Just Lame...Unfortunately

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

It's so disappointing every time I witness a drama self destructing...

Acting/Cast: Just okay. The female lead's acting started off strong in the first episode or two, but it quickly dive-bombed off a cliff. What her acting regressed in to reminded me of the female lead's acting in the beginning of Perfect Marriage Revenge. Except, in Perfect Marriage Revenge, her acting improved as the drama progressed. It was like she was trying to imitate the female lead in The Glory, but only at random moments, so she just seemed like she had a split personality for no reason. Then, that split personality acting turned into cookie-cutter basic female lead personality (which is an absence of personality). The best acting is probably from the second female lead and maybe some side characters. The male lead is boring too. If you're going to have no personality, at least have good chemistry with the female lead... 2/10

Writing: Literally the same plot as Perfect Marriage Revenge. I was hoping that this drama would at least be an improved version. Unfortunately, I ended up giving them the same overall score, but for different reasons. The leads weren't as likeable and didn't have as much chemistry in this drama. However, the villains were a lot better and the entertainment value was a bit higher. This drama also has some entertaining side characters as opposed to Perfect Marriage Revenge. The drama really goes downhill when the character Oh Yoo Ra is introduced in episode 11. The original villains were good enough - I don't know why they felt the need to add in another villain towards the end of the drama. Oh and you know how in every single romance drama there's a point about 2/3 into the drama where the leads "break up"? Well...simply the introduction of this new character is the catalyst for it here...and it's such a dumb reason. I started hating the female lead. I described her as being "self-righteous" (a very unattractive trait in my opinion). Also, the male lead does some ridiculous sacrificial lamb BS that was so cheesy and lame. I couldn't believe the drama had devolved into this stupidity. On a positive note, I liked the added complexity to the "rules" of fate and the detail of the female lead's father being involved in her second chance. 3.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The direction got drunk and wouldn't go home... I'm not a fan of the OST. And the intro...I usually don't mention intros because they really don't matter at all, but in any case, it's terrible. It doesn't fit the drama, but whatever. I can say that the beginning of this drama was well directed. The female lead's reaction to waking up ten years in the past, face-to-face with her abusive ex that had just murdered her was on point. It was so realistic...seriously, it was the highlight of the drama. Too bad the writers couldn't maintain that same energy for the rest of the drama. 4.5/10

Entertainment Value: Very entertaining through the first half of the drama. It takes a turn for the worst when an additional character is suddenly introduced in episode 11. The female lead started to really piss me off and her acting became a mess. The drama started getting cheesy. This wasn't supposed to be a Makjang right? It felt like more of a Makjang than Perfect Marriage Revenge did...and not a good one. 5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4/10. Highly disappointing, but it did get some things right.

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I Forced Myself To Watch This Fan Service Drama

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I would have never even started watching this drama on my own. I had a friend who wanted us to watch it together and then talk about it. I warned my friend about what to expect watching a “deity romance” genre Korean drama and I was right. They’re terrible. The only deity romance (that I’ve seen so far) that is actually really good is Goblin.

Acting/Cast: Was there acting in this? Oh yeah, the villains did some decent acting. The female lead was good in the beginning. Everything else was just the leads staring at each other or the side characters trying to act like cartoon characters in order to be funny (and it wasn’t). If this had been the first drama I had seen starring Song Kang (송강), I would have refrained from watching anymore of his dramas in the future. Is he supposed to be a scary, intimidating demon in this drama? Because all I could see was an infant in fuzzy sweaters whose eyes glowed red sometimes. 1/10

Writing: Was there writing in this? Oh yeah, the first few episodes were actually decent. At first, it seemed like a legitimate drama with a plot and its own quirky identity. What happened? I feel like I was tricked. It was as though they only put a lot of effort into those first episodes in order to draw viewers in. It turned into nothing but fan service and a fashion show. The male lead’s character doesn’t make any sense. He has a split personality that changes on a whim to suit the writer’s needs. The female lead was initially intelligent and then became stupid toward the end (what did you expect Do Do Hee? He’s a demon. Well, maybe I can’t fault her too much since even the writers were confused as to how his personality was supposed to be and the stylist kept dressing him like a toddler experimenting with pretty clothes). Even the second female lead went through a drastic change in personality out of nowhere. And of course, we can’t forget the forgettable second male lead. Well, actually we can. (Missed opportunity for a side love story between him and the second female lead.) Oh, and the useless gang members. Why were they in the drama? Most of the side characters were completely unnecessary and had no purpose. The worse side characters were the Aunt-Justin-Austin trio that were only there to be obnoxious. The second worst side characters were the office employee trio that were only there for product placement commercials. What was that ending? (Besides cliché.) So strange. The wrap-up just left me scratching my head. At least it didn’t leave me angry…I guess. 1/10

Direction/SFX/Music: There was one good scene in this entire drama. It was the tango dance scene in the beginning. I actually laughed out loud. The drama seemed to be finding itself. It had this goofy, whimsical, fun, magical vibe. However, it struggled to maintain that identity and instead became a nonsensical cliché-filled deity romance. The SFX was pretty good and in the beginning, there was some clever camera work and cuts that also had a part in giving me some (false) hope that this would turn out to be a decent drama. The OST is not my cup of tea, but not bad. 2/10

Entertainment Value: The first half was ok regarding entertainment value. I thought maybe it won’t be so bad after all. Some viewers were saying it reminded them of Goblin and that this drama had even copied scenes from Goblin. It’s been a while since I had seen Goblin, so I didn’t pick up on that in the moment. Personally, while I was watching this drama, I was reminded heavily of Doom At Your Service and a bit of My Roommate is a Gumiho (Both are bad dramas, yet both are better than My Demon.) I’m kind of shocked that I can’t even think of one redeeming quality that this drama has…hold on...I can do this…ok maybe the SFX? The first 6 episodes maybe? Oh yeah, the female lead is pretty strong and confident…that’s nice to see. Anyway, I remember hitting play to watch episode 14 and in my head I said “I hate this drama” and then I laughed out loud when I realized what I had just thought in my mind. 1.5/10

Overall, I ended up giving this drama a 1.5/10. It at least didn’t make me want to die. If you want to watch a drama that’s like Who’s Line Is It Anyway, where everything is made up and the points don’t matter…except it’s not funny, then this is the drama for you!

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Made Me Smile But Ultimately a Flash In The Pan

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I love fairytale retellings. I don’t know what it is about them (as I dislike the Disney versions) but I’ll watch anything that’s an obvious fairytale retelling. Maybe it’s the comfort in something familiar or maybe it’s the nostalgia. It was also really nice to see Lee Jun Young (이준영) again. I hadn’t seen him since his debut in 2017 with Avenger’s Social Club (a favorite of mine – I highly recommend).

Acting/Cast: A good cast with good acting. Some characters feel pretty insignificant though, such as the male lead’s dad, the villains, and even the second male lead. I felt the leads had good chemistry romantically and comedically. The leads also had very distinct personalities, although they lost steam as the drama progressed. I think the male lead in particular is a decently written character with his iconic umbrella and quirkiness. 6.5/10

Writing: This drama had a strong start. Extremely cartoonish, over-the-top, and surprisingly risqué. I typically dislike dramas like this. However, this one was hitting. I was surprised that I was actually laughing at the comedy and embracing the craziness. The enemies to lovers relationship progression was also starting off really well with a charming quality. I watched this drama while watching My Sweet Gangster and both dramas have a similar zany vibe. When the second male lead walked in, I thought I was experiencing a severe case of déjà vu. Then, I realized that Kim Hyun Jin (김현진) is in both dramas playing a nearly identical character (although, I prefer his character in My Sweet Gangster). Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale was grabbing my attention a lot more than My Sweet Gangster (I even felt that dropping My Sweet Gangster was a possibility at the time). However, this drama started losing steam (probably around when the leads kiss) – the leads began to lose their strong personalities (especially the female lead) as well as losing the drama’s craziness expressed through ridiculous CGI, and even losing its sexually provocative overtones. What a tease… Well, at least its decline wasn’t as bad as Destined With You or My Roommate is a Gumiho. There were a couple issues that I had with the plot. First, the female’s motivation for wanting to “escape” the family was weak. They treated her well, so I don’t know where the angsty teen girl attitude was coming from. Second, the first kiss scene between the leads was a miss for me. The female lead was right when she said that he should have faked the kiss. Actually, even that still would have been weird. In the USA, there’s often policies at workplaces that prohibit boss/employee relationships because of the issues that they cause. So, for me being American, it was just not a good look. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: CGI was used quite a bit in the beginning of the drama. It was very over-the-top, but it gave the drama a strongly unique identity. I wish they had maintained the same energy throughout the entire drama. There’s one song on the OST that I like (Intersection by Charlie Bean Works). The rest aren’t my style. 4.5/10

Entertainment Value: Highly entertaining in the first half. I smiled while watching. It did start to lose some steam for me though. I think they kissed way too soon, and I also think there should have been more of a romantic pay-off, since the beginning was so sexual. The beginning gave me the impression that it was going to be a more adult drama, but don’t get your hopes up. I mean, by the end of the drama, you’d think that there’d now been more of a reason for the lustiness since they become more emotionally connected with each other as well as also being physically attracted…but no. What’s so disappointing about it, is that it could have been done really well – it was headed in the right direction – but it suddenly changed course and didn’t quite follow through. I think Secret Garden is the only drama I’ve seen that had made the romantic build up and pay-off extremely satisfying. The villains/antagonists in this drama are not serious threats and even some just seem underdeveloped (such as the male lead’s dad and the female lead’s family who she thinks is bad for some reason but isn’t). Because of this, the drama is a light watch, not to be taken seriously at all and just very goofy. Although, I enjoyed this drama while I was watching it, I have found that it’s forgettable. I’m already forgetting it. Surprisingly, so far, I like My Sweet Gangster so much more than this drama (it’s doing impressively well with its character and relationship establishment). Oh how the tables have turned... 6/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. Although fun, this drama is just not memorable for me (probably due to the change in tone from how it was in the first half and underdeveloped side characters). The most memorable thing about this drama is the male lead, the umbrella, and some of the crazy scenes in the beginning - the tornado, having to pee, and maybe the catch on the stairs when they first meet.

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A High Quality Makjang

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Wow, I was not expecting all the hate on this drama. When you're dealing with brain tumor plots, you have expect a certain degree of a lack of realism. So I was prepared for it. A friend asked me what genre this drama is and all I could reply with was "Swoonworthy". I typically wouldn't watch this type of genre these days, since I'm more interested in compelling stories and characters over visually appealing cinematography and attractive leads. However, this drama took me by surprise.

Acting/Cast: Easily the best thing about this drama -- a great cast with even better acting. Surprisingly, my opinion of actors that I previously didn't think highly of, changed for the better due to their performances in this drama (Kim Soo Hyun, Kwak Dong Yeon, and Lee Joo Bin). Yes, the actor who played the grandfather wasn't old enough for the character, but it's not a big deal; he's really a minor character. The best acting, and ultimately my favorite character to watch, came from Kwak Dong Yeon (곽동연). Kim Yang Gi, a minor supporting character played by Moon Tae Yu (문태유), was also a favorite of mine. I would say the entire cast - from main characters to minor supporting characters - brought a charm to their characters, which made them all quite likeable and enjoyable to watch. The chemistry between cast members is somewhat reminiscent of how I felt watching Twinkling Watermelon. They all see to have had a great time filming. 10/10

Writing: The writing was some of the best I've seen..."was". This drama had such a strong start. It stayed strong up until around episode 14 or 15. I was thoroughly impressed. I like the concept of the plot and I like the character building for the various characters throughout the drama. However, the writing starts to veer off course towards the end. It goes full makjang with craziness, unrealistic events, and of course our favorite clichés that have been around for so long. I expected that I would need to suspend some amount of belief for the sake of this plot, but even being prepared, the story still became a bit too ridiculous. I would have liked the villains to be more in the background and for the focus of the plot to instead be on the leads repairing their marriage, the families coming together, and discovering what's really important in life (with the villains simply being the catalyst for this growth). Basically, a family healing drama similar to Welcome to Samdal-ri, but better in every way. With less attention on the villains, I think the important characters would have been able to be fleshed out a bit more and they could have delved more into understanding how their marriage went wrong and how to fix it. It could have been a good learning opportunity for viewers going through similar marital problems. 5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: It looks and sounds nice. The OST is not bad. I was surprised that I like some of the songs. It could use some variation though. 7/10

Entertainment Value: Highly entertaining as long as the topic was on character/relationship building, especially during the first half of the drama. However, there's some dragging towards the end. The things I cared more about were glossed over in the end (too much BS with the villains). 6.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 6.5/10. Really, I could justify a rating from 6 to 7 out of 10, but I've settled for a 6.5/10. This is mainly due to the craziness towards the end, too much wasted time on villains and politics, and because this drama didn't put me on the edge of my seat (or have a crack drama vibe), nor did it have as much charm as Goblin or Crash Landing On You (although it came very close). But it's a good drama; it achieved such high ratings for a reason. This drama saved me from falling into a drama slump and now the baton is being passed to Lovely Runner.

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The Drag Nearly Killed It

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

If you're like me and you hate flashbacks, you probably won't like this drama.

Acting/Cast: Top notch easily. Great cast, great acting. The acting made me feel things, especially in the first half of the drama. 10/10

Writing: The writing was great in the 1st half. I liked the story between Bong Seok and his mom. I found the kids to be interesting and how they each deal with their "condition". This isn't really about superheroes...they're more like everyday people that have an ability that has made them outcasts. I found that approach to be compelling. It reminded me of the plot of a book I read in school called Hidden Talents by David Lubar. So, in the beginning, when the focus was on the kids in this school together, I really enjoyed it. Then, the story went into flashback mode that lasted for way too long. The story wasn't very linear anymore and it jumped between characters. Because of this jumping around, many characters that I enjoyed watching were completely absent from multiple episodes in a row. I just wanted the flashback to hurry up so I could get back to watching the kids at the school. Don't get me wrong, the adults had interesting stories too, but they were dragged out for way too long. I almost dropped this drama because of this. They should have cut back to the kids in the middle of the flashbacks or maybe cut the total number of episodes down. Towards the end, a character was introduced, given a back story in flashback fashion and everything. It seemed out-of-place. Why spend so much time on an insignificant character this late in the drama? I guess it was to give the characters connected to him a little bit of background and humanize some of the "villains"? Maybe if they didn't drag out the flashbacks of the 2 main kids' parents, they could have had more time to appropriately flesh out some of these side characters. However, despite almost dropping this drama in the 2nd half, the ending was decent. 6/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I didn’t like the flow/pacing of the drama. Flashbacks lasted so long that I nearly forgot what the faces of characters on the backburner looked like. However, the production value was obviously high. Most of the time, the SFX was very well done. However, there were some flying scenes that I thought didn't look so great. The music didn’t grab my attention, but at least it didn’t annoy me. 5/10

Entertainment Value: The first half kept me engaged. It was emotional and unique. I found myself looking for a plot but instead, I got a barrage of flashbacks. The story dragged on, and I longed for the simpler times that took place within the school for extraordinary children…which did eventually come around again, but too little, too late. 3.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 6/10 mainly due to my hatred for flashbacks.

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Looks Beautiful, Feels Hollow

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

After I had binge-watched this drama in 1 day, I was left with mixed feelings. I spent some time reflecting on it to better understand what I liked and didn't like about it. By the way, I have not read the webtoon that it is adapted from.

Acting/Cast: I literally only wanted to watch this because it had been a while since I've seen Suzy in a drama. Don't let that fool you though - I actually don't think she's a good actress. Everything I've seen her in, her acting is subpar. However, she's one of the few actors that I still enjoy watching despite their acting ability. Instead, I like to watch her for the sake of nostalgia (Uncontrollably Fond -- my 1st K-Drama, Dream High). This drama was no different for Suzy; her acting was still lacking. But even so, I was glad to see her. On the other hand, Yang Se Jong (양세종) is a good actor. I've only seen him in one other drama (Thirty but Seventeen -- one of my top 10 K-Dramas) and I loved him in that one, so I was relieved to see that he would be playing the male lead in Doona! I knew Suzy would need the help and I was right - he was great. They worked well together and I felt their chemistry. The side characters were interesting too. I thought I wouldn't like them and I didn't at first, but they ended up being a fun addition. I actually wanted to see more of them. 5/10

Writing: This is the difficult part...this is the part that left me with this hollow feeling. It's as though I walked into a building that was still under construction. The foundation is set, the support beams have been erected, the walls are starting to be built up, and I can see signs of some great craftsmanship and beautiful architecture. But, the construction was left abandoned...I guess because the architect thought it looked more meaningful this way. I can't say that more episodes would have fixed this problem, because it seems to be an artistic choice. I felt as if the writing was skirting around the issues, afraid to really delve deep. I saw the potential for the drama to get into more of the psychology of Doona -- to really understand not only her, but others in the entertainment industry that may be facing similar problems, but it just didn't happen. This hollowness was even felt with the side characters. It seemed like they were just thrown in without much character development, which is a shame because I actually ended up liking them. The chemistry between the 2 leads helped to sell the romance in K-Drama world, but it didn't feel like a real-life romance to me. Observing it realistically, Doona would be the type of girl you'd expect to be (to put it nicely) a serial dater. She would have eaten that sweet guy alive in reality -- completely crush his heart with no remorse. So, while I was watching, I was very scared for him...I mean, she's just one giant red flag. But anyway, I'll stop here so I don't give any spoilers. 1.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Easily the best thing about this drama. It is very pretty, very aesthetically pleasing. Great ASMR mic quality. Great cinematography all around. I even like some of the music. My favorite songs on the OST are The Universe by Kwon Jin Ah and Still by DVWN. I think this is why it was so easy for me to binge this drama - it was just so nice to look and and listen to. 9.5/10

Entertainment Value: I found myself hanging on the every word while watching this drama. Even rewinding if I missed a sentence. I only do that when I'm genuinely enjoying a drama. However, by the end, I was left dissatisfied and wanting so much more. Maybe a bit confused, too. Towards the end it became somewhat frustrating to watch. I myself wasn't even sure of Doona's feelings... 4.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5/10. It was difficult to put a number on it since my feelings about it are all over the place. Would I recommend this drama? Probably not... unless you're a fan of one of the leads.

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It Didn't Get Me Out Of My Drama Slump

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I usually avoid medical dramas and healing dramas, but I decided to give this one a shot in hopes that it'd be a different kind of medical drama. It is...but I still didn't like it. I've come to find that 'healing' tends to be synonymous with 'boring'.

Acting/Cast: This is easily the best thing about this drama. It has a very likeable cast who play very likeable characters. Even Park Shin Hye (박신혜) did a decent job, which surprised me. I love the main family as well as the two best friends. Regarding the chemistry of the leads, I've seen reviews that say they have amazing chemistry and others that say that their chemistry is terrible. I'm a bit in the middle. I think they had decent chemistry, but maybe they were better suited as best friends or brother and sister. Wait...I just had a thought...If they took out the romance and made it a family healing drama...that could've worked really well. Anyway, their chemistry actually kind of reminds me of how I felt about the leads in Welcome to Samdal-ri. Maybe it's because of the over-the-top cutesy behavior. To me, it comes across as childish and not romantic at all. I think the secondary couple in this drama has much more romantic chemistry. 7/10

Writing : The drama started strong. It definitely isn't your typical medical drama, which is nice. The focus is on the issues that the leads are going through and how to overcome them and heal together. I also like the premise of the leads being rivals in the past and the idea of how enemies can actually be friends and friends can actually be enemies. I really like the female lead's family, as well. They feel realistic - they're not overly critical or controlling or overly dramatic, but supportive and level-headed. Regarding the mystery aspect of the drama, I liked it. It added some drama to the plot to keep me interested. However, it ended abruptly and too soon. By the time I got through the drama (which took a long time because it had become so boring), the mystery plot seemed like a distant memory. On another note, I liked how depression and PTSD is represented in the drama. However, I found it ridiculous that a super smart doctor, who reads medical dissertations as their only source of fun, seemed to have no idea what depression is. That was very strange to me. It made the psychiatrist visits feel a bit condescending. Regarding the use of alcohol in this drama, I guess it is strange for a medical drama to promote drinking like it did. However, while watching, I didn't think twice about it. Even though I personally hate alcohol, I guess it's just something I've become accustomed to seeing in Korean dramas. So, it didn't bother me, but it is odd...especially when the leads are taking meds. They put the drinking scenes in there, I think, in order to give the characters reasons to act 'cute' (especially the mom). It's not something I find cute, but I get why it's there. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The biggest problem I had with this drama is the pacing. This is probably a combination of a writing and directing issue. The mystery plot and any other conflicts that the characters were dealing with should have extended throughout more of the drama because once everything was resolved, it became incredibly boring. Episode 13 is when the dragging starts. It shouldn't take 3 episodes to wrap up a drama. Maybe this drama would have done better with a 12 episode length. Too many flashbacks also. It wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't flashbacking to the same scenes repeatedly. On a more positive note, this drama does have decent camera work and music. 1.5/10

Entertainment Value: The first half of the drama was decently entertaining, especially for a healing drama. However, towards the end, I thought I was going to end up dropping it because it was dragging so much. Actually, the reason I didn't was due to the side love story. I keep thinking of how I felt about Hello, It's Me!; It's also a healing drama with a lot of similar issues. I ended up giving it the same overall score as this drama. Comparing them, I think they both conveyed good messages. I think Hello, It's Me! has a more moving message and is a bit more entertaining, whereas Doctor Slump has more likeable characters and better chemistry between them. Both dramas I struggled to get through - this one slightly more. 2/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 3.5/10 mainly due to the pacing issues and the lack of romantic chemistry between the leads.

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A Relaxing Watch That Ultimately Left A Bad Taste In My Mouth

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

This was a very serene watch for the most part. I found it enjoyable although there were things nagging at me throughout the entire drama.

Acting/Cast: I think this is the first time I’ve seen these actors (except for the female lead’s best friend and the female lead’s brother). I thought the female lead was fine, but I thought the male lead’s acting style was a little different that the others. He seemed like a regular person -- not very passionate, constantly flipping his hair out of his eyes. I didn’t feel like he liked the female lead. He seemed happier and more comfortable alone. Basically, I'm saying he didn't sell the romance for me; it wasn't believable. I enjoyed watching the sign language between them and not necessarily the love story between them. Maybe the leads just didn’t have chemistry. There was too big of an age gap between the leads, which also bothered me and didn't help with the chemistry. I typically don't like big age gap romances, but it still probably wouldn’t have bothered me as much if the two leads actually seemed like they loved each other. Unfortunately, I developed the dreaded second lead syndrome because the female lead and the second male lead seemed to be a much better fit for each other. 4/10

Writing: The main story started off strong, but as conflicts were introduced, it became annoying. I enjoyed all of the side love stories more than the main couple's love story. If this drama wanted to stay realistic, it should have taken a risk—have a female lead end up with a second male lead for once. I know, it’s crazy...so crazy it just might work. My heart goes out to all the mistreated second male leads in the K drama world. Anyway…where was I? Oh yeah, so the romance between the leads suddenly becomes toxic out of nowhere. I was so confused…the female lead just does a complete 180. I mean, I guess it was realistic because in real life there would come a moment when she’d realize the reality of the relationship and the age difference (Although, I don’t even think the age gap was addressed…). But then, the ending made it unrealistic and left me feeling very negatively about the whole thing. 2/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The pacing was great. That was one thing I really liked about this drama. Even if I wasn’t too into the main love story, the pacing made it a nice watch. The OST is also pretty decent. I like the artwork that was used throughout the drama as well. 6/10

Entertainment Value: I did enjoy watching this drama. It had a nice, peaceful vibe. I really liked watching the sign language and I liked the side love stories. However, they weren’t given enough screen time. I started getting annoyed in the second half of the drama by the repetitive conflicts regarding past trauma. Then, the sudden change in the female lead towards the end threw me through a loop…and then, the sudden change AGAIN at the very end... 4.5/10

Overall, I ended up giving this drama a 4/10 due to the unrealistic and strange ending, the lack of the development of side characters, and due to it being yet another drama that does a second male lead dirty. I’m going to go sulk now. (Don’t mind me…I’m still not over the second male lead syndrome I had developed while watching True Beauty.)

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Like Reading A Collection of Diaries

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I picked up this drama because I had a headache and wanted to watch something calm. I had it on while doing other things; I didn't think I would pay too much attention to it. However, it drew me in and I found myself completely focused on this drama.

Acting/Cast: I wasn't sure about the cast at first, but they all really grew on me. I may not have necessarily personally liked certain characters, but they all felt very believable and well-acted. I really related to the younger sister, Mi Jeong, a nice, soft-spoken girl with some talent who repeatedly gets taken advantage of. I also felt empathetic towards the older sister, Gi Jeong, watching her try so hard to make a change and take risks, only to keep getting knocked down and publicly humiliated. I would say the brother, Chang Hui, and his storyline was probably the most annoying, but even that storyline, I didn't feel as though I wanted to skip over it. 5.5/10

Writing: I knew this drama was written by the same person that wrote My Ahjusshi, Park Hae Young (which I really enjoyed), so of course I was comparing the two dramas the entire time. This drama is dialogue heavy, especially compared with My Ahjusshi, which is something I typically don't like. However, I felt the dialogue was purposeful and listening to the characters expressing their thoughts was like reading a diary. Also, this drama is not dramatic at all, whereas My Ahjusshi had some intense scenes. It's very "slice-of-life"; very relatable. However, I think that those who have never struggled with depression may not relate to or enjoy this drama. In addition, this drama is very open-ended, more so than My Ahjusshi. Nothing is truly resolved in My Liberation Notes for any of the characters and this is completely intentional. Do I understand why? Yes. Do I like it? No, but I usually don't like open endings. While watching My Ahjusshi (it's been a while but...), I remember wishing I could just skip over the side stories; the main story was way more interesting to me. However, with My Liberation Notes, I had no desire to skip over any of the storylines. There's a time jump towards the end of the drama that was a bit jarring. I think it's because things drastically changed without preparing the viewers for it. Also, the story wasn't linear anymore and kept jumping back and forth between past and present. I liked the Mr. Gu character, but he wasn't nearly developed as much as the other main characters. In consequence, his character felt sort of hollow towards the end of the drama. I thought we would get more back story on him but unfortunately, we never do. In any case, this drama seems like it's based on a true story, but to my knowledge, it isn't...it just feels very realistic. So in that sense, the writing is well done. 8/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The vibe of this drama actually reminded me of Something In the Rain rather than My Ahjusshi. My Ajhusshi felt much darker. Maybe also similar to One Spring Night or Twelve Nights, except with a ton of dialogue. The OST is not my cup of tea but its fine. It has some variation to it. Listening to the OST on its own seems like the drama would be a lot happier than it actually is though. 5/10

Entertainment Value: This drama put me into a weird state of mind. There have been times when watching certain dramas would trigger depression in me. However, what I felt while watching this drama wasn't exactly depression or sadness and it wasn't quite calmness or hopefulness either. It was a strange in-between. Maybe melancholy? I found myself slowing down my movements, even my breathing. It was to the point where I was holding my breath in a lot...sort of like when you're sick or injured and you're trying to avoid exacerbating the pain. I never experienced an effect from a drama like this before. I didn't know if I liked this feeling or not, but I must have to some degree because I kept wanting to jump back into their world. Now that it's over, I'm not missing that feeling...I think. Anyway, I found myself hanging onto every word Mi Jeong spoke. I saw myself in her, but with one major difference - she seemed to have discovered the answer to her problems. I was looking to her for a revelation, but I'm still unsure of the hidden answer that she seems to have found. But then again, maybe she didn't actually find it...maybe she's just on the right path. I still don't understand how though. So, the drama left me feeling unfulfilled. 6/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 6/10. This is largely due to how incredibly open the ending itself is (as I personally tend to dislike open endings) and the change in the progression of the drama towards the end. A rating of 6 and above is in the "would recommend" zone, and yes I would recommend this drama if you like the slice-of-life genre. However, I think someone who hasn't struggled with depression may not like this drama and may find the characters annoying. I was able to relate a lot to them though.

I made a music video featuring Mi Jeong and Mr. Gu. It's called "My Liberation Notes | Mi Jeong + Mr. Gu | Greedy" and my channel name is The Enablers (@theenablers3846).

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Another Frustrating Romeo and Juliet Story

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Sorry, but I really hate Romeo and Juliet, so keep that in mind.

Acting/Cast: This is the first area that began nagging at me. I wasn't a fan of the female lead's acting. It felt stiff. Even the male lead's acting felt a bit stiff. Maybe it's a lack of chemistry between the leads. I was never able to fully get on board with their relationship. Really, they hardly know each other. I thought the side characters did good though. The strongest performance was probably from the 2nd female lead. The male lead's mom stands out to me too. 4.5/10

Writing: The drama started strong with an entertaining premise (although cliché). However, once the plot took a turn and became depressing and angsty, it quickly became frustrating and predictable as well. Yes, I get it's a tragedy, but the entire drama was just a bunch of characters continually making horrible decisions. If the plot requires a death of a major character, at least don't let the cause of their death be their own fault. It's not as much of a tear-jerking moment otherwise. I thought the second female lead ultimately had a more interesting story with a lot more potential (although she was pretty annoying in the first half), but unfortunately none of the plot points in her story were expounded. With her character, it was just dead end after dead end. She was even completely abandoned by the writers at the drama's conclusion in favor of the main storyline. Another issue I had with the writing was the plot line between the female lead and her father. It was predictable and unrealistic, which kept me from being able to connect with the female lead. Also, the male lead's father didn't make sense to me - a really abusive and seemingly psychotic, power hungry dude that sees his family members as objects, suddenly develops feelings and a sense of familial love. Throughout the entire drama they kept emphasizing how much he doesn't give a crap about them, so the sudden drastic change at the end left me trying to rationalize his behavior in my head. On a positive note, me favorite aspect of this drama was the storyline with the kids. I liked how their friendship developed as well as the character development of the male lead's little brother. Ugh...it's so frustrating because there were so many interesting facets that either weren't explored enough or weren't explored at all. 2/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama did have an old vibe to it, which seems completely intentional because it takes place in 1980. I don't like the style though. I loved Snowdrop, which takes place in 1987, and that drama feels like it has a much higher production value without feeling too modern. The OST is fine, but it's not my style either. 5/10

Entertainment Value: It was fairly entertaining. I had no desire to drop it, but I also put off finishing it and watched other dramas instead. I had a good idea of how it was going to play out, so I wasn't too bothered about finishing the drama quickly. I had a hard time connecting with the leads, but there were other characters that I was interested in. Too bad the writers weren't as interested in those other characters. In the first half of the drama, the leads were more compelling to watch, but in the second half everyone else became more compelling to watch. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4/10 mainly due to my hatred for Romeo and Juliet and how frustrating everything was. Oh gosh... the game of hot potato at the end with that damn watch was so annoying.

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Side Characters Carried This Boring Drama

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I normally don't watch these kinds of dramas - a drama with a fanfic type plot that appeals to teen girls - but I want to see Jang Gi Yong (장기용) in main roles. He was awesome in My Ajusshi playing a scary loan shark, but he had limited screen time. All of the main roles I've seen him in so far after that, he's played the same character type - stoic, no emotion, robotic. I don't know why he seems to be only playing these roles now, after he did so well with his character in My Ajusshi. Maybe he was afraid to be typecasted as a villain?

Acting/Cast: The promising cast is deceiving. Yes, the acting was good and the humor was good, but the story itself was so boring that the cast and their acting couldn't save it. I thought the two leads were the weakest in this area. Maybe it's more of a writing/directing issue though. The male lead was the "stoic" type which a lot of times (in badly written dramas) means that they can't convey emotions well and makes for a boring watch. It's difficult to write and portray a good stoic character, but it's not impossible (Terius Behind Me male lead, My Ajusshi male and female leads). The female lead's character building in the beginning gave me false hope - that she was going to be a distinct and unique female lead. She started out that way but by the end, I was annoyed by how she talks and acts, specifically with the male lead -- It felt too childish. The side characters were great, however, and I really just wanted to watch them. 7/10

Writing: The plot itself is pretty boring. There's not much to it. The fantasy element really didn't add much, since it became a simple cohabitation plot and a college romcom plot. There was this really annoying back and forth regarding the relationship between the two leads that made me want them to just give up on the whole human and fox love story and be with their own kind. They kept stressing how the male lead is "just an animal" as if he is literally a fox and that he's a super old man...so that made me feel weird about the leads being together romantically. He felt more like her guardian rather than a potential love interest. I also love love triangles when they're done right. This is also something that is difficult to do, but not impossible (Cheer Up, True Beauty, The King In Love). This drama had a weak love triangle, so much so that it was completely pointless for it to be included. Literally, it was only used to make the male lead jealous. It was clear that there was no way the female lead would even consider the second male lead. I actually felt bad for the second male lead and thought that he could possibly be a better match for the female lead than the male lead. Also, why make the female lead a history buff and not use it in a meaningful way for the story? So pointless... 1/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I want to blame the acting of the two leads on the direction. The music is nothing special. SFX was ok I guess. There was a stupid scene in a sauna involving ice powers for some reason...That might have been when I started really losing interest. The sauna scene in Episode 9 is a good marker for the beginning of the decline. 1/10

Entertainment Value: It was decent up until episode 9 when it first started going downhill. Then, when the red string was added in at episode 10 and the weak love triangle was created, I was just annoyed. I kept watching hoping that maybe there would be some unexpected twist. I almost dropped this drama at episode 13, but I decided to continue watching to see what would happen with the side characters. I should have dropped it though. 1/10

Overall, it was tough to give this a final rating. I ended up giving this drama a 2.5/10. I can't help but compare it with Tale of the Nine-Tailed, which I gave a 3/10. I didn't like Tale of The Nine-Tailed either, but I never considered dropping it like I did with this drama. The nine-tailed foxes in Tale of The Nine-Tailed were much more interesting characters with a certain kind of charm and with more interesting lore.

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A Unique and Engaging Take On Relatable Problems

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I wanted to watch this drama because of Jang Ki Yong (장기용). I loved his acting in My Ahjusshi, but it seems he's only played emotionless, stoic characters since (I hate it...). Except maybe Born Again; that drama was alright. So, I was interested to see how he'd do in this drama, although I didn't have high hopes.

Acting/Cast: I felt like Jang Ki Yong (장기용) actually played a unique character in this drama. I'm so proud. Everyone did great. I wasn't previously too familiar with any of the other actors in this drama, but everyone exceeded my expectations. I would say the acting of Park So Yi (박소이), the male lead's daughter, stood out to me the most. Her character felt very realistic and I personally related to her a lot. Kim Soo Hyun's (김수현) character came across as a bit annoying and over-the-top in the first half of the drama, but even she grew on me as her character grew. I really liked watching viewers cry about the female lead not being a perfect, sweet angel. Con artist male leads are fine but con artist female leads are unthinkable? Thank you for a unique female lead with an actual personality and character growth. However, I kind of wish they leaned more into the bad girl aspect of her character though. Don't be afraid to make an immoral female lead; that way, seeing her character growth will be more rewarding in end. 8.5/10

Writing: The plot is on point. Such an interesting premise -- a depiction of common issues that regular people face, but expressed metaphorically through a family with super powers. I also really like how the writers didn't explain the metaphors to us, therefore preserving this drama's intelligent writing. However, the male lead did talk about having depression a little too much. Saying it once was enough. Also, the food-addicted sister was a bit much with the scenes of her stuffing her face with food. However, I like how the story unfolded; it didn't become predictable. The characters were written well. Each character had notable character growth throughout the drama. The time jump towards the end was jarring. I'm not even quite sure how big of a jump it was. It seemed like it was only a few months, but the weight loss was too severe for it to be that short...so it just confused the hell out of me. Also, the sudden romance at the end should have been hinted at throughout the drama in order to make it more cute and believable. The dance club plot point with the dad seemed like it came out of nowhere, too, as if it was only used to further the main plot. I felt that as the drama was wrapping up, a certain character had too sudden of a change. It was too idealistic for my taste. In reality, a tiger tends to not change its stripes, especially that quickly. In other words, the ending was too happy in contrast to the rest of the drama. However, the ultimate ending between the two leads was beautifully written. 7.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama is well-produced with a vibe somewhat reminiscent of a Tim Burton film (a bit gloomy, a bit cartoonish, a bit eccentric). The SFX wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either. A lot of fire in this drama and some flying - both are effects that seem to be more difficult to get looking right. I can say though that I was highly impressed with the quality of the fat suit and makeup. It looked very real. The OST is just as unique as the rest of the drama. It adds to the drama's quirkiness. 9/10

Entertainment Value: This drama kept me guessing until the very end with its unique plot and cast of characters. I think a huge reason why this drama was so entertaining is because it's so different from anything I've seen in the K-drama world. It's slightly controversial, it's deep, it's relatable, and the leads aren't your typical romcom leads. I watched this as it aired along with Lovely Runner and I was so surprised at how much I was enjoying two airing dramas at once. It has really been a good year for K-dramas so far. 10/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 9/10. All in all, I was very impressed by this drama. In the beginning, I was so shocked that I was enjoying it, that I kept looking through comments and reviews to see if anyone else was feeling the same way (and they were). This drama also pulled on my heartstrings a lot as I personally related to the struggles that multiple characters were going through, especially the daughter. I definitely recommend this drama to anyone who wants to watch a very different take on a romcom, family healing drama.

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Cute, Simple, Cheesy

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Among short, surface-level romances, this drama is one of the better ones. Despite its MANY flaws, it was a nice binge watch.

Acting/Cast: This is probably the strongest category. Good cast and acting. The secondary love story was nice to watch, as well. The male lead was great, even though I found myself wishing it was Hyun Bin instead, but obviously he's too big of an actor to play in a drama like this. Maybe I was just thinking about Memories of the Alhambra too much...8/10

Writing: Maybe it would have been better if it had more episodes. There would have been more time to flesh out characters and the pacing could have been improved. The drama felt very rushed and sloppy. For instance, when the male lead comes to the realization that he has feelings for the female lead, it seemed very sudden and I felt like I had missed a scene or something. A slow burn romance would have worked better with his personality type and both of their childhood traumas. Unfortunately, like I said before, not enough time for that. I would have also liked to see more of the growth of the relationship between the male lead and the AI over the years of his life. Also, the ending was too...childish? Immature? Idealistic? With the premise of the plot being about AI, loneliness, and being disconnected from people, the writers could have went really deep with the psychological issues and the effects of these technologies on human relationships and the world. It could have taught the audience a profound moral message. However, the drama barely scratched the surface of these aspects. It seems like a waste of a plot that could have taught us so much. But I guess if they wanted the vibe to stay more on the cute and cuddly side , they succeeded. To me though, it feels too childish, too simple. I like it when dramas can really get me thinking. 2/10

Direction/SFX/Music : The SFX was good for the most part. There was one scene where the green screen looked terrible, but that's about it. The direction could have been better; scenes could have been cut better to illustrate emotional build up and help the audience connect with the leads. For instance, the scene where the male lead sees his mom for the first time since childhood. The camera should have been on his face for most of that scene, especially his initial reaction. I don't need to see his mom; I don't have an emotional connection with her--I need to see HIM see his mom and then his acting would be a tearjerker moment for the audience. As for the OST, it's pretty good. It wasn't good enough to enhance the drama on its own, but still good. 4.5/10

Entertainment Value: It was a quick watch that was able to keep me interested throughout. The lightness of it was the most boring thing about it to me. There was stupid romance stuff like running in the woods, having a panic attack, and now the male lead needs to carry her on his back. It made me roll my eyes. But, luckily it was mostly toward the end where I was getting annoyed. The ending itself really annoyed me though--very cliché. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4.5 out of 10 due to it's superficiality, rushed story-telling, and cheesiness. I found myself comparing it to Are You Human, Too? (a similar sci-fi plot about AI) and I had liked that one much more (I had given Are You Human, Too? a 5 out of 10). I also couldn't help but compare it to Memories of the Alhambra (a sci-fi about augmented reality becoming real), which is miles better than both My Holo Love and Are You Human, Too? (I had given Memories of the Alhambra a 6.5 out of 10).

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Light and Fun but Suddenly WTF

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

If I were to rate the 1st half of this drama and the 2nd half separately, the ratings would be very different. Let's just go through the categories and I'll explain:

Acting/Cast: Easily the best thing about this drama. In the beginning, I was iffy about some of the characters. However, well before the end of the drama, I liked every character and enjoyed all of their roles. 1st half - 6/10 ; 2nd half - 10/10

Writing: This category can be broken into 2 parts - character writing/dialogue and story writing. Throughout the drama, the character writing was well done. Everyone had very distinct personalities that felt real. I easily became attached to multiple characters. That being said, I felt the male lead was the weakest in this department, especially in the 2nd half. His character felt like he had the least development. I knew the other characters so well, but the male lead remained fairly mysterious. Although, I also realize this was intentional, but I still didn't like it. Now for story writing...great in the 1st half. I loved the light and fun vibe of the 1st half. It was very charming. My only gripe was the writer's overuse of red herrings to the point of slight annoyance. I also thought the cliché stalker plot point didn't fit in well with the feel of the drama. It was also quickly glazed over like it never even happened, which made it feel even more out-of-place. In the 2nd half, the overuse of red herrings became obnoxiously ridiculous and those cliché out-of-place plot points were, unfortunately, here to stay. How can I put this simply? The story became confusing, unrealistic, and I haven't been so pissed of about an ending since Black. The ending ruined the entire drama for me, just like what happened with Black (which, oddly enough, stars the same female lead). It's as though the writers didn't know how to end the drama and they were fighting with each other and changing their minds every episode. But, what makes it worse, the writers were foreshadowing the ending from much earlier in the drama. It makes me believe that this mess was completely intentional and I'm shocked. And what's even worse, I feel betrayed, emotionally manipulated, violated even -- similar to how the characters in the drama SHOULD have felt about the whole situation. 1st half - 9/10 ; 2nd half - 1/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Almost no complaints here. However, I am reminded of that one scene...the piano on the beach. I was so confused. Very out-of-place scene. Was it a dream, was it a fantasy? I hope so. Regarding the music/OST part, the OST is nothing special; not my cup of tea; it neither caught my attention nor annoyed me. However, the piano music was great. 8/10

Entertainment Value: I got through this drama fairly quick because it was fun and had likeable characters. In the 2nd half when crazy random things were happening, I'm not going to lie, I was entertained and the cliff hangers got me through the drama even faster in the 2nd half. I was extremely curious about how the writers were going to play out this ending. I was hoping the male lead's mom would get some kind of redemption arc. I was hoping everything would come together and make sense. It seemed like it was heading that was until suddenly -- the writers forgot how to write and my hopes were shattered. 1st half - 4/10 ; 2nd half - 6/10

Overall, this drama would get an unweighted score of 6.5/10, technically speaking. But since the ending was drama-ruining, my weighted score would be 3.5/10.

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A Makjang That's Nothing Special

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

This one is pretty tame for a Makjang. It's not bad but very forgettable.
By the way, I am not familiar with the webtoon this drama is based on.

Acting/Cast: Most of the casting was fine. Even the male lead grew on me. He always plays these types of characters though. I'd say the worst character is the 2nd female lead (the female lead's sister). I felt like she was unrealistic and over-the-top. Her acting is probably the worst. The female lead's acting isn't great in the beginning either but I think she improved through the course of the drama. No interesting characters really... The villains are lame. My favorite character was the male lead's mother played by Lee Mi Sook (이미숙). 4/10

Writing: The plot is interesting and the writing isn't terrible. I was just expecting more craziness than what I was given. Not much for twists. Nothing super unexpected happened. No real roadblocks for the female lead. The villains are boring and unthreatening. It made for a stress-free watch though. The romance is surprisingly good (I say that because I normally don't like Sung Hoon's characters (방성훈). I felt the leads had chemistry and I like how the romance develops between them. I also liked that the female lead has an impressive talent. She kind of reminded my of the female lead in Love In Sadness (now that's a memorable drama). 3/10

Direction/SFX/Music: It has good pacing. The music is ok. One thing, that I'll mention here, that bugged me while watching was the styling of the male lead. They kept putting him in really baggy clothes that just makes it look like he's not wearing the right size...as though he just recently lost a lot of weight and hasn't had time to buy new clothes. But that was just a small personal gripe. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: I stayed fairly entertained throughout the drama. I think I started to lose some interest toward the end when I realized nothing too crazy is ever going to happen. So, it was entertaining enough to get me through the drama once and fairly quickly. However, it's no where near entertaining enough to remember this drama let alone to want to watch it again. I actually forgot that I had finished this drama, which is why I'm writing this review a little late. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4/10. It's not bad, not good...just meh.

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