Sh**ting Stars (2022)

Not enough story to fill 16 episodes

Really enjoyable up to episode 9. After that it's just useless fillers with additional useless storylines to fill the minutes... which couldn't even last until episode 14. Yes. I'm not kiding. Even the filler plots were so weak and useless that it lasted only until the middle of episode 13 and after that... It's fillers after fillers. It's sweet and will give you cavities if you're craving sugar... But personally, I like sweetness that goes somewhere, not snippets of unrelated scenes stuck together. Also, I wasn't invested in any of these relationships by the end of the drama given how draggy it went... so that unfortunately made me also fall out of love with it.
When I started this show... I was sure to give it a strong 9 which when down to 8.5 which went down to 7 which went down to 5.

It doesn't help that I was watching this during the same period that Lovely Runner aired which stroke the perfect balance between lots of sweetness and humor tinged with a bit of sadness and thriller plots. The comparison was just unavoidable. This drama attempted the same for 7 episodes but failed poorly at everything.... and it felt poorly notably because it was not presented to us from the beginning. We were offered a love/hate relationship with two characters who secretly loved each other and that was IT. At each new plot they added (the secret mother, anti-fan number 1, number 2 and number 3), I was left with a feeling of "What was exactly the point of these storylines in the story?". It was poorly executed, pointless and so on and so forth. It didn't feel like they were organically weaved to the main story but rather that they were added just to feel the 7 remaining episodes i.e almost HALF of the series.

It terms of production... It's a K-drama... They do things well BUT there was no cinematic flair at all. I've seen enough Rom Com to know there's way better directing you can do on a rom com. This felt extremely generic and very lazy.

[And I didn't comment about the whole "Africa" debacle... But I COMPLETELY get why people were pissed since I also was. I didn't take it into account for my ratings. I've just decided to erase it from my memory since I think they had good intentions... but it seriously backfired]

Should have stopped at 10 episodes... 12, if I'm being generous. But 16? Gimme a break!

Lire davantage

Unexpected heart for a drama about disillusionment

Shi**ing Stars... shows that a Kdrama CAN have it all...
A love triangle that isnt toxic.
Comedy that makes you laugh but never once veers into zany.
Multiple Bromances.
Supportive females without a catty one in the bunch.
Plot twist that surprises you but doesnt change the tone of the drama.
"Real" relationships that dont use false plot points such as white trucks of doom or crazy schemes to keep them together or force them apart.
A surprising amount of heart for a drama about being jaded with the kdrama industry.
If you havent given it a chance... (get past episode one) and you should love it.

Lire davantage

Good Light Romance drama

The story isn’t too unique but the chemistry between youngdae and sungkyung is amazing.

It portrays the celebrity lifestyle fantastically- even the many twist with no endings.

Side characters are built up great and there are characters who don’t have a definite ending but it also adds lot to their character - not everything has a beginning and end.

To be quite honest; the chemistry between youngdae and sungkyung became the main reason I enjoyed it and its extremely satisfying to see that last few episodes were just them enjoying their romance.

Lire davantage

What Africa are they talking about??

To preface this, I am Malawian and have been living here my whole life. Ive also visited and schooled in several different African countries.

When watching this drama, i admittedly laughed a little at the scenes 'in Africa'. But i didnt laugh because it was genuinely comedic, i laughed because they were borderline ignorant and, imo, rude. We have water in Africa. We have beautiful homes. We have CIVILISATION. We also have 54 freaking countries in Africa, it is a continent not a country. Yes there are poor countries here in need of help, but there are poor countries that need help in Asia too. The portrayal of Africa in this show is not only erroneous but uneducated and frankly quite supremist (that is, painting Korea as superior to the continent as a whole).

I loved the drama, but it couldve done without the ridiculous scenes.

Also, what the heck was up with the Lion King theme song? Now i know y'all are NOT fr.

Lire davantage

A beautiful story of beautiful and hardworking people

Honestly my expectations were really low from this drama but it turned out to be a really good one.

Story: Story is simple, nothing new. The teams promote and solve the problems of their actors. First half of the drama revolves around the managers and the main leads, second half involves the past of ML and the all the problems thrown at him. Last two episodes are really beautiful with all the good people getting rewarded for their hardwork.

Acting:
LSK: Is really knows her character well, she performed all her scenes greatly. Her chemistry with the ML is fantastic.
KYD: Played his role amazingly. He knows how to act as a star and be an immature behind the set. His emotional scenes were great to watch, he can get all your attention towards him.
Others: I m not seperately mentioning all the actors as there are too many. Actors playing the manager roles were really great, they had a really good dynamics with their actors playing actors. Other than these there were the side stories of others, who have to act as rookie, spoiled, confused, joyfull etc, which they did amazingly.

Characters:
FL: She is an amazing character who is kind of "hate" the ML but also cares about him dearly. She is a very intelligent person who gets the job done and know how to do it efficiently. She also supports her boyfriend and is there for him whenever he needs her even before they get together. Her dynamics with other people is hilarious and touching.
ML: A top star who is kind of childish yet a loving and caring person. Is has always cared for the FL and did things for her even without her knowing. Is gets jealous easily, wants the FL attention and does funny stuffs. He becomes a good boyfriend and a good friend/coworker to the people her works with.
Lawyer guy: Thought is would be a strict and annoying guy but her is actually really funny and good. His back and forth with the ML is fun to watch. He also has a good chemistry with the reporter lady.
ML' manager(KYS):A really sweet guy who is loved by everyone, he is trusted by everyone and he is really smart too. He really cares for his people especially the ML.
Ho Young: Cute, sweet and hardworking, she doesn't give up easily, deeply care for her stars. Her and KYS have a good relationship.
Others from the agency and Han Dae Soo: These are all good people, they are no antagonists, they are supportive and funny.

Likes: Great chemistry, great friendships and good romances. The ML is surrounded by good people who deeply and actually cares about him. The side story of YuNa and Jae Hyun is fun to watch. Then we have an actress who is a huge fan of the ML and she is really a good person. There is no good guy turing bad scenario. Last two episodes that showed the three couples and the funny moments with them. Everybody gets what they deserves at the end.

Dislike: They spent too much time on the story of someone wanting to destroy the ML, it could have been solved really quick but they kind of stretched it. Also they threw one after another bad guys towards the ML after the second half. Could have done better with the main couple after they got together. The mother returns and the dead friend story was also took way too much time.

Overall: It is a good light hearted romcom, which not just focuses on the romance and the main leads but to other characters and their story too. It has many funny, romantic, emotional moments. Acting and characters dynamics is great too.

Lire davantage

so cute i shat tears

11/10 will watch again.
Is it cheesy at times? Yes.
Does it make my heart warm inside? Also yes.

Sh**ting Stars doesn't have the BEST plot of all time, but for me it's the ultimate comfort show that brought me a lot of joy during an admittedly challenging process in my life. It's so incredibly wholesome - from the chemistry, witty banter and occasional 4th wall breaking - I absolutely adored it all. I also appreciate how the characters are so emotionally mature and communicative with their partners. While the show did take some creative liberties, it is ultimately a rom-com that knows how to make hearts flutter.

I also appreciated the effort the team put into the more darker themes of the show (eg: abandonment issues, suicide, public scrutiny, workplace pressure etc.) Although it wasn't fully delved into, it was solid enough to be believable. As the show is ultimately a "rom-com", I understand the decisions made regarding these even though it can considered "shallow" from an objective point of view. It added some depth to the characters and the way they are, nor did it ruin my viewing experience.

I love how all the characters each have their distinctive personalities and how they're all so supportive all each other. It's a nice break from reality and a comfort show with lots to give.

If I have to describe it a physical sense, it's like a cup of tea on a rainy day. It's not extraordinary or groundbreaking, but its something that can warm you and take your mind off things, even if it's just for a little bit.

Lire davantage

Loved it!

Just finished Shooting Stars on Viki!

Excellent show.

A mainly light-hearted, character-driven romantic comedy with some serious moments. The highs and lows of fame, abandonment and anti-fandom are some of the issues/themes explored in the show. There are two serious subplots dealing with abandonment and anti-fandom (never heard of this before) that I found fascinating. Whereas most romcoms have a first and second couple, there are at least 4 couples here and they're all different with their own levels of cuteness that romcom fans will love.

The soundtrack is nice and serves the show well and of course, the cinematography, editing and direction are first class (all K-Dramas, actually) and acting is solid from the main and supporting cast. Each episode also moves quickly.

Lee Syung Kyung and Kim Young-Dae are solid. My favorite moments featured a supporting appearance by the excellent Choi Ji-Woo, who I recently saw in Winter Sonata. She brought such presence to her scenes and it took the story into a different and deeper place.

If you're a romcom K-Drama fanatic, this show has your name on it as you're going to love the ending. Highly recommended.

Lire davantage

A simple, sweet and beautiful story which revolves around work, friendship and love. It beautifully portrays the struggle of an actor and the team that works hard to make them shine. It also made me realise that you can find someone important anywhere and anytime in life, to Gong Tae Sung who found a brother like figure in Kang Yoo Sung, a coffee friend in Do Soo Hyuk & a partner in Oh Han Byul. When I watched the drama I could feel the regret, sadness, longing and love of character the actors wanted to portray. Loved the chemistry between Oh Han Byul & Gong Tae Sung and the other actors did a good job as well. It's a thumbs up from me and I would recommend you to watch it.

Lire davantage

Rom-com - fun to watch - beginning to end!

This is my first review and I felt the needed to write one because of some of the negative reviews I have read here.
I enjoyed this rom-com from start to finish because it ticked all the boxes of what a romantic comedy should be.
I thought the main storyline was interesting and eventful, well paced and thoughtful. The vengeful anti-fan club added mystery, drama and sadness. There was a backstory to this which gave the series some extra depth.

The two main characters were fun to watch. Having known each other for some time in their roles as Top Actor and PR, their obvious dislike for one another gave rise to quite a bit of teasing and insults. Their behind the scenes remarks and banter were fun to watch, especially as their feelings develop and the banter slowly becomes more playful, the intent being to provoke a reaction. I thought the actors did an amazing job here.

Kim Young-Dae's performance was great to watch, he played his part very well. It's one thing to play a role as an actor and a totally different thing to have it all together in your real life. Being able to look 'perfect' in front of a camera doesn't mean you have confidence and don't get nervous when you are confronted by your feelings or have the ability to express them to the people that are important in your life, this is exactly why Kim Young-Dae did such a great job here and I was thoroughly convinced by his character portrayal. Lee Sung-Kyung was also amazing, I have only seen her in two other series (Cheese in a Trap and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo) and her performances always appear natural and realistic. The main couple characters grew together and looked great together, there was some really funny moments shared between them as well as with their friends and co-workers.

Speaking of friends and co-workers, all the supporting characters and the actors portraying them did a great job. They bought humour and depth to the story and the budding relationships between the various characters were also cute and fun to watch.
If you are looking for a romantic comedy with a great cast and good closure, I recommend this wholeheartedly.

There is perhaps only one thing that could have given complete closure and that would be to know what happened to Ms. Kwon. I feel like the anti-fan queen of narcissism should have had one of her many houses dropped on her ;)

Lire davantage

RomCom Sample Pack!

This was a hard drama for me to get into and pretty easy for me to start losing interest in, but if you like romance dramas with plenty of couples to ship this may be the perfect drama for you. "Sh**ting Stars" is about the drama industry behind the scenes, and as a non-Korean, a lot of the drama behind entertainment scandals seems either ridiculously exaggerated or boring. If you are invested at all in Hallyu Star life then you may like the premise more than I did. The idea of keeping up a pristine image for Actors who aren't doing more than dating bores me pretty quickly. Still, I liked and could empathize a lot with Lee Sung Kyung as the overworked and always-on-call-to-help Oh Han Byul. However, It took 3 tries to finally give this drama a chance.

It was the frenemies banter between the two leads that kept me watching when I was ready to drop this drama. Kim Young Dae as the arrogant and childish Gong Tae Sung was fun to watch. His character is pretty basic and some of his storylines, like volunteering in "Africa" to be a mentor, are super cheesy, and one-dimensional. Eventually, the romance plot takes center stage and that's when I started looking forward to episodes. The leads have cute although often immature chemistry. Many of their scenes are also played up for laughs, at times extra silly and childish on purpose. The entire cast has a sense of silliness about them. I could also appreciate that if you don't ship the main couple there are quite a few other side couples to ship. For me, the couples ranged from slightly cringy and forced to satisfyingly sweet. It helps that the majority of the characters are likable. I definitely grew to like many of the characters over time, and the way they all overlap made for a strong ensemble.

I only lost some interest because of how repetitive the plot became.

There are also emotional storylines that although they logically tie the stories together just never made me feel anything. It normally doesn't take much for me to cry but I stayed dry-eyed throughout. I think it just took too long to reveal these parts of the story and then they were rushed through so I didn't have time to care. The idea that attractive people are recruited into acting without having any acting ability also seemed super offputting. Like that casting process, this is not a drama with much depth or substance. Soon we were back to secret crushes, and secret couples being the main focus, which I preferred.

Would I watch this again? Probably not. Even with all the cute moments, I'm not sure there are enough to hold my attention for a full second viewing. This drama could have easily been shorter too. I did like the cast enough to keep watching but none of the characters stood out as favorites that I would want to watch again. The last episode gave me more than enough closure.

I will also admit that a lot of the obvious drama cameos and drama references went over my head because they were dramas I haven't watched. In a similar vein, I did think the self-aware product placements were funny.

Overall, if you're in the mood for a light romcom with many ships, this one is imperfect but good enough. If you get nauseated in a room full of couples then this might give you a more annoyed feeling which I can understand too. This drama is great if you're in the mood for a romcom and can't decide on what kind you're in the mood for. It's a little like a romcom sample pack. You can tell the cast enjoyed themselves and working together and that's what shines through in "Sh**ting Stars" the most.

Lire davantage