Review

Review: Buried Hearts

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Buried Hearts isn’t the best in its class (that class being makjang revenge thriller), but it is reasonably engaging through most of its run, with some moments that shone a bit extra.

Unfortunately for me, I didn’t enjoy the ending so much, though your mileage may vary. Opinions on the ending are divided, suffice to say.

The thing that everyone seems to be able to agree on, however, is that Park Hyung Sik is pretty darn great in this, and it’s a treat getting to see him showcase a part of his acting range that has heretofore flown under the radar.

Continue reading →

Review: The First Frost [China]

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

To my eyes, what sets this show apart from other c-dramas, is that it really is a healing romance.

It’s not just a concept in this show; we really do get to explore the nuances of emotional wounds, how they linger, and how they heal. I love that Show not only focuses on this, it also weaves this healing into the main loveline.

I feel that Bai Jing Ting and Zhang Ruo Nan are perfectly cast in this; I felt that they each brought their characters to life, and had a very believable, crackly chemistry with each other.

This one lingers with me, and I think it’s well worth the watch. 🥲

Continue reading →

Review: When Life Gives You Tangerines

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This is a case of Show living up to the hype.

Everything about this show, from the writing, to the direction, to the delivery, speaks so deeply, of genuine tenderness, and I just love how it all comes together, to become something that’s even greater than the sum of its (already impressive) parts.

Our story is simple and approachable, yet so profound in its humanity and compassion, that one cannot help but find it affecting.

Our entire cast is fantastic, but in my opinion, our core cast, IU, Park Bo Gum, Moon So Ri and Park Hae Joon truly stand out, playing our OTP in different timelines. They deserve all of the awards, and then some. 🥲

A masterpiece that’s well worth your time.

Continue reading →

Review: Undercover High School

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Show starts with a bang, with an unapologetically silly, dorky, badass sort of sensibility, which I loved, so, so much. 🤩😍

Unfortunately for me, Show changes focus (and therefore tone), about midway through its run, spending a lot more time on the central mystery, than on relationships.

The story still works; I just found it a lot less fun to watch.

The silver lining, is the Seo Kang Joon and Kim Shin Rok are both fantastic in this. He basically steals the first half of the show, while she steals the second half. 😁

Not a must-see by any means, but not bad, overall.

Continue reading →

Review: Melo Movie

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Despite its billing, Show doesn’t land as much as a romance, as an exploration of our characters’ journeys, in the context of love, loss, isolation and solidarity.

I found myself not feeling as connected to our characters as I tend to be, and yet, the various thoughts and nuggets of wisdom that Show serves up, manage to linger with me, with an almost haunting sort of quality.

Overall, a worthwhile watch, provided you adjust your expectations and viewing lens, which I talk about in a little bit.

Continue reading →

Review: Blossom [China]

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Prettily filmed, with a purposefully told story, and a solid cast that delivers strong performances, Blossom is a mid-budget drama that bats above its weight.

I found it nicely engaging from the start, and I was most taken by the burgeoning OTP connection, which boasts a good amount of electric spark, particularly in Show’s first half.

Perhaps most surprising of all, is that Show manages to stick the landing in a way that feels satisfying, and makes sense.

Worth a look, in my opinion.

Continue reading →

Review: The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This show is glossy, snappy and zippy, with a touch of irreverence, and overall very slurpable and fun to watch; narrative arcs don’t take very long to resolve, and they are effectively engaging, such that I’d happily finish an episode, and feel ready for another.

Beyond the slurp factor, I think what lifts Show to the next level, is that it demonstrates a great deal of heart.

From our core team, to some of the patient arcs, that heartfelt quality manages to peek through the gloss and irreverence, making this story world and these characters linger with me, beyond the ending credits.

Very good; would recommend. 🥲

Continue reading →

Patreon Year End Awards: Trent’s Year In Dramas 2024!

| kfangurl

We’ve got one more EOY to wrap up the drama year that was 2024 – surprise? 😁

Trent‘s EOY would have come out earlier, but he came down with a nasty bug while writing, that put him out of action for a bit.

I’m so glad that he decided to finish writing his EOY, nonetheless, and here it is! YAY! 🥳

I’ve said this before, but Trent and I often agree on dramas (though he definitely has a greater appetite and endurance for darker, bloodier fare 😅), so reading his post definitely makes me want to add to my never-ending list of shows that I would be interested to check out.

Trent also writes about dramas on his own blog, which you can visit here.

Thanks Trent, for taking the time to write this post! 😘

I hope you guys enjoy!

~ KFG ❤️

PS: If you missed our EOY earlier posts, you can check them out here: Sean, Deni+JJ, Natalia, Ele, j3ffc, MC, Elaine, ABV, Diasporic Chick, TopTeenu.

PPS: If you missed my year-in-review post, you can check it out here!

Continue reading →

Review: Motel California

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This show isn’t for everyone – is, I think, the most accurate and important thing I could say about this drama. 😅

Characters and relationships tend to develop in ways that can lean messy &/or perplexing, and that is kind of reflective of real life, in a manner of speaking.

How well you take to that, will largely determine whether or not this show is for you, I think.

Additionally, Show works out to be a slow burn, but there’s ultimately a reward of warmth and contentment, for the patient.

Continue reading →

Review: Love Scout

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This show had me squeeing week to week, right from the beginning, with its understated yet on-point depiction and exploration of burgeoning awareness and attraction between our would-be OTP. So much crackle.

On that note, Lee Joon Hyuk and Han Ji Min are pitch-perfect and really quite wonderful in this.

As a bonus, there are also a good number of likable secondary characters peopling our story world, and I found their side arcs a pleasant addition to our show.

There are several narrative elements that I didn’t care for too much, but these weren’t deal-breakers for me, and this still worked out to be a very solid watch overall.

Continue reading →