The moment I set my eyes on this movie and its synopsis, I knew I wanted to watch it, and soon.
An underdog story about an epic friendship between two individuals who complement each other’s weaknesses with their own strengths? And with Shin Ha Kyun and Lee Kwang Soo starring, no less?
YES PLEASE, SIGN ME UP! 🤩
Gosh, how had I even managed to let this one fly under my radar?
Psst: Links to watch are at the end of the review!
As many of you know, because of my deep affection for Junho, I’ve been on a mission to check out his various projects.
I’d been meaning to watch this movie and write it a review (this was my third attempt – more on that in a bit), so what better time to do that, than the weekend that Junho wins Best Actor, at the Baeksang Awards?? Ahhh!!! 🤩
For the record, I’m so, SO happy for him, and so proud of him, and having him on my screen for an hour and 50 minutes this weekend, felt like a perfect way to celebrate his (well-deserved) win. 😍
Psst: Links to watch are at the end of the review! ❤️
Confession might look like a standard crime thriller sort of show, but as it turns out, it’s more heartfelt and more melodramatic, than one might first expect.
With your expectations tweaked (very important, and more on that in a bit), Show works out to be a solid watch that’s both interesting and absorbing.
Junho and Yoo Jae Myung anchor this story, and they are excellent, both individually and together. Their enemies-to-partners journey was one of my favorite arcs in this show; I just loved the idea of them putting their talents together, and working towards a shared goal. 🤩
Plus, the music in this show is a force to be reckoned with; I loved the atmospheric, dramatic nature of it all, and how precisely it’s all applied.
An underrated drama that deserves more love than it gets.
If you’re on the market for a coming-of-age story that leans more subtle, raw, realistic and.. melancholic, than most teen stories, then this little mini series, that’s just 4 episodes of 30 minutes each, might work nicely for you.
I went into this not quite knowing what to expect, but ended up liking it quite well.
Psst: Links to watch are at the end of the review!
As you guys very likely know, I now have pretty serious heart-eyes for Junho, and so, of course I had to poke around his filmography, to see what else he’s done, that I might like to see.
When I saw that he starred in this Japanese movie as a pair of doppelgängers, I just had to check it out. I mean, it would be unreasonable of me to turn down a movie that offers two Junhos for the price of one, yes? 😉
Psst: Link to watch is at the end of the review! ❤️
If you’re looking for a holiday movie to watch this New Year’s weekend, Adoring might be a good contender. It came out on 31 December 2019, just in time for New Year’s – so we’re only about a year late? 😁
Show is simple, easy, and it focuses on bringing the feels. And! There’re pets!! What’s not to love, right? 🤩
Psst! Links to watch are at the end of the post!
I do think this is a case of “your mileage may vary.”
I’ve had this show highly recommended to me (thanks Lynette!), and I’ve also seen lots of positive comments about this one, so Show is clearly quite well-loved. Which is why I went into this with pretty positive expectations.
However, I’m gonna hafta say that aside from Show’s first episode, which I loved, this one was.. just ok, for me, in the end.
That said, just because I didn’t love this one, doesn’t mean you won’t (this show has lots of fans after all), so hopefully this review will help you figure out whether this one’s for you!
Shout-out to MeriJ, who was the first person to mention this show to me, and get it on my radar. I honestly wouldn’t have known about this show otherwise; it flew under the radar for most people, I feel like.
I think most people either love this show, or find it really boring. Those are such extremes, eh? In my mind, whether you love this show, or feel bored by it, depends a lot on what you look for in a show.
At the same time, I also think it has a lot to do with managing your expectations, which is something that I can definitely assist you with, now that I’ve seen the show in its entirety.
I’m thinking that with the right lens adjustments, this one might turn out to be a bit of a sleeper hit for you yet.
If you’re looking for a quick drama snack that’s big on wholesome, heartwarming feels – for the Thanksgiving holidays, perhaps? – and have just 1 hour and 8 minutes to spare, this little drama special might do the trick nicely.
By the way, this is not to be confused with KBS’s 2016 drama special of the same title, or with upcoming drama Sweet Home.
(I know, what is up with all the similar drama titles, right? So confusing!)
THE SHORT VERDICT:
Thoughtful, understated, and yet so full of accurate teenage feels, At Eighteen is the youth drama that we didn’t know we needed, but which we absolutely deserve.
You don’t even need to generally be into youth dramas to enjoy this one, methinks, because this is arguably the most “grown up” youth drama I’ve seen yet.
There’s no hyperbolic cutesy here; growing pains and teenage euphoria are portrayed in such an organic way that it makes me feel like these writers remember exactly what it’s like to be a teenager growing up, and with amazing attention to detail, to boot.
Show manages to create a world that feels real and raw, while still retaining enough pretty and polish to give it that drama lift. The entire cast does an excellent job, but extra kudos goes to our young actors, for making their characters come to life in such an organic-feeling manner.
As a bonus, the music in this is by turn breezy-heartfelt, tinkly-ethereal and gently poignant; all astutely applied just so, to give the watch experience that extra dimension of immersion.
Quite excellent, all-around.