Lee Joo Bin

Review: Love In Contract

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THE SHORT VERDICT:

Love In Contract boasts some pretty great key ingredients for a shiny rom-com in the tradition of Hallyu: a good-looking OTP that shares decent chemistry, a tropey-but-potentially-cute premise, an easy-breezy soundtrack to make everything pop.

Unfortunately, I do think that Show is stronger in its first half than in its second, which is where I feel it gets rather lost in the melodramatic backstory that it builds for itself.

However, Show is not without its bright spots, the biggest of which, I feel, is Go Kyung Pyo as our stoic, socially awkward, dorky and endearing male lead.

Nothing to write home about, in the end, unfortunately, but serviceable, for when you want a rom-com, and aren’t opposed to using the FF button for stuff that doesn’t interest you.

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Review: She Would Never Know

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

You might need a tiny bit of patience with this one in its early episodes, but Show turns into such a thoughtful, sweet, sensitive love story, that it’s completely worth it. Our story leans restrained and slice-of-life in execution, so some viewers might find it too small of a story, but I love it.

Our central love story is teased out with a detailed, sensitive and tender touch, and the resulting feels are organically swoony and so satisfying.

Our leads are great together, and Ro Woon is especially wholesome and endearing as a young man smitten with his sunbae.

As a bonus, our supporting characters and their relationships also get a similarly thoughtful treatment, making for a very enjoyable watch overall.

Show remains consistent all the way through, and even manages an ending that feels earned and satisfying. Highly recommend. ❤️

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Review: Find Me In Your Memory

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Find Me In Your Memory does a rather unusual thing, by tapping into one of Dramaland’s favorite sources of dramatic tension – the stalker arc – and then using it as a platform for our main characters to work through the healing that they need.

In this way, Show sets itself apart from other healing dramas, which tend to be more introspective in vibe, by being comparatively more action-heavy instead.

Despite a tendency to use tropes in its narrative, Show manages to serve up characters and relationships that feel real and relatable, where growth feels earned and true.

The OTP relationship is portrayed as sweet and restrained, and taps nicely into the chemistry between Kim Dong Wook and Moon Ga Young, which feels sweet and natural. As a bonus, the secondary loveline between Kim Seul Gi and Lee Jin Hyuk is super cute.

Not groundbreaking by any means, but a solid watch overall.

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Review: Be Melodramatic [Melo Suits Me]

| kfangurl

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Be Melodramatic feels like a more grown-up version of Age Of Youth, in the best way.

Here are Show’s pros, in a nutshell. First of all, Show’s got a slice-of-life, quirky, imperfect feel, and possesses an off-the-wall sense of humor to go with.

Secondly, Show boasts an ensemble cast of characters where everyone feels real and three-dimensional in all of their flawed, idiosyncratic glory.

Third and best of all, the writing feels deft and insightful, as Show takes us on a journey with our characters, and at the same time, gives us a multi-lensed look at this unpredictable, tiring, messy yet hopeful thing that we call Life.

A refreshing, underrated gem of a show that’s funny and quirky, yet real and relatable, that often hits you with the feels when you least expect it.

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