Lee Shin Young Archives - The Fangirl Verdict

When I saw that Kang Han Na was starring in this as a vampire, I was immediately intrigued.

I’d loved her (so much!) as a ditzy ex-gumiho in My Roommate is a Gumiho, and this felt like it was in a similar enough space to tap on that same otherworldly fabulosity, while sounding different enough, to not feel like this was more of the same.

The good new is, my estimation wasn’t wrong. Kang Han Na’s role in this is similar-yet-different, when stacked up against her outing in My Roommate is a Gumiho. The not-so-great news is, this little show isn’t quite as fun or interesting as I’d first imagined.

Still, I do think there’s a niche sort of appeal to this, and I hope this quick review will help you figure out whether this one’s for you.

Continue reading →

THE SHORT VERDICT:

Show really is everything that many of us have come to love in kdrama.

It’s gorgeous to look at, our actors are pretty darn capable all-around, our characters are mostly endearing, there’s amped-up, epic romance to be had between an OTP that shares solid, sparky chemistry, and, well, Hyun Bin is appealing in this, to a rather staggering degree. Flail.

As a bonus, Show possesses a cheeky sense of humor around drama tropes, even as it revels in them. In addition, the glimpse into North Korean life feels fresh and novel as well, and is a major highlight.

On the downside, there’s a bit of drag in the mid-to-late episodes, which is compounded by rather heavy-handed narrative angst, and Show’s long episodes. That can feel a bit or a lot hard-going, depending on your appetite for angst.

Overall, though, Show does a great job bringing the feels, and is well worth the watch.

Continue reading →