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Reviews
Sigeuneol (2016)
Enthralling but flawed
An interesting and mostly well executed premise. However, it's held back by some silliness that is at times distracting (like how none of the cops seem to know basic first aid or the portrayal of how investigations work). If you can suspend disbelief and go with it, it's well worthwhile.
Dongbaekkkot pil muryeop (2019)
Doesn't quite live up to expectations
This drama is hard to rate. It was refreshing to see a different slice of Korean life beyond the hustle and bustle of Seoul. The acting is mostly very good. Young-sik is my favourite leading male in a K-drama thus far. He's an absolute chaotic weirdo, in the best possible way. However the three things I struggled with the most were:
1. The pacing - there honestly didn't need to be that many episodes. As a result, the series often felt very uneven.
2. The mystery around the Joker - it's a bit anti-climactic and doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense
3. This can probably be chalked up to cultural differences, but the constant labouring over the fact that Dong-Baek is a single mother and *gasp* sells alcohol. You'd think the woman was engaged in organ harvesting for the black market based on the way some of the peripheral characters carried on. It was both hard to watch and, as a point of tension, was overly relied on. We know she's an outcast, we know everyone's favourite hobby is sl*t-shaming Dong-Baek. Maybe if they'd spent less time driving this point home and more time on the Joker element of the narrative, it would be more satisfying.
In summary despite a lot of potential, it's mostly good but frustratingly doesn't quite knock it out of the park (baseball reference LOL).
Naesungjukin Boseu (2017)
A bit of a mess
The general premise had potential. The actors did a okay job; some better than others. The biggest issue is the fact there simply wasn't enough of a story to last 16 episodes. They probably could have covered everything and brought it to a satisfactory conclusion within 10 to 12 episodes. The final three episodes in particular are mostly just filler. Unless you're desperately bored, probably give this one a miss.
Sarangeui bulsachak (2019)
A great show
I had such fun watching this series. While the main plot of the budding romance between Captain Ri and Se-Ri did the job; they're both cute, charismatic and had chemistry. The real highlight of this series for me was the marvellous cast of supporting characters. They were so good that I've made notes:
1. Solider squad: they are hilarious. The friendship! The banter! The loyalty! Special mentions go to Eun-dong (every time he cried out 'Captain Ri' or 'Se-Ri' in happiness, excitement or concern my otherwise dormant maternal instincts went feral) and Joo-Meok (an absolutely delightful dork).
2. Village girl gang: their relationship both during and after Se-Ri's time in the north was lovely. I love Kim Sun-young's acting; she makes me LOL.
3. Dan: ugh so glamorous, so dignified, eyeliner always on point. I love her.
4. Dan's mother, Myeong-run: What a legend. I really enjoyed her character development.
In summary, it's ace; give it a crack.
Sseul-sseul-ha-go cha-ran-ha-sin-do-ggae-bi (2016)
Enjoyable but frustrating
I'd heard a lot of good things about this drama and it mostly lived up to expectations. Except for one very significant part: Ji Eun-Tak and her relationship with Kim Shin. I did not for one single second buy into the romantic relationship between the pair, and I didn't want to. Not only is Eun-Tak 19yrs old and still in high school, she's extremely immature which really impacted the vibe. Thankfully Gong Yoo's Kim Shin doesn't come across as skeevy; he seems more like a long-suffering older brother. Given that their 'great love' is a main plot point, it really fell flat for me. Thank goodness everything is was very well done. I laughed a lot, teared up a little and really enjoyed how ambitious the whole production was.
Jinsimi Dadda (2019)
It grows on you
I absolutely hated the first 2 episodes of this drama and decided to abandon ship. However, I came back to it after a couple of weeks and I'm glad I did. This drama really does improve as it progresses. While at first glance, it appears to be frothy romantic twaddle (and it is that too), there are deeper themes at play and the two leads settle quite nicely into their roles. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's a worthwhile watch if this genre is your thing.