Kim Young Dae

Review: Dear X

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

It is not an exaggeration to say that this show is unlike any other drama I’ve personally watched in my 14 or so years of serious drama-watching.

It’s dark, unsettling, and strangely fascinating — a watch that kept me intellectually engaged even when it wasn’t emotionally generous.

The cast does strong work across the board, with Kim Yoo Jung delivering a particularly impressive performance — easily the best I’ve seen from her so far.

Lens adjustments are critical here, and I’ll talk more about that shortly, because this is not a show that behaves like a conventional drama, nor one that rewards being watched as such.

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Review: No Gain No Love

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

On the upside, Show can be fresh, fun and zippy, and serves up some unexpected narrative surprises that I personally found interesting &/or refreshing.

On the downside, I feel that Show tends to be a bit too matter-of-fact in its portrayal of its lovelines, and is therefore lower on the feels than I would like.

Additionally, I feel that the ending could have been better handled, on several fronts.

Not a bad watch, necessarily, but definitely could have been better.

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Review: When The Weather Is Fine [I’ll Find You When The Weather Is Nice]

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

Measured, quiet and thoughtful, I really liked this show, for the most part.

I enjoyed the deliberate, considered vibe of the writing and the overall handling, and the small town setting feels refreshing and different. For a good stretch, watching this show feels like a nice dose of therapy, away from the roar of current affairs and world events.

However, I struggled quite significantly from episode 13 onwards, with certain plot developments making me legit angry with Show. BUT, Show manages to turn things around just enough in its final steps, to end on a sufficiently positive and uplifting note.

I wanted Show to be better, especially given its strong start, but I suppose it could’ve been worse. For the record, I really enjoyed Seo Kang Joon in this.

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