I really liked it, but...

A young woman, Yi Joo, is treated miserably by her family, and almost dies. But then, time rewinds and she finds herself traveling to the past. Taking her chances she's plotting a marriage with Do Guk, that will allow her take revenge for the wrongs she's suffered. Do Guk eventually gets wants a real marriage with her.

First, I gotta say that the time-slip works smoothly, once she goes back in time and she makes her decision for a revenge. Jung Yoo Min who plays Yi Joo has such a beautiful expressions, I feel all her pain in her tears. The main couple is a real guilty pleasure with amazing chemistry, their cliché moments that are just so fun to watch! Sung Hoon plays so well in this role, it's perfect for him! I enjoy the second couple too, they are doing awesome being villains. Kudos to all the other villains too!

The show is totally a soap opera, with all the messy twist and turns of a soap opera; back stabbing within a chaebol family - crazy but works well with the over-the-top acting from all cast. Even though it’s messy, it does not drag from the beginning all the way to the end. Every episodes has a drama, angst and reveals to keep the momentum. However, the resolution doesn’t feel as satisfying as the twist and turns by the end... it feels like it's written just for closure, wasn’t as genuine anymore. I don't think this show stands the test of time, but if evil scheming melodrama is your jam, you will enjoy!

-Dec 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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A great start but ended up not so satisfying of a romcom.

Upon finding out his ex-boyfriend was two-timing her, Hae Young (Shim Min Ah) pursues a fake marriage with a convenience store clerk, Ji Uk (Kim Young Dae), to surpass her ex's position at work and to ensure her financial security. Surely, everything goes as planned, until their feelings grow and their past unfolds…

I really like how this drama introduced our leads, Hae Young (Shim Min Ah) is a wild desperate noona, ambitious to win against her ex, while her contract groom, Ji Uk (Kim Young Dae) is a realist and very kind-hearted gentleman. I was entertained by their funny banters, butterfly moments and sweet smiles …while it last. Unfortunately for me, their backstory kills the fun of their romance. Also, I’m not on board with the second lead couple, the second male lead especially, was annoying in the beginning and I didn’t buy his character development. I felt a lot of cringe and forced swoon moments. However, I like her portrayal as a talented romance writer but often struggling with her drafts. I think anyone who’s also a writer or likes to write can find her character a bit relatable.

I appreciate this drama for addressing not-so-mainstream topics, like poly-relationship, foster sisterhood and jealousy of mother’s love. These aspects are woven into the story without drag, but they get too dramatic when their past incidents and trauma get involved. I still enjoyed it, but for sure I would enjoy it even more if we get more moments of our lead couple being passionate, enjoying their happy married life.

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Well-made thriller and underrated

A struggling writer (Jung Woo) deep in debt encounters a mysterious boy (Baek Hyun Sung) who has lost all his memories, but has a strange ability to physically feel the despair of others. His presence provokes a hint to an unsolved murder, leading them to investigate the case and form an unlikely bond beyond the present time.

The story set up is intriguing and fresh. An aspiring writer that ends up being tangled in a murder mystery, due to the story in his debut novel which threatens his career as well. The time travel and murder mystery were done well, better than most dramas with these tropes I watched since 2023. The fantasy element was fun and emotional. Bae Hyun Sung showed very good acting as the miracle boy, especially when he’s deep in trance under his superpower. There is a plot hole, but it didn’t bother me as much when it ends.

The male lead himself is goofy and selfish, but his story is fun because I was anticipating the consequences from his actions. What stands out to me was his bond with Baek Hyun Sung, Oh Man Seok’s characters and his hate-bromance hijinks with his boss. Shout-out to Lee Ki Woo, his cocky boss portrayal was so fun. Another memorable point was the OST History and Mystery, although imo it fits best for historical dramas. If you like time-travel and thriller genre, give this one a try!

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Not everything I love, but there's so much goodness in it.

Yoon Gyeo Rye (Ji Chang Wook) is a brusque ex-convict on the run from gang members. He almost end his life, if not for an encounter with Kang Tae Shik (Sung Dong Il), who leads Team Genie, a committed, enthusiastic team that ensures that the final wishes of their terminally ill patients come to fruition. Due to an incident, Gyeo Re ends up joining Team Genie and that's when a new and better life begins for Gyeo Re.

"If You Wish Upon Me” is inspired by an actual hospice center in the Netherlands. Realizing about its’ existence is heartwarming and I'm grateful to know it through this drama. The drama itself is emotional, heart-wrenching, full of humanity and faith. Due to the subject matter, it might not be for everyone; it deals with deaths, illnesses, child abuse, violence, also, Gyeo Re’s dog is dying since ep 1. Those all sound depressing, but this drama brings a lot of comfort. As Tae Shik tells one hospice patient, “We started this to bring comfort in one’s last moments, when people need each other most.”

The OST is beautiful, the setting is beautiful, and the acting never let's us down. Ji Chang Wook shows once again how versatile and talented he is. Gyeo Re has an awful start to life and from all this unhappiness he evolves into a gentle, caring man. Then, the incredibly talented Sung Dong Il steals the show as Kang Tae Shik. Gyeo Re and Tae Shik brought out the best from each other. Sonny has my heart throughout and I love how he's being treated by everyone and that his story gives a meaningful character growth to Gyeo Re. Choi Soo Young is just delightful as a committed nurse, though the romance was not memorable to me. Also, the overly dramatic mystery subplot, I think it was unnecessary. Having said that, I think it's a wonderful drama that should be on your list!

June 2024
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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Abandoned by her father with his debts, Yoon Ah Yi (Choi Sung Eun) leads a difficult life financing herself and her sister. When she gets entangled with threatening loan sharks, a mysterious magician Ri Eul (Ji Chang Wook) saves her and offers to teach her magic. Is this magician true or is he simply a con man living in an abandoned amusement park?

As the title stated, the highlight of this show is the musical and fantasy aspects. I enjoyed those musical performances, especially The Curse of Asphalt I think it’s a masterpiece. The cast, especially the Sung Eun & Chang Wook, delivered strong performances. Ji Chang Wook as Ri Eul looks weirdly charming with his eccentric look and his shady & a bit creepy behavior. The songs I enjoyed most are the ones performed by Ri Eul himself. As his power is reality-altering, Ri Eul performing the magic, singing and dancing matches well with him as a magician. However, I found his backstory was underwhelming and wish there is a satisfying closure for him, but for what he was given, he played his part really well. I think our female lead Sung Eun has a better arc. Her encounter with Ri Eul leads to her emotional transformation and I love seeing it. Overall, I like this drama for all its' fantastic visuals and the unique experience that is rare in kdramaland.

thanks for reading!
you can find me on instagram @kdramajudge

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Kim Woon Bin shone among the mess of this melodrama

Shin Joon Young (Kim Woo Bin) and Noh Eul (Bae Suzy) were high school sweethearts who broke up but reunite years later as an idol actor and a filmmaker. As they work together filming his documentary, Joon Young endeavors to mend their relationship and win her heart back.

This is not really a romance, rather a potential romance with a melodramatic back story turns into a revenge mission. I found this revenge plot was really dull and not thrilling, but I watched it to the end for Joon Young. If someone can get crowned for portraying a terminally ill person, Kim Woo Bin deserves it! I think his character could easily be messed up due to over-the-top drama, but he played the charming jerk persona of Joon Yeong just perfectly, from confident smirk to ugly tears to polarizing breakdown due to his growing illness, how heartbreaking and believable.

Though his story was so sad, I did not cry the whole time watching this. How come? I felt annoyed with No Eul and her motivation, she's a hassle and keep making reckless decisions. This is not to fault Suzy because she has great chemistry with Woo Bin. It's her character I couldn't sympathize with despite her struggles. Finally, it was a good ending, it felt justified and concluded. Something that I've been missing a lot in dramas in these recent years.

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"And the winner is... " -> watch Arthdal Chronicles 2: The Sword of Aramun

Two tribes live in a mythical land called Arth; the red-blooded humans who can't dream and the blue-blooded humanoids who can dream, and who are also faster and stronger than humans. A war for resources breaks out between the two and the humans end up winning the war through some trickery. Years later, the struggles and greed of power continues...

This drama is unique, it brings you to the bronze age. There's a lot of knowledge on anthropology, evolutionary biology, politics, civilization stages, farming, domestication, religion/mysticism. More than just entertainment, they kept me occupied intellectually. I appreciate them to realize this daring concept into a drama. The story itself is using the common fantasy trope; like a prophecy, a mysterious barrier between two tribes, and it's very plot-driven.

The characters are a lot of fun, especially Tagon, the human leader, he's morally ambiguous and dignified, at the same time he hides a dark secret which is a real high stake. I have to say his younger self gave me chills more than the adult version, he had a very cool charisma; great job Moon Woojin, I always admire you, also in It's Okay to Not be Okay, The Devil Judge, yeah). This is also my only favorite Song Jong Ki drama so far, he's magical in his dual twin roles, together with the irreplaceable Kim Ji Won. There's a lot to enjoy within their relationships and dynamics.

Overall, I think it's a really darn good fantasy. I wanted to know more, the characters surprisingly got stuck with me personally, like I think about them when i'm not watching. The first season is laying a wonderful groundwork for the 2nd season.

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The best part of the series in my opinion :)

Two tribes live in a mythical land called Arth; the red-blooded humans who can't dream and the blue-blooded humanoids who can dream, and who are also faster and stronger than humans. A war for resources breaks out between the two and the humans end up winning the war through some trickery. Years later, the struggles and greed of power continues...

This drama is unique, it brings you to the bronze age. There's a lot of knowledge on anthropology, evolutionary biology, politics, civilization stages, farming, domestication, religion/mysticism. More than just entertainment, they kept me occupied intellectually. I appreciate them to realize this daring concept into a drama. The story itself is using the common fantasy trope; like a prophecy, a mysterious barrier between two tribes, and it's very plot-driven.

The characters are a lot of fun, especially Tagon, the human leader, he's morally ambiguous and dignified, at the same time he hides a dark secret which is a real high stake. I have to say his younger self gave me chills more than the adult version, he had a very cool charisma; great job Moon Woojin, I always admire you, also in It's Okay to Not be Okay, The Devil Judge, yeah). This is also my only favorite Song Jong Ki drama so far, he's magical in his dual twin roles, together with the irreplaceable Kim Ji Won. There's a lot to enjoy within their relationships and dynamics.

Overall, I think it's a really darn good fantasy. I wanted to know more, the characters surprisingly got stuck with me personally, like I think about them when i'm not watching. The first season is laying a wonderful groundwork for the 2nd season.

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Refreshing, nostalgic & lively!

A young woman moves to her hometown in the countryside to heal her emotional wounds with the help of her childhood friends, nature and food…

This movie captures a realistic countryside life; it’s simple, refreshing, aesthetically pleasing, and particularly nostalgic for me, since I was living alone for a few years in a countryside during my study, before moving to a capital city for work. Watching Little Forest brings me back to those idyllic days, when I feel my absolute best in my favorite habitat. I relate with Kim Tae Ri’s character, living a seasonal life in a simple place.

Aside from my personal attachment, I truly recommend this to all. The leads characters are all inspiring, their moments are never mundane… just the right amount of friendship spice. No angst, no cringe, no tears. Seeing Ryu Joon Yeol here remind me of Jung Hwan from Reply 1988 and I can’t be more grateful J. I love that the director put focus on seasonal appreciation and friendship besides romance, unlike the usual stereotype movie tropes.

Also, you'll be mesmerized by the food shots, so maybe grab something to eat while watching! The cooking scenes were shot with care, they will sooth your souls like an ASMR aesthetics. The thing that I was anticipating is something more intense beyond cooking or gardening. But then, it makes up a great "feel good" bedtime story, feel free to just simply watch and love it!

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Two capable detective, Dong Sik and Joo Won team up to solve a string of serial killer cases that seem to resemble serial-murder cases 20 years prior. As their investigation proceeds, they are forced to look far deeper than what the evidence suggests, questioning the liability of everyone involved within the investigation.

A story about choices and self-identity. Beyond Evil is a slow-burn psychological thriller full of eerie crime and corruption that involves an entire town. The story takes its time to tell the motives, behaviours and connections among the characters, the mystery unfolds very slowly and intend to be confusing. For that reason, I think it's perfect to binge it than watching weekly to keep feeling engaged and focussed. Trigger warning. there were many many suspenseful and gruesome scenes that I found quite disturbing.

The bonds that Dong Sik and Joo Won form between each other is another highlight of the show. Despite their initial mistrust, they are two people on the same side of the law who learn to walk that fine line between good and evil together. They both were obsessed with finding the truth. Aside from the two, all the other characters were significant. The police team is heartwarming and the villains are blood boilingly frustrating, as how they should be. Overall, it's a though, slow show, great performance and character developments.

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My strange couple

Our male and female lead have known each other from high school. He was accused of guilty in an incident, but we don’t know the truth yet. Later in life, they reconnected when he decided to go back to school where she's works as a part-time teacher...

First thing I have to say: this premise is jarring. I have never seen adults mixed in with high schoolers in one class, but it doesn’t really matter. What I’m so intrigued by first place is the over-the-top extra-ness of the show. Every aspect of this show is operating at >100% level. The music is just so dramatic, as well as the acting and the filmmaking. Normally I dislike this tone, but here they all works together, so kudos to that. Yoo Seung Ho’s acting pulls it off. You can tell that he’s just having so much fun with his role, and his enjoyment seeps off of the screen.

Now, for the storytelling, I think they nailed the present and past storylines switching really well. Like you might have questions during the present time, and then you’ll see it unfold in the past, and then it ping-pongs back and forth. The writers know how to pique your interest. The questions keep you engaged because you'll have one answered, and then you're given another one.

My con comes a bit later when something happen to the couple, and the female lead response to it really rubbed me the wrong way. Since then I feel a trust issue that relationship wasn't genuine and so, it felt almost like a chore to finish the show. The ending was satisfying; it tied all the loose ends.

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Right away from the start, they go BAM BAM BAM!

Empress Ki follows a Goryeo woman's journey, forced to leave her homeland (Korea today), who becomes the most powerful woman of a Yuan Empire (China today). Her love is torn between two powerful men of both kingdoms. A story about vengeance, lust for power, loyalty, sacrifice, the blurry line between good and evil, the ugly side of human nature and lastly one woman's quest for justice.

The short verdict to the drama that embroidered me with fantastic emotions:
The pacing is exceptional, will captivate you all the way through, trust me. It has amazing cinematography, love triangle, glorious acting, OSTs and all elements that granted me a million feelings while watching. This drama is one of the most impactful sageuks I've watched so far!!! No skip-watching, no boring scenes... nothing, just enjoyment and excitement through the whole drama! They know where to go and I immediately was along for the ride.

I am utterly in love and honored to have witnessed characters that made me feel all there was to feel and more, to whom I gave standing ovations: Ki Seu Nyang, a true leader; charismatic, smart and unpredictable. Ta Hwan, totally emote with such depth as I got goosebumps witnessing his fear, anger, rage, and him being deranged while still exuding his burning passion. Danashiri, the ultimate villainess who is multidimensional, intimidating but also so endearing. She’s a character on another level, who despite being stronger than our heroes, also showing the fragility of being human.

Regardless the divisive opinions around it I applaud the ending. It's a drama depicting realistic human nature, there's no idealistic changes in the characters' personality. That is the beauty of Empress Ki.

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Everything about this drama is just comforting and ideal.

Ji Ho (Jung So Min) is a writer in her 30s who was looking for a new room due to her family issue. She ends up living with Te Hee (Lee Min Ki), a single man who's only close to his cat and has chosen not to marry, in a 2-year-contact marriage with no romance expectations to avoid misperceptions of their cohabitation. It’s only a matter of time before the two share their true selves on how they fit living together.

It’s amazing how this drama presents a lot of difficulties that young adults face in their 30s in the most peaceful yet meaningful and entertaining ways. It also does a great job fleshes out the many societal aspects, like patriarchy, marriage, nepotism, gender discrimination, etc.

The cohabitation that act as a glue among Se Hee, Ji Ho and Uri (the cat) is the most memorable part for me. So many funny and endearing moments that happen, I really love their growing relationships! I enjoyed the relationships between the other couples too and the friendships among the three girl friends.

In my opinion, Se Hee has the best character growth, from being an anti romantic and closed off personality, to an understanding & loving partner, able to express himself well to Ji Ho. Ji Ho, I really like her personality and her mannerisms throughout most of the drama. In the later parts, I don’t understand her problem that led to some complicated situations. But I’m satisfied with most episodes and overall, Because This is My First Life is a really good drama that will entertain you, make you feel safe and secure.

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An untapped potential …till the end :/

A quirky smart attorney charges his clients only $1, to open justice for all the poor and downtrodden. He got to work together with a rookie prosecutor who went up and lost against him, with her motive to join a prestigious family law firm.

In my opinion, the charm is mainly the lead character rather than the story or its development. The plot deals with corruption and bribery within the justice system. It has a lot of hilarious moments and gives a fast gratification feeling from the entertaining verdict of each court case. However, this legal drama is constantly teasing me to be exceptional but fails to awe me. The constant tone shift between the comedy and the serious story doesn't sit well with me. I describe the humour to be at most chuckle-worthy though mostly fell flat to me, subjectively.

Everything is tied up well but it left me feeling a bit hollow. I'm sorry I can't pinpoint why, but I feel like there's something missing that would have made it more enjoyable. Who else is watching One dollar lawyer? Let me know! Maybe you can defend it for me!^^

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A decent mystery plot and family reconciliations

My Perfect Stranger is a well-grounded story told in a comfortable pace, the twist is unexpected but the reason for the twist is not so convincing. I appreciate that they tied all the loose ends in the end, no suspense in disbelief.

But for me it's really forgettable. I'm not thinking about it when I'm watching it because somehow it's not so exciting, so I didn't feel hooked to keep watching. i completely forget about it once I finished it. I don't buy the chemistry of the leads, and I wish they become good comrade.

I think it's a show worth to watch on the side of watching other shows, especially if you enjoy following a decent mystery plot and family reconciliations. But mind you that it has unexpectedly a lot of physical and verbal violence.

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