THE SHORT VERDICT:
While never terribly strong on the logic front, nor on managing its corporate machinations, Falling For Innocence manages to be a warm, engaging and uplifting watch.
Despite being quite fantastical in its premise as well as its execution, the narrative stays grounded via the emotional resonance and heft imparted by its committed cast.
Amid the many solid performances delivered by the cast, Jung Kyung Ho stands out as THE shining star of this drama world. His fabulous, faceted performance resonates with so much heart that it actually helps to overcome Show’s flawed logic. That’s skillz.
THE LONG VERDICT:
At first, I didn’t feel terribly excited about this show; its Heart-That-Remembers-Transplant premise sounded so very Retro Hallyu. After all, I’d sat through all of Summer Scent (2003), and hadn’t been all that impressed. Did I really want to sit through Summer Scent Redux too?
Plus, Kim So Yeon as an actress is generally hit or miss for me. Sometimes, I like her. Sometimes, I don’t. I typically can’t tell which it’ll be, ahead of time. Her being this show’s female lead made me wonder if this would be a downside to the show, for me.
Turns out neither of these concerns were actual issues, coz I found the show surprisingly enjoyable and engaging, if not always logical. But hey, we’re talking about a Heart That Remembers, so logic probably isn’t a prime concern from the get-go?
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
Frankly, the logic thread in this show isn’t the strongest, and I’m not just talking about the fantasy premise.
A lot of stuff isn’t explained very clearly, and Show’s regular leaps of logic become our regular leaps of faith.
[SPOILER ALERT]
In episode 4, we’re shown that a post-transplant Min Ho (Jung Kyung Ho) goes to the jewelry shop where (the now-dead) Dong Wook (Jin Goo) had ordered a ring for Soon Jung (Kim So Yeon), and picks it up for her.
We’re not told why the jewelry shop even had Soon Jung’s phone number in the first place, which they use to attempt to contact her (since she wasn’t the customer), and neither are we told how Min Ho even knew there was a ring in the shop that was meant for her, never mind how he convinced the shop staff to allow him to pick it up for Soon Jung, with neither instruction nor permission from Dong Wook, the original customer.
None of this is explained, and we have to pretty much assume (because there is no other available assumption, really) that Min Ho did it all in a daze, led by his new heart.
But honestly, it’s a huge stretch to say that everything – from picking up the ring for Soon Jung, to even purchasing the dream house that Dong Wook had picked out before – was done in a daze, all orchestrated by his new heart. It’s even harder to believe, because Show doesn’t actually give Min Ho a brand new personality right after his transplant, and he’s still able to think about things and analyze things with his pre-transplant personality.
Show serves up similar leaps of logic quite regularly all the way through to the end of the show (more on that later), and this definitely wasn’t one of Show’s strengths.
[END SPOILER]
Aside from the shaky logic, Show also suffered from overly complicated corporate politics, which eventually became overly recycled.
After putting in what felt like an inordinate amount of effort to figure out just what our corporate context was, who was bringing down whom and how, it really was rather underwhelming to realize that Show wasn’t really going anywhere with it after all. Corporate plot points were recycled in a circular way, so that we kept hovering around the same question – will Hermia survive Gold Partners’ latest dirty ploy? – albeit in slightly different forms.
STUFF I LIKED
Once I put aside the logic lapses and the less-than-entralling corporate politics, there were actually quite a few things that I liked about the show.
First of all, everything’s really quite lovely to look at. The cinematography is crisp and polished, and the camerawork is deft and assured. Best of all, the warmth of our main characters shines through it all.
Additionally, I actually found Kim So Yeon well-cast and quite easy to watch in this show. Her razor-edge works well with Soon Jung’s sharp efficiency and almost heartless, robot-like responses at work. And when Soon Jung shows her more vulnerable side, Kim So Yeon plays it well. It’s never treacly and I find it easy to sympathize with her.
To be perfectly honest, though, it was Jung Kyung Ho who made the show, for me.
Jung Kyung Ho as Min Ho
I LUFF Jung Kyung Ho in his role as Min Ho. So Much.
I find this a very interesting role for him, coz it uses some of his Baksa swag from Heartless City (2013), and adds in some of his previous beta male quirks (like in 2009’s Smile, You), while giving him a chance to show off his excellent, excellent comic timing. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him vacillate among these facets of Min Ho’s personality as he figured out his new, weird life.
Of course, part of what makes it so cute for me, is the fact that I last saw Jung Kyung Ho as Baksa. As funny and adorable as Min Ho turns out to be, it would all probably be relatively less amusing if he hadn’t last graced my screen as an ass-kicking, cool-as-ice drug lord. That residual badassery is what takes Min Ho’s cute antics up that extra level of adorable, for me.
I’m fairly sure that if I looked harder, that I’d find some leaps in logic around Min Ho’s character development, from being a ruthless corporate shark to becoming a grumpy, quirky, but essentially decent and quite lovable man-child. But I enjoy him so much as Min Ho, that I don’t actually care to look for those logic lapses, and prefer to just enjoy the uplifting, heartwarming bits of his journey.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Min Ho the Ruthless Corporate Shark
Jung Kyung Ho manages to imbue Min Ho with interesting, heartfelt layers, even at Min Ho’s most cruel; something that I find very impressive indeed.
From the very first time we meet him, Min Ho is set up very efficiently to be a ruthless corporate shark in no uncertain terms, and yet, Jung Kyung Ho plays him with whispers of vulnerability and hidden pain that make him sympathetic.
At the same time, Jung Kyung Ho plays Min Ho’s response to his terminal heart condition in a matter-of-fact, resigned sort of way; yet layered into that indifference is a wistful sort of sadness that I find not only subtle but also quite.. well, elegant, somehow.
Really good.
Min Ho the Confused
The confusion of post-transplant Min Ho is full of funny ripe for the mining, and Show does not disappoint. Jung Kyung Ho gets to break out his comedic chops in a big way, and I loved his funny faces in particular.
Just look at him trying out his kungfu mojo, after managing to display some involuntary fight reflexes in a scuffle with an attacker:
HAHA. Jung Kyung Ho has such gloriously expressive funny faces! XD
At the same time, Confused Min Ho allows Jung Kyung Ho to demonstrate some seriously impressive acting chops.
Show makes Dong Wook’s heart affect Min Ho in waves, without interfering with his core personality, which I think is pretty cool. Not only does it make the whole situation more believable, while helping to keep us connected to the character of Min Ho that we’d come to know in the first 2 episodes, it also allows room for his character to react to – and grow into – his new-and-improved self.
I love the moment in episode 4, where Min Ho cries involuntary tears when he sees Soon Jung’s hurt her hand.
How skilled Jung Kyung Ho is, to let the tears flow so naturally that they look effortless, enough that his surprised reaction to them feels genuine.
Kudos.
Min Ho the Smitten Man-Child
I do love the whole dynamic of Min Ho feeling all kinds of confused and confounded over his feelings for Soon Jung, and his grappling with the question of whether he’s feeling these feelings because they’re his, or because of Dong Wook’s heart.
Even more, I love how, in episode 9, Min Ho eventually just gives up fighting it, and just accepts that he wants to be with Soon Jung, and that it doesn’t matter whether these feelings are a result of his new heart. That realization puts such a lovely look of wonder on his face, and I love it.
I just love Min Ho’s smitten faces, they’re so full of wonder and so, so adorable.
Here’s a small sample of the Smitten Face:
Of course, this section would be incomplete without acknowledging the adorably petulant man-child that Min Ho becomes, in his quest for Soon Jung’s affections.
In episode 9, after his ridiculously hilarious excuse to see Soon Jung – locking himself out of his own house on the pretext of losing his keys – falls through, he flops down on his bed with this petulant face, which I find hysterical:
Really, it’s all in Jung Kyung Ho’s delivery, isn’t it?
Bonus: Min Ho the Skinship Lover
Sure, I didn’t appreciate the forced skinship that Min Ho sometimes foisted on Soon Jung in the process of trying to figure out his feelings.
But I did think that the scene in episode 5, where Min Ho dazedly pulls Soon Jung into an embrace, is quite alluring.
The way he slowly reaches out so that he has one hand cupping her face, with his fingers under her hair, touching the skin of her neck, and then puts his other hand on her back, before he draws her to himself. Augh. There’s something so dreamily intimate about it.
Melt. Puddle. Spazz.
[END SPOILER]
Jung Kyung Ho and Kim So Yeon as our OTP
Given that Dong Wook was such a likable sweet boyfriend, and that Soon Jung was heartbroken over his death, and given how unpleasant pre-transplant Min Ho had been toward her, the working out of our OTP was quite a hard sell to me. In the light of all these things, how would Show make their relationship progress believably from adversaries to lovers, I wondered.
On this front, I do think that Show did decently well, even though some things were conveniently glossed over and sped up.
All in all, I actually liked the progression of Min Ho’s and Soon Jung’s relationship. The way she begins to actually care about his well-being, and the way he grapples with his feelings.. it all comes together quite nicely, and I feel like the journey towards them becoming closer and more candid with each other is believable and really quite sweet.
Probably more than the writing, credit goes to Jung Kyung Ho’s and Kim So Yeon’s performances, for making the interactions between Min Ho and Soon Jung feel so natural and emotionally honest and intimate by mid-series, when they began the show as adversaries.
Even better, I can’t even pinpoint the moment when that all changed, it all happened in such sly degrees. I just know that I really liked watching them together, as they fought – then accepted – their mutual attraction, all while each helping the other to live, and breathe, and be better, stronger people.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Here are just a couple of my favorite OTP moments.
The Car Tow
In episode 7, as Min Ho and Soon Jung chat in the car as it’s being towed, their conversation is honest and deep.
The way Min Ho opens up about feeling ashamed, and the way Soon Jung shows him empathy and compassion, in telling him what his mom would say instead of feeling ashamed of him.. it’s all so heartwarming and melty.
The tone that Min Ho uses with her in this moment, and in other private moments too, is gentle, thoughtful, and quite swoony. It feels intimate, somehow.
And I like how he leans in and kisses her at the end of this episode.
He’s being carried by the feels of the moment, and he simply acts on it, even though he says that it’s something he mustn’t say. But he says it anyway, and kisses her anyway, and that feels liberating for him, as a character.
In low, gentle tones, Min Ho tells Soon Jung, “I like you. Whenever I see you, I get nervous and feel hurt. That’s because… whenever I see you, I feel ashamed and disgraceful. Whenever I see you, I want to become a good person and a good man to you.”
Aw. I do love that that’s the effect that Soon Jung has on him, that her very presence drives him to want to be a better man.
If you want to cry, then cry
I really like the scene in episode 10 where Min Ho sets it up so that Soon Jung can safely cry to her heart’s content.
He gives her a cap to cover her face, and water in case she gets dehydrated, and even his shoulder to cry on. And when that doesn’t work, he tells her that he’s the one who needs comforting, and pulls her into a hug, which is when Soon Jung finally releases all her pent-up tears.
I just find the whole concept of this scene so sweetly empathetic.
Yes, I don’t dig the forced hugs so much, but Min Ho gets Soon Jung to release her pent-up grief, and that is much-needed catharsis for her.
Secret Santa
I really loved the arc in episode 14, in terms of how Min Ho sets out to bring Soon Jung daily doses of happiness, even though he’s agreed to let her go.
Beyond the daily flowers and notes, I loved even more, the secret helping hand that he gives her, in things big and small; from a new job, to an affordable apartment, to a taxi at her doorstep, to an umbrella when she’s caught in the rain.
That he does all these anonymously just ups the sweet – he’s not looking for credit, nor to gain anything in terms of her heart. He simply wants to love her and make her life better. And that’s so, so melty. <3
The Kiss
Of course, how could I not mention The Kiss? Yes, Min Ho and Soon Jung share several other kisses in the show, but this one is extra special.
Here, both Jung Kyung Ho and Kim So Yeon kiss like they mean it, which makes for a gloriously beautiful kiss that is both tender and gentle, yet hungry and insistent.
Melt. And, rawr.
[END SPOILER]
Jung Kyung Ho’s chemistry with Yoon Hyun Min
Given that Jung Kyung Ho and Yoon Hyun Min are besties in real life, and shared a pretty epic bromantic arc in Heartless City, it took some getting used to, seeing them as adversaries in this show.
On the upside, they have excellent chemistry, and that crackling chemistry comes into play really nicely during their many confrontations, where it feels like sparks are literally flying between them.
As an aside, I did feel that Yoon Hyun Min’s character Yoon Hee wasn’t written nor resolved very well. But at least Yoon Hyun Min’s glower is pretty effective, and he does look great? 😛
Min Ho and Woo Sik/Ok Hyun/Dong Wook’s Dad
With Jung Kyung Ho making Min Ho such an endearingly quirky character, it should come as no surprise that just about any and all of Min Ho’s interactions with the people around him ultimately became charming and quite delightful.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Min Ho and Woo Sik
Min Ho’s relationship with Secretary Oh / Woo Sik (Lee Shi Un) becomes increasingly cuter as we get deeper into the show.
From simply mothering him and taking care of him, Woo Sik graduates to giving Min Ho dating advice (all hilariously inaccurate, of course).
I just loved the recurring gag of the misinterpreted backhugs between them, when Woo Sik tries to show Min Ho some key moves. Their stunned reaction faces when they get walked-in on especially, are gold.
Min Ho and Dong Wook’s Dad
One of the most heartwarming relationships in the show, I feel, is between Min Ho and Dong Wook’s dad (Ahn Suk Hwan).
I just love how chummy they become as we get into the later stretch of the show. Dad is so understanding and empathetic, and is just the support that Min Ho needs, as he grapples with company and relationship problems. Their conversations are refreshingly honest, even as they tease each other. And I find it extra sweet, that they become buddies in spite of Min Ho’s past bad behavior pre-transplant.
Best of all, watching these two together, it feels like Dad gets a surrogate son, and Min Ho gets a surrogate dad too. Love.
Min Ho and Ok Hyun
Min Ho’s relationship with Ok Hyun (Jo Eun Ji) starts out antagonistic, but becomes endearingly symbiotic by series’ end.
I found their dynamic, of Min Ho desperately and repeatedly telling Ok Hyun his dreams, and Ok Hyun aggravatedly trying to make sense of it all in order to solve the murder case, quite entertaining.
Best of all, I loved their nicknames for each other – Wendy for her, and Hook for him. It all starts out as something so seemingly throwaway, but by the later episodes, even these nicknames start to sound cute and oddly affectionate. Just like their grudging fondness for each other. Heh.
[END SPOILER]
THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]
Ah, the ending.
Like I mentioned early in this review, Show had a tendency for poor logic, and this showed up pretty glaringly in our finale episode.
All the dramatics around Hermia and Gold Partners and Joon Hee and Min Ho’s health ramp up to a crescendo, only to be resolved with a magical time skip.
We don’t get a full and satisfying turnaround or change of heart from Joon Hee, save for one lone tear. And we don’t get a satisfying finish to Gold Partners, who successfully get away by dumping all the blame on Joon Hee. We also don’t get a proper explanation for how Min Ho survives his very dire health threats and comes out healthy and smiling like a daisy – while still managing to avoid that suspended prison sentence that was granted mostly on the grounds of his failing health.
So little explanation, and so little sense-making.
On the upside, Soon Jung and Min Ho do get a happy ending, as do unlikely couple Wendy and Tinkerbell (Woo Sik), and everyone’s full of happy smiles.
Plus, our sweet OTP share loving giggly kissy moments that make me grin from ear to ear. That made up for a lot, in my books.
Ultimately, even though the story failed on so many counts, it resonated viscerally as Min Ho’s journey of redemption, Soon Jung’s journey of healing, and both of their journeys to each other. On those notes, at least, Show felt satisfying, and in this drama world, that definitely does count for quite a lot.
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Unexpectedly funny, warm & sweet, though terribly lacking in the logic department.
FINAL GRADE: B+
TEASER:
MV:
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Hi, I just finished this drama on Netflix. I enjoyed watching Jung Kyung Ho in Prison Playbook and I was curious about his performance as a rich, selfish, businessman turned softie trope, so I decided to give this a go. I agree with most of your review on the failing logic and the heavy corporate drama, and the set up was incredibly cliche, but there were some things I really appreciated about the drama that I feel like many other dramas neglect. I really liked that the show included little moments between characters that built some background stories for sideline characters – like the wife of his uncle waking up with a young guy in her bed, or Joon Hee and his relatives, and the scenes of Min Ho talking about his parents. It reminds viewers that not everything that is important to the characters is shown in the drama, and that they live extended and interesting lives outside of it. I also like that the main character continues to work, because one of my biggest pet peeves is that the rich CEO/businessman stops working as soon as they have someone they’re interested in (looking at you, Strong Woman Bong Soon). Like how could you stay rich like that?? I also like that Min Ho doesn’t change his personality when he falls in love. He first tried to reason with it, and he still had that streak of angry outbursts – which slowly got better, and of course, just being silly throughout. Another thing I want to point out I really appreciated was that there weren’t dramatic switches to the investigation scenes. I’m really glad that they don’t automatically turn on the dark music as soon as the scene changes to the “villain” or crime investigation, which too many dramas still do.
Things I didn’t like:
– I thought Soon Jung fell really flat for me. Her character was just so boring. By episode 10-12ish, I found myself often asking, “what’s good about her again?” Obviously she has many good qualities, but she didn’t have any quirks that made her feel real, or wholesome. She just felt like a boring character, and I’m not sure if in that respect she would be a good match for Min Ho. Eg. We had clips of Min Ho talking about his past life and his childhood, so we know he has been through dramatic ups and downs, as well as spending so much time overseas, so in those respects.
– All that corporate stuff. I liked that Min Ho was so quick on his feet and doesn’t lose his wit, but I felt like the writers were getting lost with the motives of Gold Partners. Especially when the female financial manager person told Joon Hee that he would be considered for CEO after completing this job, and then a couple episodes later telling him that he would be promoted to director of Asia (which is a demotion from previously). Also, that’s not how promotions work, at all.
– Lazy writing for the side characters, which progressively became worse. They made some effort with the uncle and Joon Hee’s backstory in the beginning, but people progressively became more simple. I felt like Ma Dong Wook’s father could have used more of a backstory (or even a future mention), and the lady from Gold Partners just made less and less sense.
To be honest, I thought that my positives heavily outweighed the negatives at the beginning of this post, but I now realize that Jung Kyung Ho MADE this drama. He definitely carried the whole show. I wish I could see more of him and I wish he’s more well-known so that he can get better parts. But then there’s also the problem of age… 🙁
Unrelated: I notice that you watch Chinese dramas every once in a while, so I’m going to recommend Rise of the Phoenixes. It’s quite long (70 45min episodes) and the plot weakens as it goes on, but the acting is top notch, and the costumes and sets are just so beautiful and intricate. Even when I was bored by the story, I was still looking at the details in the embroidery, carvings, jewelry, etc.
Hi there Sherry! Indeed, Jung Kyung Ho is FAB. <3 I agree that he made this show. Even when the writing went a little wonky, and logic wasn’t great, he just made it all come alive. I am pretty sure I wouldn’t have enjoyed this one as much as I did, if his character had been played by another lesser actor. Have you seen him in Life On Mars? I really liked that one this year, and I thought he did a fantastic job. For something a little more iconic, have you seen Heartless City? That was THE role that marked the huge change in his acting, I feel. Before Heartless City (and therefore before MS), he always played second fiddle, or beta male types. But he just exploded with so much edgy charisma in Heartless City that I was mesmerized. 😍
Thanks for the recommendation on Rise of the Phoenixes. I considered checking it out a while back, but was underwhelmed by talk that it doesn’t end well. That, and I’m intimidated by the high episode count. I might give it a shot tho, just to see! 🙂
How did I miss this review?? It’s hazy now, but I LOVED this drama! Yes, Kim So Hyun is a hit or miss actress for me too, but I felt in this drama she struck a hit. I fell in love with the OTP and Jung Kyung Ho was marvelous as always. He’s so talented. I remember totally hating the 2nd lead, kudos to the actor. He was good in Tunnel!
And the kisses in this were excellent. You know I love good kissing. There were lapses in logic, and time skips seem to be ‘magic’ to clearing everything up, but I was glad for the happy ending. In reality, heart transplant patients may not get more than 10 years if even that. Maybe 5. When I thought about that, it sobered my happy ending and I felt sad all over again for Soon Jung, who will have to go through the pain of another great love lost.
Aw, it’s ok, it’s easy to miss posts, especially when RL gets hectic! Thanks for coming back and enjoying this review! <3 I agree Kim So Yeon did well in this show, and yes, Jung Kyung Ho was wonderful. 😍😍 He's really become one of those actors that just lifts their material to another level. I loved all of his scenes, period. <3
Gah, that's true, heart transplant patients have limited life expectancy. That does put a bittersweet spin on our happy ending. 😭😭 But maybe since this is a fantasy drama anyway, heart transplants in this drama world are good for life? 😛
It’s a very good review! I need to go over your list again just in case. lol. Yup, I’m going to pretend that in dramaworld, heart transplant patients are given a new long lease on life. 🙂
Aw, thanks for the support, m’dear. You are so sweet. <3 And yes, in fantasy dramaland, why shouldn't heart transplants be good for 100 years?!? 😀
Hello, I really liked your review. Recently I finished watching this drama and it’s all that you mention, even I had my doubts to watch for the same reasons.
Ofc JKH carried this show, yes the otp, yes the bromance, yes to all that involves him.
Another thing that lacked in this drama was the ost, it could have been so different the show with more powerful songs to add, but even with the lack of ost or logic, JKH still manages to carry the show, impressive.
Greetings! :3
Hi there Tef, welcome to the blog! And, I’m glad you enjoyed this review! 🙂 Indeed, Jung Kyung Ho carried the show – he is SO GOOD. I don’t know what happened during MS, since I’d always found him pleasant before MS, but not very compelling. After MS, he just consistently eats up my screen. He’s SO good, and I LOVE it! 😀
About the picking up of the wedding ring it does say how it happened. He saw the flyer on her desk and had a feeling of dejavu so he went to the place unbeknownst to him the flyer served as the ticket for the pickup. The reason shr got the call is because that was the fiancée plan.
Hm.. I guess that’s one way of looking at it, though I didn’t find those details very clear. I did actually go back to rewatch that segment while working on the review, to see if I’d missed the connection the first time, but I’d still felt it was vague. Also, I find it hard to believe that her fiance had planned for the shop to call his girlfriend. I mean, wouldn’t he have wanted to pick up the ring himself, to propose personally? That just didn’t make sense to me. But, like I said, it’s not a big deal, and didn’t prevent me from enjoying the show. Which I did, thanks to Jung Kyung Ho’s amazing performance. 🙂
As I was watching this show I was having a hard time swallowing the memories that were coming from the heart. Then I got to episode 6 when the doctor is explaining Cellular Memory Syndrome. Apparently, that’s a real syndrome and people, specifically those who had heart transplants, had memories or sensations after the surgery that they couldn’t explain. It’s very rare and scientifically unconfirmed, but still a thing. They didn’t just pull this story out of their asses.
Cellular Memory Syndrome:
http://www.medicaldaily.com/can-organ-transplant-change-recipients-personality-cell-memory-theory-affirms-yes-247498
Hi there Lyzi, thanks for sharing this! 🙂 I’ve heard about Cellular Memory Syndrome and how it’s very rare, but can occur. I guess that’s what the writers were basing their premise on, that it can happen. With this AND Autumn In My Heart, though, it does look like the syndrome is much more common in dramaland than in real life, eh? XD
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i totally love kyeongho’s performance and a thousand facial expressions here too!
he made me feel angry, sad, hilarious, and in love (sarang?! a little~ ♥). it’s amazing how he was able to convey everything from being a company serial killer to becoming the ideal man every girl dreams of.
what i also liked about the story was that there were no perpetual stupid push-and-pulls from the leads (OK, i think soonjeong had one episode XD) but instead, just in minho’s character, he confessed and showed his love until the end.
anyway, speaking of fave fanmade videos, here’s probably my fave ^_^
Aw yeah, Jung Kyung Ho was totally THE best thing about this drama, no question! Even when stuff didn’t make complete sense, his amazing performance just kept me coming back for more. His facial expressions were fantastic, and I have to agree that his determination to love Soon Jung was very melty indeed <3 Thanks for sharing the vid – twas a lovely reminder of all the cute, adorable and sweet in this couple, AND in Jung Kyung Ho, of course 😉
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Falling for Innocence (2015) Review Collection DB Page
http://www.akiatalking.com/2015/05/falling-for-innocence-2015-on-air.html
I may be the only one , but I love spoilers hahaha , got to check out the ending before starting a drama , crazy right ?
That’s why I can’t finish Chuno bec my love dies , and he was crying all the time bec the girl he loves don’t love him wahhhhhh. I can’t take it ,
Lol, you LOVE spoilers? Your approach to drama-watching is definitely different from my approach, Nancy! I avoid spoilers as much as possible, generally. But I do like to watch the trailers at the end of episodes. I’m not spoiler-phobic to the extent of avoiding trailers too 😉
And OMG I LOVE Chuno!! I was super frustrated at all the dying the first time I watched it, but I genuinely loved the show on my second watch and thought it a true masterpiece. I hope one day you’ll be able to enjoy Chuno. Jang Hyuk is so magnificent in it <3
oh my Jang Hyuk <3 <3 <3 , he along with Hyun Bin I love with my every being hahaha
Your Fated to Love you review I drink every word you wrote <3 , I read that review word per word so many times , I just love that show and savor every word , such a masterpiece review <3
Keep making us happy pretty please , saranghae
Aww! I’m so glad that you enjoy my review of FTLY, Nancy! 😀 That definitely is a great morale booster, thank you <3 I do plan to review Shine or Go Crazy (more Jang Hyuk, whee!). I just have so many reviews that I want to write, that it's taking me some time to actually write it! But I'll get there, pinky promise!
Watching this drama now , it’s funny , my to watch list gets bump off most of the time when your reviews came up , as long as it’s not dropped, i feel i have to check out the drama asap !
And yes, i’m quite charmed by Jung Kyung Ho , and will be checking out his past dramas to add to my to watch list, which is a mile long now.
I usually rejects drama that have a sad ending , I refuse ( sometimes ) to watch a drama that will make me sad at the end. Lol , i watch to make myself happy 🙂 ,
Thanks for the wonderful review as always, saranghae <3
Oh, yay that you’re enjoying this show, Nancy!! It is quite a fun watch, and Jung Kyung Ho is FABULOUS, isn’t he?? 😀 You might want to also check out Smile, You – he was very cute in that too. Show gets draggy in the last stretch though. On the upside, it IS a happy ending. He’s fantastic in Heartless City, but you may not like it as it’s a very dark and twisty sort of watch. If you’re willing to brave it for Jung Kyung Ho, though, you’ll get to see him be absolutely cool and badass. Just sayin’ 😉
And AWWW, that you’d check out a show as long as I didn’t drop it! Makes me feel super special, it does! Smooches <3
Nicely done, yet again my dear :). I didn’t finish this, I stopped at around ep 5 maybe, but if I were to have continued on, it would’ve been for my man Jung Kyung Ho. I mean, he really is fabulous and so versatile, and not to mention, looks stunning in a sharp suit which you know, is a huge plus for me ;). I too find Kim So Yeon hit-and-miss. She was great in Two Weeks for instance, but while she wasn’t bad here, I don’t think it’s quite a natural fit for her, but she’s a good enough actor to make it work still, you know? All in all, even if I didn’t finish it, from what I did see, I totally agree that the cast carried the show, and the show probably should get down on it’s knees and thank the drama gods it landed Baksa ;D
DDee!! 😀 Great to see ya! And thanks for reading, even though you dropped this one. If you do come back to it, rest assured that Jung Kyung Ho gets to show more and more of his amazingness as the show goes on. Sure, things don’t make a lot of sense. But he’s so fab that it wasn’t hard to ignore everything else, really. 😉 And HAHA, yes, the show should be truly thankful they got Baksa – he’s the main reason the show was such fun to watch! XD
Thank you for this review! This came like a treat for me since I really enjoyed this drama while it was airing. Now I can “re-savour” it again through this review! 🙂 And to think, it wasn’t even on my list of to-watch drama. Actually it wasn’t even on my radar. But somehow, I happened to stumble upon it and started watching and bam, I was hooked. I didn’t know Jung Kyung Ho before this but it’s nice to discover another talented actor! After FFI ended, I actually went and marathoned Heartless City and I couldn’t even see a trace of cute puppy Ming Ho in his dark, brooding portrayal of Paksa. I’m sooo impressed. Melts… He got himself a new fan!
Aw, thanks eueu, that’s really nice of you to say! I’m glad you enjoyed this review – and the show too! 🙂
This show wasn’t quite on my radar either, tbh, and I only checked it out because I was ready for a new drama and had heard some positive reactions to this one. That helped me decide to check it out in spite of my initial reservations, and I’m glad I did! Jung Kyung Ho is SO GOOD, seriously. And, doesn’t he just seem more amazing somehow, once you know that he’s actually got the capacity for serious badassery? 😀 I think I’d see all his earlier work in a new light now, come to think of it. If you’d like to see more fun and cute from Jung Kyung Ho, you could consider checking out Smile, You. It got draggy in the later episodes, but the earlier episodes are lots of fun 🙂
Thank you for the recommendation. More Jung Kyung Ho is definitely welcomed! 😉
Thanks for the recommendation! More of Jung Kyung Ho on my screen is definitely welcome! 😉
You’re very welcome, Eueu! 🙂 Just to give you an idea, the show was a weekender that was originally slated for 30 episodes, but did so well that it got extended to 45 episodes. Which means the earlier eps really are quite a lot of fun to watch. And the later eps became a real drag when the writers seemed to run out of ideas. If you’re on the market for Jung Kyung Ho cuteness though, it’s worth checking out! ^^
Weeeelll… you know my track record with shows like this that mostly fly on Teh Cute. XD I actually stuck with it about half way through but by then the plot had me mostly headdesking for the stupid.
Jung Kyung Ho IS fab though and I hope to see him in something more palatable next time. His comic timing is impeccable. ^^
Lol. It’s too bad you couldn’t stick around for the second half.. as illogical as stuff got, Jung Kyung Ho actually was even more fab in the later eps. He’s the reason I felt able to let logic go completely, he was just such a pleasure to watch. Although, I can’t blame you for headdesking over the stupid either! XD
Love your review. Everything i thought about the show and more you wrote on it.
Aw, thanks aigooyobo! I’m so glad you enjoyed this review, AND this show! 😀 Jung Kyung Ho is FAB, isn’t he? <3
He sure is. 😉😉
Jung Kyung Ho is such an amazing actor!! Even just watching him walk down a hallway is mesmerizing.
I agree!! 😀 Although, I hafta say that I never saw it coming. I mean, I always used to think of him as the cute harmless beta male. But then Heartless City came along, and he just started blowing everything out of the water! Now I think he’s really awesome and quite amazing, and I feel like I could just watch him for hours, just sauntering around in those tennis shoes and business suits while making funny Min Ho faces! XD
* looks at her to-watch list and feels like crying *
Tee hee! If it makes you feel any better, my to-watch list is neverending too! XD I think this one’s worth adding to the list, for Jung Kyung Ho’s performance alone. He’s just SO GOOD. 😉