Review

Review: Gaksital [Bridal Mask]

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

A show that’s really good right away, and – gasp! – actually stays that way throughout its 28 episodes. That’s a rare, rare feat in dramaland, as we know all too well.

Gaksital is a show that manages to take a political context and ground it in the personal experience and emotion of our characters, and then by extension, help us to care about that political context in a way more visceral that I expected.

I found Gaksital intense, gripping, and gut-wrenching in some of the best ways. And I don’t even usually like shows with political contexts.

Continue reading →

Review: Beautiful Days

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Old-school, classic kdrama of the romantic, melodramatic variety, circa 2001.

Although not quite as wildly popular as Winter Sonata or Autumn In My Heart, Beautiful Days is actually a pretty good watch when you’re in the mood for retro melo.

Yes, it’s angsty, but it’s not depressingly so.

Plus, our male lead is a very smoldery Lee Byung Hun oozing oodles of machismo. If you like your kdrama heroes of the manly man variety, you might want to check this out.

Continue reading →

Review: Vampire Prosecutor 2

| kfangurl

VP2.1

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Less slick and less stylish than the first season, this second season is grittier, darker and way bloodier.

While I missed the finesse of Season 1, Season 2 did give us more meat in terms of character development and team & relationship dynamics.

The episode-to-episode crimes generally also showed more complexity compared to those in Season 1.

Most importantly, Season 2 gave us more time with our favorite vampire prosecutor – and who can argue with that?

Continue reading →

Review: Vampire Prosecutor

| kfangurl

VP1

THE SHORT VERDICT:

A slick, stylish crime procedural with a vampire twist.

Plot-wise, it feels a little piece-meal in the earlier episodes, but it really grows into its own by the final stretch. It’s engaging, witty, and well-written, with some excellent attention to detail and a glossy, polished finish to boot.

I’m not a fan of crime procedurals nor of vampire-related content as a general rule, but I really liked this.

Continue reading →

Review: I Need Romance 2012

| kfangurl

INR2012.1

THE SHORT VERDICT:

A stylish, light, polished sequel to I Need Romance.

Although it’s hyped as a more realistic picture of modern-day dating and romance, the show managed to make its world romanticized in its own way.

I liked this more than the original series, but in the end, it still left me a little cold.

INR2012.2

Continue reading →

Review: The Princess’ Man

| kfangurl

TPM1

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Grand, lush, well-made, well-acted, well-written & well worth watching.

Every detail in this drama is thoughtfully put together, from the characters’ dialogue, to the themes & motifs, to cultural & historical references.

Very tightly & seamlessly produced and executed, there is an excellent balance between the action in the story and the emotional development of the characters and their relationships.

Engaging, romantic and thought-provoking. And a gorgeous OST just ups the magic.

Continue reading →

Review: Life Is Beautiful

| kfangurl

LIB1

THE SHORT VERDICT:

A lovely family drama that is completely refreshing and that has a wonderful harmonious, comforting tone throughout its 63 episodes.

There is no trace of melodrama in this one. People don’t hate each other; no one is plotting revenge on anyone; there is no web of birth secrets; there is no long-suffering Candy character and no chaebol prince.

The beats are relatively small, and yet I never felt like they were insignificant.

As a bonus, this drama is set in gorgeous, glorious Jeju Island.

Criminally underrated, this gem is a completely enjoyable watch from start to finish.

Continue reading →

Review: The Equator Man

| kfangurl

EM1

THE SHORT VERDICT:

More engaging and interesting in the first half than the second half.

The writing got somewhat haphazard in the second half and I found it hard to stay engaged with the characters.

Worth checking out if you’re a fan of Uhm Tae Woong, Lee Joon Hyuk &/or Lee Hyun Woo, who deliver strong performances. Just don’t always expect the story to make complete sense.

Continue reading →

Review: I Do, I Do

| kfangurl

ID1

THE SHORT VERDICT:

I Do, I Do is a show that seems to divide people. Most people say it’s too slow and boring, but there is also a fairly strong fan-base that loves it to bits.

I started on it feeling it was slow and that the chemistry between the leads wasn’t great, but somewhere along the way, I came around, and I actually enjoyed it fairly well.

Not fantastic, but not all bad. Continue reading →

Review: What’s Up?

| kfangurl

WU2

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This drama had a somewhat raw, rough-around-the-edges sort of feel to it, which gave it a sense of realism.

Several plot-lines felt under-developed, which made the show feel a bit off-kilter, but some great characters and a couple of meaningful plot-lines which did get nicely fleshed out made this unassuming little show one that I enjoyed quite a lot more than I thought I would.

The characters snuck up on me and made me start to care about them, which is always a plus in my books.

A character piece with songs.

Continue reading →