낭만 빼면 시체지 또 내가

I knew this was gonna be an instant favorite right after the first episode. When it comes to the overall plot, this is most likely my favorite among all the romance dramas I've seen and I could probably watch it a thousand times more and still not get tired of it. I'd cry a thousand times more too. I just love the premise, as bizarre as it may be - it's romcom after all isn't it? But it also proved itself to be so much more than just the star-crossed lovers story; portraying life in NK in a way that humanizes its people and puts them into a more grounded, realistic perspective - much better than most surface-level coverage you come across in our western media-sphere. Heck, even for South Korea itself, this portrayal was not as usual as one might want to think. The way North Koreans were portrayed was as novel as it was necessary for many to see that, yes, there are people just as ordinary as us there and who strive to live a normal life, even if they (have to) live it a little bit differently than we do. Gossipy neighborhood aunties that love to eavesdrop exist everywhere, no matter where you live. 

The company five boys were one of the best parts of the drama & I loved every second of them on screen! Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin's chemistry was also amazing and them becoming a thing wasn't surprising in the slightest because they have a really natural chemistry and you can see they enjoy being with each other. The OST was outstanding too, with some tracks almost giving me "Goblin" vibes, it just all feels really magical and I love listening to it. Speaking Goblin, this drama is perfect if you need a good cry, I don't think there was ever a drama where I sobbed as hard as during this one. I basically had wet eyes throughout the entire run of the last few episodes. Honestly a MUST watch for anyone who loves genuine and heartwarming stories that lean into the melancholic <3

All seasons! -- with 1 being my overall favorite. boricha they could never make me hate you <3

I'm so utterly in love with this series. This is probably not a common choice for top favorites of all time lists, as i'm sure most people have HP on there instead (which I have yet to get to). However even that could most likely never dethrone Dr. Romantic for me. Because this show has a special little guy called Kim Sabu, who is the heart, liver, lung and every other possible vital organ of the story. Han Seok Kyu just has this magnifying quality about him and you just can't help but like him, even if Master Kim is a character who is quite rough around the edges. I think the writers did a phenomenal job at not turning him into the "perfect mentor" type, who can't ever do or be wrong. He's as flawed and complex as the young cast of doctors around him. He might seem like he isn't - but that's because of his idealism and romantic nature, and in this drama romanticism is intertwined with the complicated philosophy of what it means to be a true doctor, which he stays true to.

Surrounding him is a huge, well rounded cast that overall is so very dear to me. I have so much more to say about our two couples and all the other characters, but i honestly loved them all (except Dr. Yang he can go suck dick). For me hospital shows work best with as much dramatism and tense medical cases as possible, and this one does it like no other. I just love the dramatics, the life lessons, the very humanely flawed characters and the vibe of Doldam Hospital as this remote, slightly mystical place where everyone who enters it comes out a changed person. It's a strange place! The people, too. And there's a madman wielding a knife in front of death's gate.

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I loved every single thing about this show. It hooked me from minute one - 1st ep is a little movie on its own and forever my favorite of any drama - and kept me interested until the end. My favorite part of this was the precognitive-dreams-aspect and how all that was interwoven with the storyline of the 3 main leads, which was brilliantly executed and managed to keep you on edge quite a lot. I know Suzy & Lee Jong Suk aren't everyone's favorites, but they worked so well together here and their romance was nothing but fantastic. In a similar way to healer, the heavier parts worked very well in tandem with the comedic and romantic parts. The overall mystery, too, is superbly written and a revelation as it unfolds throughout the story; it only makes you love the drama more. This is also one of the rare shows where a certain very cliché trope made sense and was integral to the storyline! 

I immensely enjoyed seeing Lee Sang Yeob as the villain, he added a lot of nuance to his character with his little ticks and micro-expressions and is definitely one of the more memorable drama antagonists among so many forgettable ones. Kudos to Jung Hae In too who was a great 2nd ML. The triangle between the three leads felt in no way weird or like a typical love triangle, which was really refreshing. And one of the best part of this show - the OST! Absolute fucking banger of a soundtrack. The songs are probably my favorite among all the romance-driven shows I've seen so far and I constantly find myself going back to them. I know there are so many great and amazing OSTs out there but for some reason WYWS's was always kinda in its own league for me. Yes, it's not particularly special in any way but when are you gonna get ♪ YOU'RE THE RIGHT TIME AT THE RIGHT MOMENT YOU'RE THE SUNLIGHT GETS MY HEART GO♪ – [Gunshots] 

...Anyhoo, if you're looking for a gripping drama with great storyline and romance don't hesistate to give this one a go.

Very much dreaded writing this bc where do I start? Too much to talk about here.
The first drama I've seen on-air and I usually just binge shows, but I was glued to my screen every week (not even noticing the long runtime). During the 2-week hiatus I experienced the worst withdrawal I ever had with a show - and it didn't get better when it ended, in fact, it got worse. For some reason it just will. not. let. me. go.

It's just right up my alley: unconventional premise, a good deal of action/suspense, comedy that HITS & two leads with outstanding chemistry. I also gotta praise the directing, combined with the absolute banger of a score that gave me the chills several times. Plotwise it was always exciting, never boring and the cliffhangers so good you always want to keep watching once an episode ends. + Song Joong Ki's insane screen presence as Vincenzo, Hong Cha Young; one of my favorite FLs ever, amazing cast of villains, the plaza tenants and the big family they all became in the end. Everyone nailed it. Vincenzo was one of the most memorable characters I've ever seen in a drama and I am absolutely not unhealthily attached to him and Chayoung (lying). The way his character arc was handled was amazing; it could've easily gone the common redemption route like so other many stories do with this kind of character but no! The writer here held onto his own, ironclad beliefs in how he wanted to portray Vincenzo. We got a morally complex, compelling anti-hero who was fully aware of who he was. No sugar-coating.

Won't be able to express my love for this drama fully without likely breaking the character limit here, but I did eventually post a thesis separate review as well so read that if you want more of me puking rainbows for it. and if you're also insane about this show and need someone to talk to about it hmu anytime!!

Healer!! I seriously didn't expect to love this drama this much when first watching it but I've rewatched it several times since and I like it more every time. Even though it came out in 2014 and does feel a bit older, it aged incredibly well and still holds up against newer dramas. This was the second time I watched Park Min Young (she's always amazing and has superb chemistry with her co-stars) but the first time I got to see Ji Chang Wook and I'm so glad this was my first drama of his! Action really does suit him and I'm not so sure if his pure romcoms will scratch the same itch for me.

The biggest strength of this drama was, for me,  the mystery that was unfolding over the course of the show, because even though this isn't a drama that felt super large-scale in its production/cinematography, you were still 100% engaged as the story is just very intriguing and well-thought-out, you genuinely wanted to find out more about the characters' background and their past. And when they all do begin to realize how connected to each other they really are, it's so satisfying to see them try and work together, and eventually succeed against the bigger enemy. I also really just loved the characters in general (besides the leads), from Healer's hacking-ahjumma-assistant to Kim Mun Ho and Young-shin's dad and the ex-convict who works at their café. Everything about this drama was iconic and makes it super rewatchable, even if I have to endure listening to "Eternal Love" every single time. Not that it's a bad song, I love me some 90s style power ballad, but it's way too catchy for its own good.

GOD if this isn't one of the best shows, drama or not, I've ever seen. Bye Marvel.
I can't describe how much this show is dear to me and how it completely sucked me in from beginning til end. Moving nails grand-scale action, thriller and still properly focuses on emotionally charged storytelling, quiet moments + intricate character study, smth. that feels absent in many OTT dramas in similar genres. It excels at capturing the magic of the actors on screen and emphasizes it all to the fullest with great camerawork & sound design. The cinematography and score worked wonders together, and boy I wanted to cry at how beautifully done it was at times. Very little shows hit the spot like this for me, but it's commendable how well Moving gets emotional/visual narration right. The action, drama, romance, tragedies & victories of each character, no matter if small or monumental, are all portrayed with lots of mastery.

I love the story's approach to its premise. It reads like a common superhero show, and may easily be just that, but it's a fully character-driven drama. And really, it never was about superheroes, but people that just happen to be superheroes (and government institutions, who like so often, happen to be a pile of hot, steaming garbage). It wouldn't work and be as compelling if it wasn't actually about parenthood, about people that are parents and kids, people who are only trying to live and protect who they love, to ultimately break free from a cycle of inhuman exploitation. And in the end, the foundation of true heroism isn't about grand public gestures or unwavering loyalty to your country, but humanism. Recognizing our own worth and the empathy we carry for one another despite everything. There's lots of action media that gets its charm simply by the genre's nature, but here the charm comes solely from the characters and what they stand for, which builds the very human core that ties the narrative together.

I miss 9th grade. Man. Watched this as my first drama, got stuck and found no way back.
I do kinda wear rose-tinted glasses when it comes to this show, but I watched it again recently and it's still as good as back then. The set up of the wholesome slice of life/coming of age story revolving around young athletes kind of gave me anime vibes, so naturally, I was hooked. My favorite part about this drama; then and now too, Kim Bok Joo! She's such a lovely, warm character, not just personality-wise, but also her aura in general is straight up contagious. You root for her from the start, relate to her insecurities, feel for her when she hits rock bottom and cheer her on when she gets back on track. I felt similarly for Joon Hyung, and even Shi Ho too, who didn't end up being written off as just the jealous ex. It's one of the drama's strengths; how it treats its characters' feelings and problems very genuinely. For a romcom like this, I didn't expect it to be dealt with so aptly, but serious themes like depression, trauma, eating disorder were sincerely adressed without being overdone for drama or shock value. Instead, it felt organic narrative-wise and didn't disrupt the show's lighthearted vibe at all.

I also have to mention how well the friends-to-lovers progression was done! I do wish Bok Joo's crush on Joon Hyung's cousin was dealt with quicker but then watching the main leads get together was all the more rewarding. And it's just heart flutters all over, it gets cuter the longer they're on screen. That snow scene is still one of my favorites. And I don't know if the nostalgia's to blame, but the OST gets me sappy everytime I listen to it, even though it's so sweet and upbeat. TL;DR I just adore this drama to bits and even if "healing" isn't the thing that comes to mind first when thinking about WFKBJ, it's very much a healing drama for me.

Media literacy sure is at a low because why were people slandering a romcom over lack of substance (*puts word on high shelf*) when its writer serves us themes such as service workers' rights and emotional labour on a silver platter. As a former hotel worker I say thank you and about time! But the real main course is a boss/employee relationship that is greener than a whole forest.

Gu Won's character arc is fresh air in dramaland, where chaebol leads are always privileged from birth but rarely confront the reality of those that work beneath them. And since his arc is inevitably tied to the themes, the drama reveals a surprising amount of class consciousness. It works so well here especially due to the focus on the service industry which is notorious for taking its workers for granted. KTL also subverts tired 3rd act tropes like miscommunication, breakups & noble idiocy by hilariously fucking with viewers but never actually taking those cliché turns.

People's gripe with KTL is odd, its plot being mainly (gasp) romance - most chaebol romcoms are like that, but aren't critized for not having "plot" as outstretched drama and arduous sideplots are industry standard. Only KTL didn't bother dealing with any of 'em. I've never had as much fun with a couple as here, and it's exactly because KTL decided to give its couple enough time to actually be one! The fact that it doesn't reinvent the wheel - & I'd argue in the "rich guy/common girl" niche there isn't that much to reinvent - doesn't mean it can't be genuinely well done. To me, it was just such a perfect little show that did everything it wanted to do right & is one of the freshest, most modern iterations of this romcom-type. I loved it in all its tooth-rotting sweetness. It's a great show and I'll die on this hill. ending this with a lovely comment i read awhile ago: https://imgur.com/a/rwcoVOj

This drama is like the hidden gem among hidden gems and surprisingly a melodrama - a genre I haven't really explored much because it's just so heavy to stomach at times. But the leads and their interactions in this drama were absolutely captivating. Every encounter, every stare, it was all so engrossing and I was drawn to how intimate everything felt. The chemistry between them was so palpable, I lost my damn marbles over mere hand-holding and had to walk 3 laps around my living room table. The story was tragic and heartwrenching, yet was permeated by an air of Love Wins All; in the end when all of the pain and grief have subsided there's only love. When you see the leads finally smiling at each other with their whole hearts by the very end, it's as if you share the same heart with them that too has just been lifted of all its burdens.

dong jin: i was not ruined.

me: BUT I WAS!!!

« death is not the end of everything. »