bit from the get-go. While interesting and eye-catching, In-ha`s Pinocchio Syndrome definitely has the least to do with the story, despite being the selling point of the show. I wish they showed a lot more of In-ha and Dal-po when they were growing up, as that would let us see their relationship and connect with them in that period a little more. It would surely add weight to Dal-po`s emotions and torment of ending it for good with her. Although semi-romantic, I hesitate to categorize this drama under romance as well, as it definitely takes a big backseat over the reporting aspect of the story.Another issue I had was with the second villain of the story. Bum-jo`s mom is an...interesting choice for a villain. While In-ha`s mom had a whole story arc where I genuinely felt for her(it also helped that she was acted by one of the best actresses of the Korean drama world) and was obviously thought out meticulously, I feel like the Chairwoman was an alternative rather than a planned out villain. She felt rather cartoonish at times and I just didn`t feel anything when she finally did confess in that final scene. I would say this drama was at its best when exploring relationships between In-ha and her mother and Dal-po and his brother. Everything afterwards honestly felt like filler. And I have to reiterate, the characters were written really well. The situations they were put in however...eh, give or take. At times I felt like they couldn`t find a way to correctly develop someone like In-ha, for example so they put her and Dal-po in these rather stereotypical situations where I could already predict why they would break up, how and that`s purely my fault. While I didn`t fall head over heels for this drama, I admit it`s technically very, very good, it just needs to strike the chord with the right person. With me, it was half right.
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I like this drama.
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Draggy and sometimes outright ridiculous
It had a strong start, I loved the characters and the initial story, I was able to ignore some silly things... up until around episode 10 when it just got too much. The fast paced plot that went from their childhood to teen years and then adulthood suddenly stopped when they became eternal journalist trainees.The plot relied on coincidences and weird notions(why the hell would every student but one be able to afford 1,000 dollars backpacks, why would someone be fired over 60 cents, the fact that in-ha is not creeped out by the stalker that is supposed to be the second lead, the main leads' romance moving quickly for them to suddenly separate because of god knows what)
The characters always ended up bumping into each other conveniently for the plot, in one episode there were always three or four really unrealistic coincidences.
All the main plot points were already resolved by like episode 8 (the male lead's identity, his adoptive father's disease, the brothers meeting, the brother's revenge and imprisonment, the romance). I felt no reason to keep watching
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The evil people were evil good too and yoon yoo rae was annoying at first but it just fit her character to be obnoxious, it had several eye candys. LSH, seo bum jo, cap hwang. I need an extended scene btwn cap and yoo rae, theres something cute going on. Wanjon great show MUST SEE
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
I have been going through the works of Lee Jong Suk and I had previously thought that nothing could top W for me but this might just have done it. I will attempt to remain as spoiler free as possible in my review.The plot is really interesting and keeps you on the tips of your toes. While the focus on the Pinocchio syndrome and the importance of truth is a large part of the plot, the title of this show does not do justice to the true driving point of this plot. Brilliantly mentioned offhand at the start of the show, the six degrees of Kevin Bacon and the idea that you may not be so far removed from a stranger as you thought is what provides a beautiful tension in this show and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The acting is fantastic and really lets you get to know what these characters are thinking and feeling. Lee Jong Suk is once again playing the role of man whose family died under unexplained circumstances who is searching for answers (such a specific type cast) but this doesn't mean that he doesn't bring anything new to the character. On the contrary, I found myself most drawn to his character in this show over his others, partially because he felt the most human to me. The main female lead is as equally well done and shows that it is possible to be a strong and brave character while still having vulnerabilities. All the supporting cast was fantastic and were never treated as fodder. Each character was well developed. The main villains of the show were astounding. Kudos for providing villains that still maintained human traits and flaws.
My one complaint is that I didn't particularly find any of the OST that exciting. Compared to W or I Hear Your Voice which I had just watched (I told you, I'm going through all his shows) none of the songs got stuck in my head the same way. So, that is a little disappointing. But, its not enough to majorly detract from the show. And, I plan on rewatching it many times. :)
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Nice Surprise
Pinocchio was definitely a nice surprise, and if I hadn't found the last few episodes a tad underwhelming, could have scored a 9.5 or even perhaps a 10 as a final rating. The story was easy to follow, made sense, and had the right amount of characters to keep the interest going. The chemistry between the two main leads was definitely there, and while I did lose the connection with Pinocchio when it came to the final few episodes, I still have to admit that the two main leads here are one of my favourite on-screen couples I've witnessed to date. I also really liked the OST and acting and chemistry of nearly all the other cast members.Pinocchio was definitely a nice surprise and I am sad now that I have finished it. There were a few cast members that I were unfamiliar with before watching this, and now since watching Pinocchio, I am interested in watching their other work. I recommend this drama to anyone and everyone.
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I have to admit that at first I had to get used to things a little bit but from the moment it happened I did nothing but enjoy the show. The characters were amazing and interesting. Some of them are still very high on my list of characters that i like the most. The characters were given some pretty nice development which I'm very greatful for. The story was amazing as well. Although It didn't explain everything that I'd have wanted to know but aside from that I can't really complain.
Not long after I finished it, I made a friend watch it with me. It was her first korean drama too so thanks to Pinocchio, both me and my friend became huge kdrama fans. I'd sincerely recommend this drama to anyone who finds the summary even a little bit interesting.
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Starting off, Pinocchio had such a fantastic story. I honestly don't know how it's possible to not marathon this drama. Even when I picked back up on this drama (I started at ep 11 yesterday), I marathoned those eps in one night. Just completed it now. This is a story about a boy's family who was destroyed due to news' reporters untrue reporting, turning the country against them. That same boy (Dal Po/Ha Myung) grows up despising reporters, but decides to become one because of In Ha. In Ha grew up wanting to become a reporter just like her mother (who abandoned her). Together, they learn how to become excellent reporters while dealing with their feelings for one another. There's much more to it, but you have to watch to find out. I also think this drama is so original with the "Pinocchio syndrome" which is when you hiccup whenever you lie. In Ha has it so it makes her the blunt type of character I love.
Every single actor did an amazing job at bringing these character to life. My favorite character was In Ha, it's very rare for me to come across a female character who never annoys me (not once) and who I genuinely root for 100% of the time. I respect In Ha so much, she never disappointed me once. She's the type of character whose values I admire, and that's probably the reason I'm so drawn to her. I feel like she made the right choice in every situation, and I can't help but to love her. Park Shin Hye did an excellent job portraying her. Now Dal Po/Ha Myung, played by Lee Jong Suk, was absolutely fantastic! Such a smart and intuitive character he is. I went through all the emotions with him.
Besides the excellent cast and acting, this drama has excellent excellent excellent writing. I really and truly mean it. If you want to hear the best character monologues, watch this drama. I get shivers just thinking about it. The truth these characters spit is chilling, and man oh man will you be rooting for them when they do so. The music is also very good.
As much as I loved Pinocchio, I don't think I'd rewatch it. It's not like it would be a chore, but I just tend to not rewatch kdramas in general because their too long. But if I feel reminiscent, I don't think I'd mind rewatching it. As I said before, this is an excellent drama. It never drags or gets boring. The love story is sweet, but it's not even that which makes me enjoy this drama so much. It's the characters' growth as reporters, what it means to be one, how to get to the bottom of a story. Oh, how I love it so much. If there's anything I'm not too fond of in this drama, it's the way it tries to make us sympathize with In Ha's mother. I'm okay with it, and it by no means ruins the story, but I wouldn't have minded if they didn't make her sympathetic. Anyways, I really really really loved this drama, it's a good one, and I highly recommend it. There aren't a lot of kdramas that mean something to me, but this one has made the list. Pinocchio is definitely worth the watch, and I guarantee you won't walk away empty-hearted.
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I liked the main couple. They're both great actors and had good chemistry. A lot of the supporting characters were quite fun, too. Huge cast in this one.
The OST, which tends to be a huge part of dramas, was completely unmemorable. So, if the same song playing each and every episode is something you find annoying, this is the drama for you! I don't even know if this show has a specific OST (though I assume it does).
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I laughed a lot of at the YGN's riporter who worn headband :DD And I liked Yoon Yoo Rae in the end. It's not a bad drama, I offer for everybody. Riporters' life in South-Korea is very interesting. Oh...and the music enjoyable for my soul. :)
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