Link (2022)

Trying too hard to make this drama a suspense/thriller/fantasy/melodrama....everything.

Went significantly downhill after ep 10. I'm in ep 14 right now, at this point it's not even mysterious, it's plainly annoying. They're trying so hard to make this a suspense drama, this should've ended within 6 eps at most.

Unnecessarily dragging, way too many characters' perspectives shown, sad melodramatic music to make things emphatic, immature adults with unrealistic dialogues, also, nothing makes sense. To this point, the telepathy between the FL and ML does not make sense at all. The more it unfolds, the more unclear and annoying it gets. I'm not even curious about how this drama ends.
Why is there no evidence at all for all the murders but so many characters involved, and shown? Also, why are they all so stupid and immature?

There is no proper investigation from the police department at all, the worst group of police I've seen in a drama so far.

Lire davantage

A deep and meaningful kdrama with some morbid humor...

To start my review I have to say that I've never seen a drama so misrepresented by the cover picture. It makes you think it's going to be a lighthearted rom-com when really that's not at all what it is.

This drama is very unique in its style, it has comedy but it's very dark and ironic humor rather than slapstick. It has romance aswell but it's quite slow burn, which I think worked!

I really enjoyed how it focused on how trauma and guilt affects people. I would say that this was the main focus of the drama along with the mystery. The biggest complaint I see is that it is too slow, I think it did drag slightly in parts but overall I think the slow pace worked to set the scene and heighten the tension.

This drama's only flaw to me was the characters did do things that defied logic at times, It's not a huge thing since it's clear from the beginning these people aren't exactly normal. However, you will scream at the TV "What are you doing?!"

The acting was brilliant, Yeo Jin Goo never disappoints! And Moon Ga Young was amazing aswell~

The OST I loved, loved, loved! Usually I don't listen to kdrama soundtracks unless they're from a sageuk drama but I really loved this drama's album. The songs are very peaceful, my favourite being You I've Missed.

Overall a wonderful drama that I think people are criticising way too much!

Lire davantage

Be healthy and happy; show that you care and your love while you still can

It was a simple, nice, and feel-good ending. It's a good way to end this show after all the killings and the violence and the kidnapping and the pain. It is a journey about life, the things we may regret, and how to move on and heal ourselves and others.

There is also a very good message they left the audience: life is short to worry too much about the future, live your life by being healthy and happy, and say the things that matter to the people you love today, now, while you still can.

Definitely a show worth re-watching when we feel down or need a reminder.

Lire davantage

It heals you in the end.

I would classify it as a healing drama with a good dose of comedy, sufficient mystery, great deal of family bonding and a lovely beautiful romance with a beautiful happy ending. LEADS CHEMISTRY IS THE HIGHLIGHT.

Actors, especially the ML & FL deserve some award for their stellar acting skills! My God, I don't think I have ever cried for a drama so much! And crying in the sense that a random tear or two falling down unchecked because I rarely cry while watching dramas but they, the leads, will surely make you tear up when they cry and put a smile on your face when they smile!

Loved the relationship b/w FL's mom and grandma and their whole family bonding. ❤️ ML's bestie too was a much needed happy character in the show. Then there's a cute dog too to add to the cuteness overload!

Spoilers:

It starts with a fantasy (emotional telepathy b/w the leads) and then adds shocking stalking incidents next and then brings in a bit of tragic mystery (his twin sister is missing since she was a 10 yr old child and he is convinced she is not alive ) and the mystery comes next by trying to guess who the culprit might be.

But mystery is not the main focus of the show. It focuses more on why people are not the way they seem. People might seem innocent on the surface but they seldom are and they mostly don't even regret it. We just have to find a way to heal ourselves from the hurt.

Here the romance is the healing factor, the ML & FL heal each other and many others in that process. They get their well deserved perfect happy ending in the end! ❤️

Lire davantage

Had high, promising expectations but a low and flat return.

Link: Eat, Love, Kill plays on the typical elements of thriller seen in most crime-focused dramas while attempting to maintain a balance between a slow, kindling romance and a hint of fantasy thrown into the mix. At first look, you might be drawn in by the expectations the show appears to set for itself through the witty synopsis that broadens the setting for the plot. However, this show fails to succeed in passing the bare minimum. Despite the thriller, supernatural and romantic setting, it falls frustratingly flat across 16 stagnated episodes.

Story:

The story focuses on the small neighbourhood of Jiwa-dong, thus attempting to mimic the "small town" setting of the likes of Beyond Evil and Save Me, trying to make the audience heightened by the suspense of it all. It fails in this aspect, tremendously so. Many individuals in the neighbourhood are portrayed as suspicious, with half-explained actions and quickly cut scenes to add an illusion of "everyone is a suspect" but the reality is that since this is repeatedly done across 15 episodes ish, it becomes stagnant and no longer usable.

Our protagonists are essentially puppets being made to walk in the same circle for 16 episodes. Despite the emotional attachment of the plot (being about the ML's missing sister), it was far too simple to sustain 16 episodes, thus explaining why it was only by episode 15 that true tears and mess began to come out. It also explains why the show forced in scenes of minor characters to allude to a "bigger plot" when in reality, it created multiple character backstories at surface-level with no depth.

As this is a missing persons case, the lack of establishment over progress in the disappearance of the ML's sister becomes increasingly frustrating as each episode passes. It becomes layered, except rather than slowly adding more truths, the show only creates more mysteries. Attempts at melodrama, or at least sustaining the depth of the plot are irritating. There's far too many tears being carelessly thrown about in efforts to create meaningful scenes.

The show started off brilliantly strong but by Episode 4, the misunderstandings, the staleness and the lack of thrill, make what was honestly a good premise to be boring. Stunning how they managed that, honestly. There was a lot of promise given the fantasy element of feeling other people's emotions. (Which, by the way, feels like a flimsy attempt to stand out from other crime thrillers because it only adds to the chaos rather than solving it.)

As the plot goes around in circles, the show prolongs each arc through the main characters' irrational decisions. There is also the uncomfortable element of almost borderline incest because the ML is partly convinced the FL is his missing sister. I would also like to add that there are far too many plotholes in this show that go unsolved. Sure, you can often gloss over them (like that time they tried adding thrill in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon with that serial killer stuff) but this is the MAIN PLOT. In fact, it is the only coherent thing in this show trying to keep it's label of "cool crime thriller that makes you so scared and excited".

It is only by Episode 15 that there is any real development. Episodes 1 to 6 set up the characters, minor or major, and the background fairly well. Everything after that falls frustratingly flat. You start wishing for the scenes to go by faster because the silent pining, deliberate miscommunications from the brash decisions of the characters, and the dialogue-heavy scenes all become confusing to sit through. Especially as the bodies start piling up but there is a serious lack of action.

Acting:

It may be the script that was handed to them but the main characters' initial spark (thrusted on by a few lines of comedy and the usual random first meeting) quickly bleeds out because of how undeveloped they are. The ML's entire personality seems to be construed around his missing sister, who by the way, went missing when she was 10. Of course, they were twins, but it feels like the writers didn't want to absolve the ML of his misery until the FL could do it for him. The FL existed for him in the same way the ML did for her.

I actually really like the police officers at the station. I liked their characters butting heads and the dialogue at times had the right kind of comedy yet depth of romance to it. I actually liked these minor characters better than the stagnancy of the two main leads.

The ML's lines were often straight-faced and then toned with crying and a hint of sad music as he relays his tragic backstory yet again. This is a broad contrast with the slow, stupid but sweet FL, who is a clueless bunny that thinks the world works against her and is archetypally defined at surface-level. It becomes very clear that this dynamic exists just to juxtapose the two main characters and make them more refined only because of their romance.

It's a shame because both of these actors (ML and FL) are quite good. They were just handed difficult character to work with.

Music:

The opening song is probably my favourite. Here's the link if you would like to listen to it. https://open.spotify.com/track/6EQpKimgfteh1hQwMfzJKC?si=451789d4a752429c
I also liked this song! https://open.spotify.com/track/4u0K5KImU0CBtOCo5tIkQD?si=b60c4f590b914480
(It's a shame it's always the shows that fall flat that have the best OSTs.) Oh, and this song! https://open.spotify.com/track/33v2iMITLxjrkyZuJYYtJ1?si=88285e08a5ba4632

Rewatch Value:

0. Once you find out what happens in the end, sitting through 16 episodes has essentially become worthless. You've wasted your time. Especially when they don't give any valid explanation for the crux of the plot being dealt with in the end. They tried tying a cloth with a rope and forgot about the loose ends. You're left with a lot of holes and questions that will not be answered even if you try to watch the show again because they don't bother addressing it.

The first 4 episodes are very well done, cinematographically and storywise, given how it sets up the background of the setting and our protagonists, so you could try rewatching up to then.

Overall:

I'm disappointed to see this even in 2022. I think this show is a good example of how trying to play with different genres will get you a mixed reaction from your audiences, especially if the plot is unevenly weighted. It is also a lesson for writers to learn from in that the crime trope is being poorly overused nowadays. Take a page out of Save Me and Beyond Evil, or at least, if you want to do the romance right, look at the established relationship in The Killer's Shopping List.

Of course, everyone's opinions are different! I didn't go into this show with lots of expectations anyway, it was only because of how brilliant the first few episodes were that I thought it would be maintained. Hope this review helps! :)

Lire davantage

A series that you should not miss out!!

Honestly I watched this because of Yeo Jin Goo. After saw his talent in Hotel De Luna, I think I want to try to see his another drama and I choose this series. As expected, never disappointed. Yeo Jin Goo is really a talented and his skill become better in 2022!

All characters in this drama are very important and really linked to each other (just like the title) itself. Not serious all the time. There's some funny scenes but most of all are teary scenes that makes me cried also. I like ML assistant and he success to gained my attention with his clingy and blur character.

But there's a few things that I am not happy and angry. Why this FL did not lodge police report since from the start? If she make a police report the problem will not dragged too long. Anyway, don't bother. We still love the chemistries between ML and FL. Good storylines and acting. For me this series should not be leave behind. Congratulations because able to make me cried a lot! Anyway, for those who did not watch yet, you can put in your list. Enjoy watching!

Lire davantage

Link: Eat, Love Kill- A Surprisingly Disappointing Series…

I feel as though people who watched Link: Eat, Love Kill fell into three categories. Those who generally loved the show, a group that absolutely despised it and then those who had a love-hate relationship with it or alternatively fairly “ neutral ” feelings about it. For me, I definitely fell into the former category with having a completely mixed relationship with this series. This is because while I though the concept was interesting and like a lot of fans was intrigued to see Yeo Jin-goo in a new role, the actual execution of genres, the storyline and the weird tropes that were thrown my way did little to really make me intrigued.

I don’t really want to go over all of the events of the plot again but I’ll start off with a brief explanation with the plot. The male lead is a popular chef ( played by Yeo Jin-Goo) who faces a scandal of having a mental breakdown of sorts when he struggles with emotional mood swings. His acquaintances and the general public think that his mental health is on the blink but the male lead has a secret. He has a telepathic connecting with his seemingly dead twin sister.

The male lead begins to wonder if perhaps she is alive but just as he’s attempting to find out more answers to his questions, he ends up meeting the female lead and a typical officer ( Moon Ga Young). She had her own problems, (especially with records to having her own problematic past with men ) and instead flees back to her childhood home. Her mother and grandmother own restaurant, unsurprisingly leading her to meeting the male lead after he opens a bistro in the same place. ( I kid you not that this is also where he grew up.) The male lead hopes to help find answers to his new ability and the fate of his sister, while the female lead struggles with her own past coming to chase her too.

Oh, boy. I really don’t know where to start with this drama. I think aside from the initial contrived plot logic of too many coincidences taking place , Link: Eat, Love Kill has a pretty interesting setup. I’m not going to pretend to say it was perfect or flawless from the outset, as honestly, there was a lot which was problematic with the logic. However, I will say that there was at least some potential with this line of plot thread.

But this is also where the plot began to pear shaped even early on: there were too many genres and too many things happening in a short space of time. There weren’t a lot of opportunities to spread out these genres and even worse, they rarely felt well blended. I do think that perhaps the later half of the series did improve slightly on this and it did begin feeling a bit more settled but even then it was too little, too late.

I think where the biggest problems arose here was what the show was actually trying to be. In the first few episodes, we had so many plot points thrown at us which only seemed to ascend into a certain level of ridiculousness as episodes progressed. ( Without spoilers, there were moments even in later on where big plot revelations felt poorly connected and rarely fitted together with more ease.)

Additionally, the pacing issues of the show seemed to make more noticeable genre clashes feel really harshly put together. I honestly love genre fusion shows and think then when they are written well, they can be brilliant. The problem here was that the genres never really matched one another or helped to balance the other out. The series started off a fantasy note before shifting nearly entirely to crime thriller with cutesy romance slipping in between. This wouldn’t have been so bad if one of the major storylines of the show hadn’t been disregarded so much, leading to this attempt at multiple genres feeling imbalanced.

As I’ve said earlier on, I do think that the show did improve slightly at the ending and there was a little more consistency with some of the plot lines and genres. I don’t think that some of these storylines were entirely well closed off and did feel a little rushed by the ending but at the least conclusion wasn’t that bad and did offer a bit of closure to some of the storyline.

I think I should next talk about one of my major pet peeves with Link: Eat, Love Kill. The acting. Did I think the acting was dreadful? No, of course not. However did I believe that the acting left a bit to be desired? Yes, sadly I did.

I’m going to be really harshly honest here. I like Yeo Jin Goo as an actor. I thought he was incredible in Hwayi , deserving of praise in The Crowned Clown and really, really good in Hotel Del Luna. Which is what really surprised me with his performance here in this drama. By not means did I think it was absolutely awful and beyond watching. However I did think that it was surprising for a good actor to give out a performance and a choose a role which felt fairly flatline and rarely gave him a lot of medium. Admittedly I’m not entirely sure it was the fault of Yeo Jin Goo as I don’t think the writing helped per say ( especially when it came to the male lead’s often wooden dialogue, apathetic attitude at times and woeful angst.)

Sadly I also felt the same way about Moon Ga young. She’s a good actress and I absolutely loved her in True Beauty and Tempted but her chosen role and her performance felt a little underplayed. Again, I don’t think this was entirely Ga Young’s fault. Her character was often resorted to a damsel in distress during the initial part of the series and even into later episodes, she had this needy trait to constantly be saved or rescued by others which while possible serving as a good flaw and point of development, it was rarely changed. I felt as this the show could’ve really gone further with her character and especially her experiences as a victim of sexual assault but instead it was pretty shallow and reasonable rarely given a lot of substance.

The chemistry between the main actors was okay, I guess. I wasn’t buying into it that much in the beginning as I was getting sibling turned childish frenemy vibes initially, but it did kind of improve in the second half with a bit more tension. Still not perfect and honestly far from one of the best onscreen chemistries I’ve seen, but certainly not the worst either. The acting from the rest of the cast was pretty much the same as the main leads; watchable to an extent but definitely varied from performance to performance.

Overall thoughts; Link: Eat, Love Kill was definitely a challenge to get through and sadly not in a good way. As I’ve said before the second part was slightly better than the first and I can see the appeal for viewers wanting Yeo In Goo eye candy or who are able to take this just by face value. For me personally, I struggled to connect to the characters a lot and the tropes and contrived plot did make me question what I was watching even early on. The ending was admittedly one of the show’s stronger points but I have to say that there are better dramas out there for me than this.

Lire davantage

This is a FUN!!!! An emotional rollercoaster ride... mystery and Romance..wow

So I know it's too early to review this drama but anyways I'm here coz I know it's going to be amazing because my 2 favourite actors are present...LINK.. a mystery-thriller-romantic-comedy..
Edit 1- 12 episodes aired and they are amazing.
The script is amazing... I knew from the beginning that it was going to be a good drama but never expected this much good and intersting.. script writer's hard working is clearly showing..
Main point is this is actually a mystery and thriller but they added comedy..and it's well balanced.. pass from my side.. it's very exciting to watch every episode.. I wait so eagerly for new episodes..
Definitely a fresh air in kdrama land.. light hearted to watch but very exciting at the same time .you can't help but get curious for every character's story.

CAST- I'm a big fan of Moon ga young..she is one of my fav actress.. this is one of the reason why I was excited for this drama..and our super handsome Yoo jin goo..he is very talented as well.... both are very talented in their job..and others cast is also doing well..
CHEMISTRY:- from the first episode their chemistry is so good... they are looking very comfortable with each other and their interactions are very sweet...as expected from them. They are indeed very good young actors..may be bcoz they are childhood friends their chemistry is no joke.
In short..THIS DRAMA IS GOOD AND A PERFECT BALANCE OF ROMANTIC COMEDY WITH MYSTERY THRILLER.
GO FOR IT.
Light romance but great chemistry.. their kisses omggg... amazing ❤️
GO WATCH RIGHT NOW!! :)

Lire davantage

numerous errors of a potential perfect drama

This drama had the potential to be one of my favorite dramas this year but the more new episodes were added the more they completely destroyed the essence of the drama itself.

First let’s talk about the aspects I liked (which mostly disappear in the latest episodes):
- the surreal tone and the dark humour
The thing I immediately liked about the drama was the particular atmosphere we had at the beginning of it. I liked how the scariest scenes were turned into comedic scenes (ex: when the mother and the grandma had a conversation with the stalker about how they should have checked better if he was alive or when the FL lead confessed her “crime” to the ML). I liked how everything seemed to be a long and extravagant dream because it definitely fitted the entire story and it made me look over the slow pacing and the strange behavior of literally… everyone;
- how everyone is a suspect (and guilty)
Another thing I loved and that it was mostly present at the beginning of the drama was how everyone seemed guilty. And although some of them really were “guilty” (even though the drama shows that their actions were more linked to laziness than malice) most of the other characters behavior do not make sense now to me. Why at the beginning every woman of the neighborhood seems suspicious when at the end they were literally the only one that didn’t “help” the kidnapper? I would have liked more if everyone was an accomplice in some ways and that they knew since the beginning who was the culprit.
- the stalker storyline
The best moments were all linked to the stalker storyline. He was even a “better” villain than the main killer. He was a serial killer with specific victims and his wicked crimes make sense (I cannot say the same for the main killer/kidnapper). The screenwriters successfully used him both as a villain and as a comic relief and, in fact, it’s only after his death that the mood of the drama changes.
- the acting
All the cast was amazing but in particular Gayoung and Jingoo’s acting was superb. I don’t think I would have continued to watch the drama till the end if it wasn’t for them. They expressed every emotion perfectly without over acting.

Now the things that ruined the drama for me:
- the intermittent link
To me the main error is that they didn’t develop well the main point of the plot. The show was advertised as “a man emotions linked to a woman ones’” but … where is all of this ? This connection is only prominent the very first episodes of the drama then it slowly disappears and is only really important for the plot when the FL is in danger.
- the identity of the killer
I just don’t get it. What even is the reason of the man killing? He acts like a serial killer but he kinda isn’t. They present him as a kidnapper and killer of children (he used the stalker and lured the other 2 children with toys etc) but the only child he killed was that one kid (?). To make sense he should have had other reasons to kill the girl because all the other people he killed were all linked to his first (and only?) victim. I just don’t get his entire behavior above all if we compare him to the stalker. It seems that the writers themselves decided late who was going to be the main killer because everything linked to him doesn’t really make sense to me.
- the change of mood of the story
After the stalker death there is a shift of atmosphere. The dramatic, the funny and the romantic parts are now totally divided. And to me it’s when the drama started to be really boring. The uniqueness of the first episodes were all replaced with the usual mood of any regular drama.
- the length of the drama
Above all the last 4 episodes are totally unnecessary and this is also proven by the numerous and long flashbacks in these episodes. There are at least 10 minutes of flashbacks of previous scenes that add nothing to the plot. If it had 12 episodes the drama would have definitely be better.

So in conclusion the drama had a lot of potential and innovative and creative points but these points were not developed well. The only strong element that stayed constant the entire drama was the acting.

Lire davantage

Not so heavy drama for thriller mystery genre

First of all i wanna say thank you for the director to not to ruin the ending lolll.

For the all cast that they have great job with their acting in this drama, i'm really like how the cast acting overall good for me.

I think this drama have a vibes dark but hearted light too and of course slight comedy, i even laugh in almost every episode lol, this drama made me want to wait over and over till the end of episode, because the story even not that heavy but there was a lot a thing made me curious a lot like i want to knew more about the story, so i was impatient that can't wait for every new episode.

Highlight:
>Story: 8.5/10 from me
For me there some unccescarry scene, and some bored scene too, but the director is really good to packing the story with the director way, and there was some scene made me out of my mind, and i'm kind a like amazed with the story, and for mystery and thriller it's enough but not so good and their romance story it's quite well for me, so overall the story have a good side and bad side but still good for me
> Acting: overall for me their acting 10/10
Because the cast it's really good to show us their acting in every episode, and idk maybe just my opinion the leads have a great chemistry and very good in acting
> Rewatch: i will rewatch it again when i don't have any k-drama that i will watch in the future

To people who want watch it, just watch it, i think you will not regret it if you watch it

Lire davantage

Promising black comedy became a poorly written serious drama

This show began as a relatively enjoyable black comedy about a woman who kills someone and then proceeds to do a lousy job covering up her crime. It managed to blend mystery, suspense and comedy pretty well and the central characters were likeable enough. It was slight but entertaining. However it took a sharp turn about half way through and became a very different show with a serious tone, without developing the characters enough for me to care much about what happened to them.

The acting was pretty good throughout. The leads were called upon to cry prettily in about half their scenes and they did a fine job. However the characters never developed as the story progressed and both the leads were increasingly defined merely by the bad things that happened to them. The FL started as an endearingly fickle, rather ditsy, compulsive liar but by the second half she mostly stared blankly, wept, or walked alone through dark alleys. The ML became primarily stoic and sad by the later episodes, despite the strong performance by Yeo Jin Goo. I never grew to care about these characters, and I grew less invested in what happened to them as the show went on and they became more passive and one dimensional. My favourite performance was probably Lee Suk Hyeong as Jin Hoo, the ML's side kick who served as light relief and a rare voice of reason, and stole every scene he was in for me. I also enjoyed the FL's mum and grandma played by Kim Ji Young and Ye Soo Jung, especially in the first half when they were either plotting to kill people, wandering around armed and ready for battle, or smiling terrifyingly in an attempt to be friendly.

The central romance was unnecessary and felt forced; the characters fell for each other via montage rather than conversation and they seemed unsuited. The show only managed to put them together in the second half by removing almost all noticeable aspects of their characters. Pretty people staring at each other does not constitute a convincing romance.

Plot wise, I was enjoying the silly supernatural connection between the main characters and the creepy Schrodinger's Cat stalker of the first half, but the latter half of the show focused on much more serious plot elements and I missed the days when everyone was staring at a fridge in horror. The absence of comedy and character development left me with far too much time to focus on the many plot holes. And there were many indeed. The final nail in the coffin of my enjoyment was the levels of stupidity and disregard for their own safety displayed by the leads. They spent half the show walking alone through dark alleys at night. They never once thought to lock their doors (okay grandma did, but not the leads!) The fact that they did this in full knowledge of the fact that they were being targeted by a dangerous murderer did occasionally leave me thinking maybe they just wanted to die. I don't think I'd have cared too much if they did.

This show would have been an enjoyable watch if it maintained the darkly funny tone of the first half and developed the characters along the way. Alas, it did neither.

Lire davantage

A must watch... TIL THE VERY END!!

I loooove it!! This series have completely smashed my heart into pieces, mended it, crashed it again and then embraced & comforted it to the very end...
This is a story being told.. Not the kind where you have to keep looking for clues and guessing who's done it and how.. Let it take you to the ride, see it from the leads' pov. It doesn't need you to look into the mystery, it needs you to look at yourself and find which character you best relate with.
I was totally captured with how it was so brave and bold to tackle issues that are mostly taboo. Issues that we might deal with in our daily lives but were consciously ignored or taken for granted.
I would rewatch this and take whatever points the writer is trying to convey.. Coz although it's a fantasy drama.. It also touches deep within the morals of our society.
Finally, expect an acting fest!! YeoJinGoo is AMAZING in this! His character was magnified throughout the show because YJG's acting was superb! Viewers may not be able to relate with his journey if acted out poorly.. But every laughter, tears & anger were perfectly acted that it was almost tangible to the viewers ❤️
MunKaYoung also showed an outstanding portrayal.. Their chemistry were soaring way off the grid 👏👏👏
All the other characters were also sooo good, each one acting their hearts out without going overboard. Even our lil...🐶 did wonderfully!!

Don't forget to watch the Behind The Scenes series too!!! ❤️❤️❤️
This drama has earned its place and holds a very special place in my heart 🥺🤧❤️

Lire davantage