Hong Soo Hyun

Review: Beyond The Bar

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

On the upside, the characters in this show grow on you, the cases are carefully chosen to bring interest to the story, while also giving us insight into our characters, and character relationships are carefully teased out.

On the not-so-upside, Show does employ a fair amount of coincidence to nudge its story forward, while also having its share of logic stretches. I also wasn’t super interested in the law firm politics, which were also inevitably present.

Overall, I did find this to be solidly engaging and watchable, which is saying a lot, since I don’t tend to gravitate towards legal dramas.

Worth a look, in my opinion.

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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.

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in this drama is thoughtfully put together, from the characters’ dialogue, to the themes & motifs, to cultural & historical references.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

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Review: History of the Salaryman

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

This drama is really different. It’s zany, irreverent and funny, with a sense of humor that’s often outlandish and a bit manic. It’s not actually slapstick, though it can sometimes veer (just a little) that way.

It often took me by surprise, and I already went in expecting it to be different.

The style and humor can take a while to get into, but it’s well worth checking out. Even my mother was amused.

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