Kang Dong Won

Review: Tempest

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

Big-budgeted, glossy and peppered with big-name stars, Tempest was poised to be Disney’s big kdrama hit of the year.

Unfortunately, it does feel like, whichever camp you’re in – whether you’re in this for the romance, or the politics, or the mystery-thriller aspect of things – you’d likely come away from this one feeling not completely satisfied.

Also, whichever camp you’re in, you’re also likely to agree that Show seems to have been rather too ambitious, resulting in a rather uneven watch experience.

Not terrible, overall, but still a regrettable waste of potential.

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Flash Review: Something about 1% [1% of Anything]

| kfangurl

For the most part, I have trouble understanding dramaland’s penchant for remakes. I mean, if something’s that good, why mess with it? Conversely, if something’s not good, why remake it? Uh, right?

In this case, though, I’m very pleasantly surprised by how much more I enjoy the remake, versus the original.

I’d tried watching the original some years ago, because I’d seen enough affection for it as a classic kdrama, to be curious. BUT. I couldn’t make it through even episode 1, no exaggeration.

Mainly, I remember being bored by the slow pace, feeling somewhat thrown off by retro-everything (from styling, to production values, to storyline), and being shallowly unimpressed by Kang Dong Won’s rather gigantic eye bags.

Now fast-forward to the remake, which I inhaled in what can only be described as a giddy marathon. Woah. What a turnaround, right?

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Flash Review: My Brilliant Life [Movie]

| kfangurl

Let the record show that:

1. I generally don’t stumble on many k-movies that truly resonate with me, thanks to their shorter running times, and also quite possibly, thanks to my drama-attuned sensibilities. What can I say? I don’t like to feel rushed when connecting with characters on my screen. 😉

2. This particularly holds true for movies that run like highlight reels, because I find it particularly hard to connect with a highlight reel.

3. I don’t seek out tearjerkers and if I know in advance a movie is going to make me cry, I approach with deep caution, if I approach at all.

Despite all of this, though, I love – like, really, unreservedly love – My Brilliant Life.

Highlight reel, tears and all, this movie moved me deeply, and I would watch this again in a heartbeat.

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