Kim Ha Neul

Review: Red Swan

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

Show is objectively not amazing, but it has a few things going for it:

1. Rain is quite pitch perfect, as our story’s stoic, fearless bodyguard with a backstory;

2. The overall story actually becomes more interesting in Show’s second half; and

3. We get some pretty good performances by some of our supporting cast.

On the downside, the writing is not great, and the OTP chemistry is uneven, and, in my opinion, doesn’t really live up to the promises made by Show’s promo materials.

That said, lens adjustments are critical, and might even help you enjoy this one.

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Review: 18 Again

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

Don’t let this show’s silly, farcical trappings fool you; this one has so much heart that it simply never runs out of feels.

Fatherly love, familial love, romantic love and even platonic love; they all get their day in the sun in this drama world, and the result is a deeply heartwarming watch that I never wanted to end. This show made my heart so, so full, and I happily drowned in all of the feels.

Our cast is very strong, but I do sincerely think that this would’ve been a different show without Lee Do Hyun. He delivers such a heartfelt performance, with such a distinct sense of gravitas, that I am completely blown away.

The heart-eyes that I’ve grown for Lee Do Hyun are completely involuntary, and likely permanent. 😍

Unreservedly recommend.

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Review: A Gentleman’s Dignity

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

A light-as-air rom-com that rides more on atmosphere than plot. The ensemble cast has a collectively impressive resume, but don’t expect too much or you are likely to be disappointed.

This drama is likely to disintegrate under too much scrutiny, but if you’re in the mood to space out a little with something that doesn’t require much thinking, this might be your cup of tea.

I started out bemused, but ended up enjoying this more than I expected to.